Skiing and snowboarding in the mountains in winter and hot springs in cold weather are highly compatible and seem to be mutually attractive.
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Mammoth Mountain Ski Area
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, which stretches east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, is a winter sports mecca also known as a training ground for Olympic athletes.
Photo by Don Graham - Homes with a View, Mammoth Lakes, CA 5-16-17 (2017) / CC BY-SA 2.0
It is one of the longest skiing destinations in North America, and the slopes are usually open from January to June.
While boiling crabs
A 30-minute drive from the ski resort takes you to the mortar-shaped terrain of the Long Valley Caldera.
The plains are dotted with at least seven wild baths, including Wild Willy's.
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Reference:Wild Willy's (Crowley) Hot Springs - Hot Springs in California
This is by far the largest of natural hot springs in Long Valley Caldera. A boardwalk on the muddy plain leads soakers to the hot springs.
Club Cooker seemed to me to stand out from the rest in terms of the quality of water.
Water in the pool, which was made of rocks and cement, was yellowish and opaque.
When I twisted a valve around the bottom of the pool and threw in extremely hot water, it turned out that the opaque looking was caused by the characteristic spring quality.
There was a pronounced smell of burnt volcanic material.
The source of the spring was exposed on the ground about 30 feet away.
The water temp was nearly 158 degrees F; and as the name "Crab Cooker" suggests, you could almost boil a blue crab while soaking.
Water in the tub immediately became hot once I made it free-flowing.
As I went around the outdoor baths scattered throughout the Long Valley Caldera, I noticed something.
It was that many visitors were younger and casual, and did not look like severe hot springs enthusiasts.
In fact, soaking in these hot springs near ski resorts are known as hot-tubbing, a leisure activity.
There, unwritten rules have been formed, such as closing optional, and waiting in the distance if there is a guest ahead of you.


Summary
Crab Cooker Hot Springs, Mammoth Lakes, California, U.S.
Rating
- TypeUndeveloped
- RuleClothing optional
- ChlorinationNo
- Water tempUp to 167 degrees F