Mammoth Mountain

Fall colors in the Eastern Sierra start to appear in late September and October. Here's an idea for a scenic getaway that's easy on the wallet: Rooms start at $98 a night at Tamarack Lodge in Mammoth Lakes, where you can take in the mountain scenery without going too far. The offer also includes a boat rental and fishing rods. The deal: Mid-century Tamarack Lodge, part of the Mammoth Mountain empire, sits on Twin Lakes and features a variety of rooms and cabins in different sizes.

If you haven't yet planned the weekend, grab three friends or family members and head north. Avoid the predicted "Carmageddon"-size gridlock when the 405 Freeway closes Saturday and Sunday by heading to Mammoth Mountain, where you can stay three nights for -- of course -- $405. The deal: The Escape Carmageddon package for $405 plus tax for three nights lets you chose among various hotels at the ski area, including Mammoth Mountain Inn at 9,000 feet on the mountain to lakeside Tamarack Lodge.

Winter sports this season started with a bang in the autumn and cruised through one big storm after another during winter and spring, leaving several Western mountain resorts to conclude that the Fourth of July is more than beaches, picnics and fireworks. You can hit snowy slopes too. Just be prepared for limited terrain and shortened hours, in many cases. Weather permitting, here are some snow-meets-sun options for Independence Day weekend: -- Mammoth Mountain in California sometimes seizes the confused calendar to keep some lifts humming through Independence Day. With heaps of fresh snow, the Sierra Nevada snowpack looks more like its mid-winter self - a “June-uary” as the month has been renamed at the resort.

Here's a last-minute Fourth of July getaway for those who love the outdoors : Book Mammoth Mountain’s " Freedom of Choice " package for this weekend and get a $200 gift card. The card is good year-round for activities, such as skiing and snowboarding (available through Monday at Mammoth), golf, mountain biking and zip-lining; dining; nightlife; shopping; and more. The deal:   Book a minimum three-night stay at the Juniper Springs Resort, Mammoth Mountain Inn, Tamarack Lodge or Village Lodge and receive one $200 gift card for each adult on the reservation.

It’s last call at Mountain High , Southern California’s only clothing-optional resort (see photo). Well, what did you expect from spring skiing? Note that this is the resort’s last week, and this popular destination for local boarders is tossing out some interesting incentives. (OK, quit looking at the photo.) The Wrightwood resort is offering adult tickets for $40 and children’s tickets (ages 7-12) for just $25.  Here’s another deal that’s tough to top: Mountain High is accepting season passes from Bear Mountain, Snow Summit and even Mammoth Mountain this week.

California's Mammoth Mountain ski resort celebrates its record-breaking 624 inches of snowfall this season with three days of skiing for $129. The lift tickets are good through July 4, but you need to book the offer by Wednesday. The deal: The Spring Fest Three Pack costs $129 plus tax for adults and youths (13 to 64) and $99 plus tax for children (ages 7 to 12) and seniors (ages 65 and up). When: The three-pack must be bought by 11:59 p.m. PDT Wednesday.

Participants in Mammoth Mountain’s annual Tour de Taste on Sunday will have to slip on cross-country skis to get to the feast. There's nothing like a high-altitude workout in California's Eastern Sierra snow to build an appetite. But even out-of-shape foodies should have no trouble gliding to the food stations, which will be set up a five-minute's ski away from the resort's Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center --or even inside the center, depending on the weather . From noon to 2 p.m. famished enthusiasts will be able to lunch al fresco on creations prepared by area chefs from the Lakefront Restaurant, Restaurant Skadi, Petra's Bistro & Wine Bar and the Great Basin Bakery.

Could this be California 's endless winter? The huge March snowfall from Mammoth to Lake Tahoe and beyond has prompted many resorts to rethink their closing dates. Bottom line: Skiers and boarders could be reveling in the white stuff for another few months. Squaw Valley USA in the Lake Tahoe area plans to stay open daily through May 8 and then move to Friday-to-Sunday operations through May 30. (The resort usually closes the first weekend in May.) Yes, that could mean a white Memorial Day, so keep the ski wax handy and leave the camping gear behind.

MAMMOTH, CALIF. Woolly's Winter Carnival When, where: Feb. 25-27, Canyon Lodge Highlights: Plenty of snow-themed activities for children such as carnival games, sledding, shredding, snowmobile rides, snowcat demos, scavenger hunts, face-painting, roving entertainers and the chance to meet ski-patrol dogs. Cost: The children's activities are free; free lift ticket for ages 7 to 12 with the purchase of an adult ticket. Info: (800) 626-6684, http://www.

“Most snow in the world.” That’s what it said in huge letters on Mammoth Mountain's website Thursday. That claim likely comes from an Orange County Register article Tuesday that compared snow levels at 10 ski and snowboarding resorts around the world and found Mammoth's to be the highest. Indeed, 255 inches of snow have fallen at the resort so far this season. For four days, starting Dec. 17,  the flakes fell at the rate of 1.5 to 2 inches per hour,  Mammoth spokesman Daniel Hansen said.