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PubClubbing in Mammoth
Ski or snowboard
by day and party by night is the Mammoth mantra.
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On
Mammoth Mountain, Dining
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Mammoth
President's Days
There is great irony in Mammoth.
It is one of the great ski/snowboard locations in North America, yet
one of the primary reasons people head to its slopes are not the pristine
white snow, its 150+ trails and abundance of terrain. It's the party.
The PubClub Ski
Patrol on patrol at Mammoth's bars.
Indeed, the highlight of a good day for many is getting a seat at the
Yodler after spending time on the mountain. It's not uncommon among
some visitors to skip the slopes altogether in order to rage with their
friends at the Mammoth bars. This is especially true on inclement days
among the weather-conscious L.A. crowd.
Mammoth attracts a large amount of singles in season, though Fridays
can be a slow because most visitors are just arriving in town. Cover
charges kick in on weekends, usually $3 on Friday and $5 on Saturday.
"Drink 'em if you got 'em " is at 1:30 a.m., with full bar
closure at 2 a.m.
Because of its relatively close driving proximity from Southern California
(around 5 hours from L.A.), people travel in groups to Mammoth, some
even arriving by the busloads. People pile into condos and go out together,
each person inspiring the other to greater heights of social euphoria.
Ski Apres: Post-slopes Party
Even with a pub right at the base of
the gondola in The Village, The Yodler remains the summit of
the post-mountain party. An alpine-style pub at the base of the Main
Lodge, it has a decent juke box and a few tables adjacent to a fireplace.
These are also tables, making them prime real estate, especially on
busy weekends like President's
Day. For those times, it's best to convince a ski buddy to
stray early from the slopes and save one for the group (aka, to be "the
table bitch").
The Apres' conditions
at Mammoth are as good as the snow on the slopes.
Lately, though, the first stop has become Tusks. Bright and airy with a band with a band playing
until 5 (we've heard a surf band there, which is a welcome surprise
at a ski resort). it's at the Main Lodge overlooking the Broadway ski
run. On nice days, the deck is ideal. It's not as cozy as the small bar it replaced but it does
have several TVs and a few booths.
First, however, there are a bars to tend to ahead of the apres on the mountain. The Mill provides party potential while the long Stump
Alley lift line sits stalled like gridlock on LA's 405. Steeps Bar
at McCoy Station is ideally situated just off the main Broadway
run and is at the Main Lodge/top-of-mountan gondola stop. It's an ideal
lunch-and-cocktail location, especially on sunny (and, if you're lucky,
warm) days from the patio. The view is looks right onto the hill and
the staff may suddenly jump on the bar and lead a group toast. Canyon
Lodge occasionally has bands outside during lunch.
On a warm, sunny day, the staff leads a group toast on the bar.
Yet the best patio of all may be one of the least recognized, Chair
13 (on the back side of the hill). Just don't linger too long because
the Yolder awaits!
Party time there starts at about 3, with the real rush beginning at
4. For the next two hours, Yodler is THE place to be in Mammoth. It
can get quite noisy, especially after all those shots people are doing
kick them into high gear. Drink prices are $5 for a good micro-brewed
beer and $6 for a well-poured cocktail. Like all places in Mammoth,
Yodler does not skimp when making drinks.
Those looking for a ski partner for the next day (or Jacuzzi
partner later that night) are best advised to lay the groundwork here..
Once out at night, people tend to stay close to their groups making
it a bit difficult to "break in." The Yodler has a way of
encouraging accommodating attitudes. Ring the bell by the fireplace
and be the most popular person in the bar!
The Yodler's biggest problem is its location. Yes, you can practically
ski right to the door but the last shuttle departs the Main Lodge at
5:30 at the height of the party. After that, the lone option is the
bus from the adjacent hotel – every hour on the half-hour –
though the driver has been known to frown on people hauling skis and
snowboards Why doesn't the shuttle simply run at least until 6:30 or
7:30? Oh, and the gondola from Canyon Lodge quits at 5, so pretty
much forget about getting more than a single a post-slope cocktail at
that bar.
After the Apres
At about 7, the crowds move the party
to their respective Jacuzzis. Some collapse in the condo and a few don't
make it out for the evening. Plans to rally by 8 never materialize so
its usually after 9 when the restaurants and bars start to fill up with
pubclubbers.
Mammoth by Night
There are not huge
clubs in Mammoth but enough places to dance.
With three bars in the Village, Mammoth's
nightlife has given partiers options that previously did not exist.
Fun in the bars of Mammoth!
Lakanuki ($5 cover) is most popular for 20s dancers. There is
a small dance floor and girls are allowed to jump up on the sturdy wood
tables. The problem with Lakanuki is that the weather doesn't suit the
clothes, so to speak. It has a pub feel but acts more like a club. Instead
of tiki tunes (Jimmy Buffett, Bob Marley or some surf stuff,) it plays
a steady diet of dance music. That's okay but we would like to see some
island tunes mixed in on occasion. An Aloha type of attitude wouldn't
hurt either; too many people have been turned off by Lakanuki's lack
of laid-back employees.
A bar/restaurant very familiar to Southern Californians, Hennessey's
is right at the base of the gondola. It's far more resturant than bar
and revelers pretty much have to bring their own party. The patio is
enticing on nice days or nights.
Those looking for the Auld Dubliner, well, keep looking. In 2008, it became the second Irish bar in this location to close. Too bad, it was a good spot.
 For
a number of years, there was only one good "club" in town
and EVERYBODY went there. Whiskey Creek is still on the corner
of Main and Mineret. but with the other bar choices it's not quite the
nightlife nirvana of its previous era. Sill it's the only place in Mammoth
with a live dance party band and the spacious upstairs has ample room
for dancing, singing along with the band, conversation and general bar
activity. The crowd is late-20s to late 30s, part into dancing and clubbing
but equally happy to act like a pubber and just down drinks. This is
a good spot that also has a fine restaurant downstairs and a semi-limited
menu for earlier dining in the bar (usually until 8).
Locals and younger revelers (early to mid-20s) prefer to hang a few
blocks down Main at La Sierra's. It's a Mexican restaurant with
a cantina, dance floor and pool tables in the back.
Locals can also be found hanging at the Clock Tower at the Alpenhof
Lodge on Minaret Road. It has 25 imported and microbrews on tap in a
true casual and low-key bar. It does have last call at 11, however.
More fun from the
PubClub Ski Patrol, again on the move.
All this Village activity kind of leaves the orginal hotspot area in
the dark. Are the owners grumpy about tit? Well, go to Grumpy's
on Old Mammoth Road and find out. The original Grumpy's was located
in a historic old fire station, and was a classic "dive."
It has now moved down the street in a more modern structure and is much
quieter than it was in the past. Still, it has retained much of its
rustic atmosphere, serves a variety of beers in schooners and has pool
tables and other sports games. And you're likely to wind up partying
with the staff of places like Shogun restaurant, who are generally in
a good mood after serving people sushi and sake the past few hours.
 Next
stop on the Party Gondola: Park City
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