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<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Horseshoe Lake<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n We just spent two glorious weeks in Mammoth Lakes<\/strong>, California.\u00a0 Glorious because a) the house we were in was recently refurbished, which was a welcome relief from our TurnKey Nipomo nightmare, and b) Mammoth is one of the most beautiful places on earth.\u00a0 Just ask the Europeans – who were everywhere\u00a0<\/em>we went.\u00a0 We thought we had outsmarted the crowds<\/strong> by going when school was back in session but we forgot about August being the “holiday” month for Europeans.\u00a0 We met some delightful people from England, Germany and Holland but the downside was every restaurant, hiking trail and lakeside was packed with people shouting in a cacophony of languages.\u00a0 Still, it is one of our favorite places to visit.\u00a0 My husband has been going there since 1960, when the mountain only had five ski lifts and we’ve been going there together for 30 years.\u00a0 The majesty of the steep mountains and peaceful lakes never fails to make us gape in awe at the gorgeous scenery.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Kittredge Sports<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Over the years Mammoth has retained a small town feel<\/strong>.\u00a0 Some might think it too rustic.\u00a0 Mammoth is known for outdoors activities – fishing, mountain biking and hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter.\u00a0 Unlike many other mountain resorts in the West, it has had problems attracting and retaining<\/strong> high-end businesses<\/strong>.\u00a0 For many years the local outlet mall was home to a Polo and Coach store, but both of those establishments have now closed and their spaces remain vacant.\u00a0 The only new store this year was a sporting goods place that had the audacity (or bad luck) to open up directly across the street from Kittredge’s <\/strong>– an outdoorsman’s paradise that has been in business for 44 years.\u00a0 We’ll see how long they last.\u00a0 The largest employer by far is Mammoth Resorts<\/strong>, which runs all activities on the mountain and in the Mammoth Village complex.\u00a0 The rest of the town’s population is made up of small business owners and those who are employed by them.\u00a0 So one does not go to Mammoth to “see and be seen” or to rub elbows with the rich and famous.\u00a0 Frankly, one of my favorite aspects about the town is that I only have to bring a pair of jeans and a casual shirt and I’m dressed to go anywhere.\u00a0 In other words, it’s been a great place for slobs<\/strong> like me.\u00a0 But all that is about to change.<\/p>\n On August 4th a deal was completed for the sale of Mammoth Mountain to the Aspen Company<\/strong>. \u00a0 In addition to Mammoth, Aspen will now own Big Bear, Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, as well as some smaller ski resorts in the Sierras.\u00a0 They have big plans for Mammoth<\/strong>, although exactly what changes they’ll make have not been spelled out.\u00a0 We were curious as to how the local population felt about the acquisition so we engaged in some conversations with people who have been around Mammoth a long time.\u00a0 The opinions could not be more diverse.\u00a0 For those who work for Mammoth Resorts – whether on the mountain, the Village stores and hotels or the golf course, they look forward to the infusion of money<\/strong> from Aspen.\u00a0 They cited broken toilets, outdated facilities and general equipment that needs to be replaced.\u00a0 Of course, they acknowledge that all of this “fixing” is going to come at a price and that price is going to be paid by the consumer. But hotel rooms and lift tickets are not the only thing that will be going up.\u00a0 Since the announcement last spring that the deal was being struck, the housing market has gone berserk<\/strong>.\u00a0 Normally one can find a plethora of deals on second homes that owners want to unload.\u00a0 No more.\u00a0 It’s a seller’s market in a big way.<\/p>\n Which brings me to the other side of the coin – the average person who wants to work and raise a family<\/strong> in Mammoth Lakes.\u00a0 Rents have skyrocketed, forcing many people to find housing elsewhere.\u00a0 One guy who manages the pet store said he felt fortunate to sign a three year lease, even if it was for a lot of money.\u00a0 Many workers now are living in their cars<\/strong>.\u00a0 Mammoth has pledged to build more affordable housing, but the sheer geographic limitations make that a remote prospect. We found many people worried about the effect of Aspen marketing to the “rich and famous”, driving out the very people who have made Mammoth such a relaxed and low-key place to visit.\u00a0 It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few years.<\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Schat’s Cakes<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n I’m hoping that some of our favorite “haunts” will not be affected.\u00a0 Burger’s Restaurant<\/strong> offers the best burger anywhere – it’s always our first dinner when we arrive in town.\u00a0 The Stove<\/strong> is a wonderful place for breakfast – assuming you can get in, as the lines are always long.\u00a0 It’s the type of place that serves your water in a jelly glass<\/strong> and has wooden benches for seating. \u00a0 And then there is Schat’s Bakery<\/strong>.\u00a0 I don’t know how long they’ve been in business but I first salivated at their goodies 30 years ago.\u00a0 They are renowned for their Basque Sheepherder’s bread and the fresh turkey sandwiches they make, carving an average of 19 large turkeys every day.\u00a0 But somehow I’ve always been more attracted to their desserts<\/strong>. \u00a0 To enter their pastry area is to enter Heaven itself.\u00a0 The photo I’ve included is only one of six display cases.\u00a0 I can gain weight just standing in line.<\/p>\n I don’t know how Mammoth is going to change<\/strong> in the coming years but I’ll say this: if they do anything that results in the closure of Schat’s they are going to have a lot of ‘splaining to do.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Suzanne Sparrow Watson We just spent two glorious weeks in Mammoth Lakes, California.\u00a0 Glorious because a) the house we were in was recently refurbished, which was a welcome relief from our TurnKey Nipomo nightmare, and b) Mammoth is one … read more![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/2017-08-21-10.50.02-300x191.jpg\")
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