Skiing in Sunny California

One Christmas I went skiing with 11 friends in Mammoth, California. We rented a huge condo and after everyone found their bunk, we hit the slopes.

There are 3 lift areas and lots of runs catering to everyone, from beginner to triple diamond skiers. The snow was great and the weather even better. It would snow at night, and we'd have brilliant sunshine to enjoy the fresh powder in the morning.

This was the first time I'd spent a whole week in a ski resort and I quickly progressed to the blue runs. The ski arena is so vast - I don't think I went down the same run twice. The atmosphere is very casual - none of the fashion parade I encountered in Europe, and everyone was very friendly and helpful.

I took a day off from skiing and explored the surrounding areas. They have a saltwater lake with weird rock formations, lots of hot water springs and a great cross-country ski area with a very comfy pub. There I snuggled into a deep chair at the fireplace, enjoyed some hot chocolate and immersed myself into a good book.

After a long day on the slopes we soaked our tired bones in the hot tub. We only went out on the town once, although the après-ski is great. But after a hearty dinner around a warm fireplace our bunks were just too inviting, and we wanted to be fit for the next glorious day in the snow.

For more information e-mail Chris Boecker