Mammoth's roots date back to the mining era when the promise of great riches drew people from all over the surrounding areas. With this influx of settlers came hotels, saloons and two independent newspapers. But it was a short-lived heyday and the Mammoth Mining Company, from which the area got its name, went bust.

In the early 1900s, The Wildasin Hotel opened and summer-season recreation took hold. The camping, hiking, fishing and dynamic beauty of the area quickly made it a sportsman's paradise and gave it a reputation for being a popular summer retreat. And thanks to the vision and tenacity of one local ski enthusiast, Dave McCoy, the new Mammoth was later born - complete with portable rope tows and the Main Lodge. "I don't talk about things that might happen," said McCoy. "It gives people time to say you shouldn't do it. I like to do it and then they can't take it down."

Thanks to McCoy and a band of fellow visionaries, the Mammoth of today is a progressive resort destination with the charm and pace of an era gone by.