MAMMOTH SURRENDERS: Closing day on 4th of July
Say what you want about being a ski magazine based in southern California. Here it was, July 4th, and I was riding lifts. Of course the Mammoth locals were out, including POWDER contributors Hans Ludwig, Christian Pondella, and Kim Stravers. A number of Tahoe stalwarts made the trek as well, including Kip Garre and Evan Raps. The day included massive snowball fights, slush sluff ride rides down the runnel below the gondola, and the array of costumed freaks, bikinied girls, and men in lingerie. And the skiing was beyond just sidebar to the freak show. Slush bumps were as good as slush bumps get, and the pipe was riding surprisingly well, considering how hard it is to maintain a good pipe in summer temperatures. Screw waiting in traffic for fireworks that always fall short. Next fourth, I’m going skiing.—Derek Taylor
