Hey sports fan how's this for a fantasy: catch a couple of fish around daybreak, followed by 18-holes on a beautiful golf course, and then finish off your day with a few hours of great skiing or snowboarding on 6-8 feet of packed powder. It may sound too good to be true but it's not, it's just a typical spring day at Mammoth Mountain.
The big resort off Highway 395 on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains has announced it will keep the runs open until at least June 14. Weather and interest permitting they could still be operating July 4; it's happened before and there is little that compares to being able to say you were still cutting down the mountain on Independence Day - in shorts and a t-shirt.
As for the rest of the fantasy, there is great spring fishing in the many lakes around Mammoth this time of year, and, with the snow long-gone everywhere but on the mountains itself, the golf courses are opening up the weekend of May 22.
They've even put together a great package for you. For $115 per person, you get a night's lodging at one of three really nice places, plus your choice of an all day ski ticket, a round of golf or a ride on the Gondola which will take you all the way to the top of the mountain.
When you go just be sure you don't accidentally put your ski poles in your golf bag; they won't be much help to you getting out of the rough.
