A volcano on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada that gets more snow than almost anywhere in the United States and holds it later than anywhere, regularly into June. Spring is when the skiing here is genuinely excellent rather than a consolation.

Wide sunny groomed terrain low down rises to a summit ridge of steep chutes reached by gondola, and the terrain parks are among the best in the world. Wind closes the summit often, and Pacific storms can shut the mountain for days at a time, so build slack into the plan.

Mammoth Lakes below is a spread out town rather than a resort village, with hotels, condos, rentals and a shuttle linking the base lodges. Los Angeles is around five hours by road and that is where most visitors come from, so midweek is calmer. The Owens valley has hot springs worth an afternoon.