Mammoth Mountain Area Summary

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Overview of Area

The area surveyed spans from Mammoth Mountain Ski Area to the south and White Wing Mountain to the north. This area hosts a complex of routes where a thick lodgepole pine and fir forest meets the open flats of the Great Basin. Deadman Creek and several small creeks make up the Owens River headwaters in this country. The area's proximity to Mammoth make it a popular spot for mountain bikers, OHV users, and campers. Roadless areas exist to the north and west of this route complex making it a place to watch and an area of concern in terms of the possibility of proliferation of new routes.

bulletAreas Surveyed
bulletMammoth Mountain Areas of Concern
bulletManagement Recommendations for the Mammoth Mountain Area

Areas Descriptions Links
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area Just north of the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area is a complex of routes with several clearly marked and marketed for mountain biking. 
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Deadman Creek One of the creek drainages that feeds the upper Owens River, this high-use area is dominated by thick lodgepole pine and pumice soils.
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White Wing Mountain A dramatic mountain rising north of Deadman Creek and south of Glass Creek, this area is mostly roadless with several spur routes heading up from the east. 
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Areas of Concern: Route Hotspots

White Wing Mountain

The largest concern in this area is proliferation of tracks off of routes on the southeast flank of White Wing Mountain. Several routes north of Deadman Creek continue behind obvious barriers and closures up White Wing Mountain.

Accompanying closures with signs and more effective obstructions to motorized users may decrease proliferation.
Proliferation of tracks continue past the designated end of this spur at the base of White Wing Mountain. 
This spur route at the base of White Wing Mountain ends at this barrier. However, proliferation of tracks continues beyond the barrier. 

Overall Management Recommendations

Several routes in this area are signed for mountain bike use, yet users could be confused by the multitude of spur route in this area. Signs and restoration of spurs would likely improve the visitor experience by limiting confusion and directing users to the correct routes. 

The Deadman Creek area receives a good deal of motorized use in the eastern portion, yet several spurs head west towards roadless portions of the Sierra. These spurs likely served as logging routes in years past and are narrow heading through thick lodge pole and fir. Active management would be needed to keep these areas open as tree fall is common. The routes have little clear purpose and are terribly confusing to users. Some routes should be restored and others signed for motorized use to limit confusion. 

Lastly, the east flank of White Wing Mountain  is a chief concern. All spurs surveyed continue past stops shown in the 2003 invertory indicating that route proliferation is a problem in this area. These routes need barriers and closure signs preventing further proliferation into this roadless area.