Skating on Twin Lakes, Mammoth Lakes, CA

Skating on Twin Lakes, Mammoth Lakes, CA, a photo by JulieAndSteve on Flickr.

That's me out there at Twin Lakes above Mammoth. I was up there last weekend skiing and on the way out of town stopped at Twin Lakes to try outdoor skating.

It was my first time on a lake. The ice was actually pretty smooth, although harder than at the rink in Pasadena. Temps this day were in the low 30s but it had been in the single digits at night for the four nights we were there.

I'm still bummed I didn't get to the Yosemite high country before Tioga Pass Road was finally closed for the winter in mid-January. It was open during the holidays, allowing folks the rare chance to skate on the likes of Tenaya Lake. If the road opens before winter is over, my ass is in the Subaru and I'm there.

If you're staying in Mammoth, just take Lake Mary Road until it ends at Twin Lakes and Tamarack resort. It's a five-minute drive from town.

--S.H.