RR: Mammoth Mountain 9-8-07

[mottmcfly]

This is my first report so go easy on me.

Got to Mammoth at about 3am Saturday morning and promptly started the day off right my oversleeping and didnt get to the shuttle until 11am. I say shuttle because they closed the gondola that travels from the Village to the mountain down for lack of use. This was a little bit of a bummer as we had to wait about 30 minutes for the shuttle to show. but no worries, the shuttle staff were helpful and extremely cheery which made up for it.

I was 72 degrees at the base lodge, 60 at McCoy station and 44 at the top. A lot of the staff were saying that this was probably one of the best Saturdays they had seen in a long time as far as riding weather goes and I couldnt agree more.

Started from McCoy station and hit Velocity first.

There's a brand new warning stating this is a double diamond run! Experts only! Full face helmet and body armor required!! Bla Bla Bla!!!!!!

Ok they did put a few wood drops in, which were really cool, but I think the sign was a tad dramatic. Maybe a skull and cross bones...oh nevermind..

Velocity has been and will always be one of my favorite runs. I'ts right up there with my skill level but still scares me. There is one wood roller thats so steep that you cant see the other side until youre right on it. You feel like youre about to do a 14 foot drop. I'm still working up stones to do the 4 foot drops.

As with many of the runs you can expect sections where the kitty litter (pumice) will try to swallow your front tire. I think this is just the nature of the beast when it comes to Mammoth. Also there are a lot of what I would call pot holes for lack of a better word. It's hole after hole caused by hard breaking over and over and over in a certain section.

I dont know if Technorock is a new run but its the first time I saw it. Starts almost the same place as Velocity and has some really neat natural rock drops they gave me a lot of pause. I saw more than a few riders eat it on this run.

From the top, Skid marks was everything I remembered. nothing too technical just a long fun fast time. One big batch if kitty litter up at the start of the run then thats it, clear sailing the rest of the way.

Stopped about halfway down and cut over to meet up with upper velocity. While this looks perfectly doable on the map the trail itself is poorly marked and way too soft to ride completely out.

Second run I took Skid marks all the way down to Juniper. this was probably the longest downhill I have done and I never saw another rider. I would say about 20 minutes down not including the stop for a qucik photo. (see below)

For those of you heading up for the last weekend I wish you the exact same weather I had, you will need no more than a hooded sweatshirt at night. They are holding a MTB rider appreciation event that weekend as well. Cant wait to hear about that one.

I will warn you. Mammoth Lakes is quickly turning into a ghost town as the Summer draws to a close.. If youre looking for the big party, you had better bring it with you. The hot spot of Mammoth on Saturday night was that Hawaiian place in the Village. If you havent seen this place you'll understand when you do, if you've seen it then you know what I'm talking about. No offence DJ Jazzy James and his assistant, ironically also named James, you were truly the highlight.

There was no other entertainment available as far as we could tell. at 10PM even the Irish pub had only 10 people in it.

Hope you enjoy reading this report as much as I did writing it.

Peace,

Mott

[El Salt]

Originally Posted by mottmcfly

...they closed the gondola that travels from the Village to the mountain down for lack of use...

Yikes! I must say, WTF. People, people, if not for my current injury I'd be up there. The weather sounds perfect right now. McFly, Sounds like you had a great time. Normaly I make it up to Mammoth this time of year. School is back in, people are winding down for the summer - perfect time to hit the trials up there.

Again, a WOW about the lift!?!?!

[mhughes]

Taking 2 days, so driving Sat. and Tues. - REALLY looking forward to it! Weather sounds perfect, 10 degrees cooler would be fine as well, so I'm hoping for perfect weather.

Just got the 66SL1 on the RFX, so it will be something of a shakeout ride for the new fork - just tuned it bouncing around the street this afternoon, got to try to get it on dirt before we head up - but sure looking forward to a degree or so slacker head angle on the steeps! Can't wait for repeats on lower velocity, bullet, flow, and need to check out techno rock, chainsmoke, ...

Drooling already!
--Matt

[Dino Brown]

Thanks for the ride report!!! Will be going to Mammoth in two weeks!

I would ask more questions- will save them for a future San Gabriel's ride!

