Date: 01/04/97
Days: 1
Resort: Mammoth Mtn.
Hours: Day
Equipment: Alpine
Rating: 8
Primary-Surface: Packed powder
Secondary-Surfaces: Crusty, Icy, Hardpack
Gender: Male
Age: 44
Ability: Expert
Loved: Upper gondola runs in the morning
Hated: wind-stripped icy areas, wind
Closed: Top closed from about noon to 2PM.
Liftline-Waits: Lower gondola 15 mins, nothing else more than 5 min.
Moguls: None, area had been closed Jan 1-2, with delayed opening 1/3

The rain storm of Jan. 1-2 (to the top, the most severe since at least 1980) finished with 4-6 inches of heavy powder. Most of the lower mountain (even chair 15) had predominantly packed powder with a hardpack but not icy subsurface. The upper mountain was variable, ranging from excellent windpack (Dave's, Climax, MJB and Upper Dry Creek were the best I found) to irregular wind-stripped boilerplate (nearly the entire face of 3, the backside of 22, and other wind exposed areas). The wind was also erratic, very strong on 3, 16 and the top of 22, but only moderate on top, at least in the morning. Overall, much better than one might expect after 2 days of rain. Coverage is not an issue as the base (now 6-10 feet) is so deep.