MAMMOTH SUNRISE

Words By Blake

Snowmobiling from the main lodge of Mammoth Mountain out to the Minaret Vista one dark and early morning, it was a bone chilling ride in -20 °F in search of a new shot. I managed to capture my image titled Minaret Moon, of the full moon setting over the Minarets, and not long after making that image, I turned around to another magnificent scene; The sun rising on an untouched Mammoth Mountain. I turned my camera the other way and made a portrait of Mammoth Mountain, and what a portrait I had! The yellow sun was gently kissing the summit after a night of snow and wind. I still to this day have not seen another image like it and I managed to just stumble upon this angle that feels timeless and so unique. I frequently find myself lost in this image, and there is so much to point out. It’s an image that certainly resonates with any skier at Mammoth because of how much of the mountain can be seen from this angle. While the lifts to the summit, Chair 23 and the Gondola stand out most in this scene, one can also see so much else from High Five Express and Facelift to Chair 12 and Chair 14 on the backside. It’s certainly one of the most talked about pieces in my Mammoth gallery and I believe I hit the holy grail of Mammoth images with this epic sunrise!