We missed you at Chantry/Zion- would have rather been in Mammoth though!

Last thing: ...... From Lurker... to poster... to thread starter... to ride reporter in one week? Congratulations are in order!

P.S.- Velocity (IS) my favorite run!

[mottmcfly]

Originally Posted by Dino Brown

Thanks for the ride report!!! Will be going to Mammoth in two weeks!

I would ask more questions- will save them for a future San Gabriel's ride!

We missed you at Chantry/Zion- would have rather been in Mammoth though!

Last thing: ...... From Lurker... to poster... to ride reporter in one week? Congratulations are in order!

P.S.- Velocity (IS) my favorite run!

Many many thanks for that!!

[allison]

Originally Posted by mottmcfly

The hot spot of Mammoth on Saturday night was that Hawaiian place in the Village. If you havent seen this place you'll understand when you do, if you've seen it then you know what I'm talking about.

We LOVE Lakanuki!!!

BTW, more photos

[Dino Brown]

Originally Posted by allison

BTW, more photos

Yeah, what she said!

[mottmcfly]

Originally Posted by allison

We LOVE Lakanuki!!!

BTW, more photos

I admit that I am a total looser. I went up there planning on getting you guys a ton of pictures I even packed the camera in the backpack. Then I got really selfish and just rode rode rode. The thought of stopping and taking that backpack off that was so severly nailed to my flak jacket was unthinkable. I would have took like 2 minutes!!!

so here's the very few I took along with my apologies. I really need a helmet cam so I can do a truly richeous report!

[Dino Brown]

Originally Posted by mottmcfly

....I went up there planning on getting you guys a ton of pictures I even packed the camera in the backpack. Then I got really selfish and just rode rode rode.

I like this guy!

[steviebfromtheoc]

nice shots Marty , sounds like a great trip

[mottmcfly]

Originally Posted by steviebfromtheoc

nice shots Marty , sounds like a great trip

It would have been better with you there Brother. Looking forward to riding and racing with you again in the very near future.

[Tiresidedown]

Nice Mahty, looks like it was a great trip...good call on going even though the stupid Yankees fan couldnt make it. Little less snow this time huh? Wish I could have been there but yeah, sort of short notice to get there from Austin. Angel Fire Beeotch, lets get that planned out.

Oh yeah, was the Guiness pouring magician there? Ah I miss Socal.

Later brotha.
Tom

[mottmcfly]

Originally Posted by Tiresidedown

Nice Mahty, looks like it was a great trip...good call on going even though the stupid Yankees fan couldnt make it. Little less snow this time huh? Wish I could have been there but yeah, sort of short notice to get there from Austin. Angel Fire Beeotch, lets get that planned out.

Oh yeah, was the Guiness pouring magician there? Ah I miss Socal.

Later brotha.
Tom

Yankees fans...cant live with em and.....well, you cant live with em.
Yes the magician was there making little shamrocks on the top of the guiness.

Angel Fire is a huge go

[mottmcfly]

Originally Posted by mhughes

Taking 2 days, so driving Sat. and Tues. - REALLY looking forward to it! Weather sounds perfect, 10 degrees cooler would be fine as well, so I'm hoping for perfect weather.

Just got the 66SL1 on the RFX, so it will be something of a shakeout ride for the new fork - just tuned it bouncing around the street this afternoon, got to try to get it on dirt before we head up - but sure looking forward to a degree or so slacker head angle on the steeps! Can't wait for repeats on lower velocity, bullet, flow, and need to check out techno rock, chainsmoke, ...

Drooling already!
--Matt

Being the total Tuner ho that I am, I am totally psyched for you to try that setup out. The 66SL1 is a really nice addition to an already nice frame. For this report I took a DHR with a Romic shock. While that setup rocks its still a really heavy bike and at times I feel I'm totally fighting it. I attribute that mostly to weight (43lbs) with the 888 on it.
In addition I will be removing the Romic and moving to a Fox DHX shock mostly due to Romic's almost non-existent customer service.
As soon as I am able I will be purchasing an RFX so let me know how it handles Mammoth.

Have fun and be safe!

Mott

[fcjansen]

what TF are you doing Suka? was up with the leg? call me puto!!