Mammoth Avalanche: Breaking News
BREAKING NEWS – A major avalanche at Mammoth Mountain just occurred (1030 hours) per Mammoth Mountain Ski Patrol. LAKEVIEW & CANYON BLVD will be OPEN to public traffic but please avoid the area to allow first responders to access the area. Responders are staging at the Canyon Lodge parking lot. Search and rescue teams have been dispatched.
More info will be posted as it becomes available.
Update 1300 hours: Traffic is flowing from Minaret all the way down to Old Mammoth Road. Turning onto or from Main, Forest, etc is not allowed to keep things moving quickly.
PLEASE if you are missing a relative or friend or are having trouble reaching someone please call the Mountain Emergency line 760-934-0611 or contact Mammoth Mountain Security 760-914-0400
Update 1221 hours: Traffic control on Minaret will begin shortly to move traffic quickly from the area. Transit buses will be headed towards Main Lodge to pick up more people to get them down the hill. If you have family/friends skiing today give them this information as the internet may be overcrowded.
Update 1134 hours: Mammoth Mountain has asked if members of the public are aware of missing friends or family, please contact 760.934.0611
Update 1122 hours: BOTH Chair 2 Parking and Canyon Lodge are staging areas, if you can avoid traveling anywhere in town, please do so. Rescuers are arriving from out of town at this time. Roads are very congested. If you are at Mammoth Mountain please shelter in place and await ski area staff instructions.
Update 1112 hours: Mammoth Mountain Ski Area has ceased operations today. Please be aware of emergency vehicles on the roads.
Update from Mammoth MountainÂ
SEARCH EFFORTS COMPLETE AT 4:30PM
MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN, CA — At approximately 10:15AM on March 3, 2018, Mammoth Mountain Ski Patrol was performing routine avalanche mitigation work in a closed area when a large avalanche released on the Climax ski run. The avalanche traveled down Upper Dry Creek and terminated at the bottom lift terminal of High Five Express [Chair 5]. The powder cloud from the avalanche extended about 100 meters into an area open to the public, where two guests were partially caught. Both were able to immediately free themselves without serious injury. Additionally, six employees working at the bottom of the closed lift were partially caught, but freed themselves quickly, suffering only minor injuries.
Ski Patrol was on scene with initial rescue efforts within moments, and search operations began immediately. Ski Patrol led a 6-hour search, which included the use of transceivers, RECCO, avalanche rescue dogs, and a manual probe search, all with no results reported. Nearly 200 employees, first responders and guests contributed to the effort on-hill.
Within minutes of the call, Mammoth initiated its emergency response protocols, and multiple agencies and resources responded. Mammoth extends a sincere thank you to all the guests, employees, and other first responders who immediately responded to the scene, as well as to the Mono County Sheriff’s Office, Mammoth Lakes Police Department, Mammoth Lakes Fire Department, Mono County Search and Rescue, Mono County Paramedics, California Highway Patrol, Mammoth Lakes CERT and Inyo County Search and Rescue, all of whom assisted with an overwhelming response.
We are not aware of any missing persons. If members of the public are aware of missing friends or family, please call 760-934-0611.
Mammoth Mountain will return to normal operations Sunday, March 4.
A full investigation is underway.