Is Mammoth the Largest Ski Resort?

Mammoth Mountain, located in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, is a popular skiing destination for tourists and locals alike. The area offers incredible terrain for all levels of skiers, and is home to some of the best ski resorts in the United States.

With its variety of terrain, Mammoth Mountain is often touted as one of the largest ski resorts in the world. But is it really the largest?

The answer to this question depends heavily on what criteria you use to define “largest”. In terms of total skiable acreage, Mammoth does not come close to being the largest.

It currently sits at around 3,500 acres which pales in comparison to other behemoths such as Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia (over 8,000 acres) or Vail in Colorado (over 5,500 acres). However, Mammoth does have the longest vertical drop (3100 feet) of any ski area in the US and some of the highest elevation lifts (over 11,000 feet).

In terms of total number of trails offered at any given time during a season, Mammoth again falls short when compared to other large ski resorts. It has around 150 trails that are open during peak season while places like Vail offer upwards of 200 different runs.

What Mammoth does offer that no other resort can match is its unparalleled access to vast amounts of off-piste terrain. While many resorts may have more trails than Mammoth on paper, much of their area is often groomed or accessible only through chairlifts or gondolas. Mammoth stands out by having huge areas that can only be accessed by hiking or traversing from one chairlift to another.

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, determining whether or not Mammoth Mountain is truly “the largest” ski resort depends heavily on what criteria you use to define “largest”. While it may not have the most acreage or highest number trails available compared to other ski areas around the world, it does offer unparalleled access to vast amounts off-trail terrain and has some impressive stats such as its longest vertical drop and highest elevation lifts.

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Chris Powell