Mammoth's First Snow of the Season Surprises Locals

Originally posted on Powder | By Matt Lorelli | Last updated Sep 29, 2026 6:20 AM ET

The locals of Mammoth Lakes, California, went to bed on Sunday, September 27, unaware of what the next morning would bring—the season’s first measurable snowfall.

Flakes fell only at high elevations and didn’t accumulate more than an inch, but snow it did. Mammoth Mountain shared the following snow report video from McCoy Station on Monday, September 28, 2026.

There’s not a lot of snow, but there’s enough to get skiers excited, that’s for sure! Tap or click to watch. Keep reading for more photos from Mammoth’s first snowfall of the winter 26/27 season.

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Photo: Mammoth Lakes Snow, September 28, 2026

Mammoth Mountain plans to open for the ski season on Friday, November 13, 2026, but as we covered in our race-to-open preview, the impending super El Niño could allow the resort to open sooner.

Mammoth has been known to open before its targeted opening day when conditions allow, and the resort’s earliest opening is October 11, 1975. Temperatures are expected to remain seasonable, if not warm, throughout the middle of the month, but all it takes is one big storm to kick off the season at Mammoth.

Click here to learn more about Mammoth’s new 15 remote avalanche control systems that were installed over the summer. These remotely triggered devices are expected to help the resort open terrain sooner and keep skiers, patrollers, and other on-mountain staff safer throughout the season.

This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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