Just got back from a late season trip to these 2.  Squaw with daughter and grandsons 2 & 3,  Mammoth with long term DC friends who I haven’t skied with for too long.  Great spring skiing and plenty of snow remaining in both places.  I have been fortunate to ski a lot of great places over a lifetime.  There is a much smaller number of awesome places.  Both of these belong in the awesome category.  

This brings up the Ikon Pass.  Seeing my old friends was great and I was prepared to pay a couple days of walk up rates.  I have the epic Tahoe local and Squaw/Alpine passes for the current season, neither of which includes mammoth.  While mulling over passes for next season I noticed that the 2018-19 ikon gives you spring skiing from apr. 9, 2018 - end of this season at both squaw and mammoth.  Both traditionally have long spring seasons and plan a may 30 closing or later.  Bingo.  I bought it and saved a couple days of walk up rates.  The epic Tahoe places are either closed (Kirkwood) or soon to close (Heavenly and Northstar, and I care little for either).  Furthermore, you can expect the same every year, a month or more of great spring skiing at Squaw and mammoth after the epic Sierra areas are closed.  

BTW, several mammoth lakes shops are selling “bring back the senior pass” tee shirts.  The town scuttlebutt was that Mammoth would be fine with that but they are not calling the shots.

Just got the ikon pass ourselves (me, wife, 2 kids). Still not sure exactly when we will use it but one possibility is squaw/alpine first week of April during kids spring break.

Denis: I'm considering an extra trip to the west coast in early May.  Have friends who live near Bachelor.  And a friend willing to do some driving.  Between Squaw/Alpine and Mammoth, which do you think will have more open terrain the week of May 7?  I know it depends on the weather.  Thinking more about which resort tends to close more lifts when there aren't many paying customers around.  We both have the MCP, so 2 days at either place are covered.  Don't have time to ski 4 days after Bachelor.

I've skied at Squaw/Alpine a few days.  My ski buddy has never skied around Tahoe.  Neither of us have ever been to Mammoth.

Thanks for posting. I bought the Ikon pass and am considering a trip to Squaw/Alpine the weekend of April 27. They got half a foot early this week and have 15" in the forecast for Sunday-Monday. My friends out there say the spring conditions are great. Let's hope they remain great in two weeks!

Marz, I really don’t know the answers to your questions.  Both Squaw and Mammoth take pride in their long spring seasons and loyal customer bases reward them.  I have skied both on July 4, though not in the same season.  Both will stay open as long as snow permits and announce a final weekend festival with bands, beer, barbecue.  Bachelor is a great mountain also.  I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them. Timing is important.  Last July 4 the north facing Shirley Lake runs at Squaw we’re frozen boilerplate early.  They softened quickly and the magic hour ensued.  Then mush.  That’s spring/summer skiing.

Sounds like we should just decide a few days before driving south from Bachelor.

Southwest just announced a promotion for double points for flights in the next couple months.  Another reason to make one more trip out west. :-)