I wish I could explain the "dynamic" of this area better - of course, Mammoth got a record amount of snow this past winter. What might not be so obvious is how "precarious" this area is to the rain/snow line. (yes, that is something they contend with even here) During many winter storms, the area is flooded with warm Pacific air and the snow line often ends up somewhere in the 7,000 to 8,000 foot range. The town sits at just under 8,000'. For most of the winter, the town was JUST above the rain/snow line, especially during the bigger storms that dropped feet of snow at a time. Along with that, and sitting at the base of the mountain, Mammoth is obviously higher in elevation than areas around here. So when we drove into town on Sunday we were amazed at how quickly we went from bare ground to feet of snow...it happened in a matter of 3 miles. It literally wasn't until the last 5 minutes or so of our trip into town did we finally see snow cover. It really is bizarre how the town manages to find itself JUST inside the "snow zone" every winter. Mammoth Lakes averages about 250" of snow annually...the next town down the road averages about 60".