Horizon Air to Mammoth

[Ned Morris]

Going to give it a go with the family next week from San Jose to Mammoth Airport directly. Ski trip now of course. Tickets were cheap at $92 Roundtrip, but will see how it goes. Heard these flights are also going to be available in summer too. I have been fortunate to fly on my firend's King Air out of Bishop, Lone Pine, and Mammoth and it is a HUGE luxury when coming back from a 20+ mile backpacking trip and only takes an hour to get home instead of the usual 5-6 hour road trip. This may be the new way to do it from the Bay Area. Will let you know how it goes.

[Jaybinder]

The web site says the flights are seasonal until 4-11-10

[Dave Neal]

Yes, I believe the flights from Seattle, Portland, SJ & Reno are "winter" season until mid April...which is a great time to ski & fish locally!!
The LAX flight is all year round. They are trying to add some of those above cities to an all year round contract, too.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

A few weeks ago we had to be de-iced on take-off in Texas.

Denver in the winter can get nasty too.

[Ned Morris]

5 years ago took off from Bishop in early Sept. and as soon as we went over Convict Lake, Thunder/Lighting and nice sweep of wind sheer dropped us oh I say about a good 400-500 in a few seconds. That's why I think the Bombadier Q400 may fare just a little better than a King Air. No matter what time of year, flying into the Eastern Sierra is gnarly. Have hot air from the Desert meeting cold air from the mountains. Don't have to be a meteorologist to figure what happens in those sets of circumstances. Pray and hold on!

A few weeks ago we had to be de-iced on take-off in Texas.

Denver in the winter can get nasty too.

[Ned Morris]

All I can say is wow. Horizon flight from San Jose to Mammoth Airport was 40 minutes from takeoff to landing and the planes they fly are essentially jets with propelers (Bombadier Q400-76 seater). Totally smooth ride however the weather cooperated. I heard though that only 4-5 flights have been diverted due to bad weather this winter and with 4 flights a day (LA,SJ, Reno) that really is nothing. I will never drive to tahoe to ski again! 3 hours door to door from my house in SF and $92 roundtrip. Mammoth Mountain is simply the best mountain in CA period for skiing. Now if they could only keep the flights going from SJ to Mammoth in the summer so I could catch the shuttle to whichever trailhead I need to hit for the backcountry. Boy I hope they can find a way to keep thses Horizon flights going. I don't neet to tell most of you how awesome fishing is in the summer up there. What a treat.

[Dave Neal]

Glad you had a good time skiing the Mammoth Mountain. It's a great resort. I grew up skiing Alpine, Squaw, Sugar Bowl, Kirkwood etc.. and still enjoy skiing in Tahoe, but living in Mammoth has spoiled me. The backcountry skiing epic, also.

I fished a good client and MMSA exec yesterday who told me the summer flight from LAX is contracted this summer, but the other flights (SJ, Reno, Seattle, Portland) may not happen for a couple years... estimate. The SJ flight would be really nice to have, soon.

The "winter flights" run till mid April... many of you who know me, know that I preach fishing AND skiing in March/April around here, it can be fantastic! Now if you are a golden trout nut, then you need to wait till later in the summer, for sure.

A few of my clients own planes or are pilots and fly here to ski and fish. Most of them tell me winter isn't the tricky season for flying into our airport - summer is, with the winds. Most of them plan on flying early a.m. or in the early evening when it cools down. And the Q-400 is indeed a great plane for the mountains!

[sasuga2]

Just spent the weekend at the Northwest Fly fishing expo in Oregon. Great event......fabulous flytyers, lots of vendors, casting instruction and hourly raffles. Brian O'Keefe headed up the casting competition.

I took Horizon air from Bishop to Portland....didn't even have to get off the plane. Mammorth to San Jose and San Jose to Portland. In Portland rented a car to Albany. Put it on your calendar for next year March 11 & 12th 2011.