Riding Chair 14 up the backside of Mammoth alone. First impression of Mammoth over Tahoe: the scenery is dramatic. Say what you will about beautiful giant alpine sky-blue lakes like Tahoe, Mammoth has a grandeur I've only seen in larger mountain ranges like the Rockies or Andes. The volcanic nature of the rock surprisingly didn't remind me of Big Sky so much as Jackson Hole or Shasta/Lassen. This lift was one of about 30 Mammoth has to offer. And if you get bored with all those, you can drive 20 minutes and use your ski pass at June Mountain, which has about 2,500 vertical feet of skiable terrain and a 2+ mile long trail. We did not have a car so we stuck to Mammoth which was more than enough for 4 days of skiing.