Local purists might knock the Village Lodge as "too Intrawest" for their taste, noting the trademark exposed beam and flagstone exterior that Mammoth's parent company, Intrawest Resorts, gives to all its new properties. Take a minute-long soak in the outdoor hot tub while a steady Sierra snowfall melts into your hair, and you'll hardly care. Located in Mammoth Village, the Village Lodge was built in 2003 and still

Local purists might knock the Village Lodge as "too Intrawest" for their taste, noting the trademark exposed beam and flagstone exterior that Mammoth's parent company, Intrawest Resorts, gives to all its new properties. Take a minute-long soak in the outdoor hot tub while a steady Sierra snowfall melts into your hair, and you'll hardly care. Located in Mammoth Village, the Village Lodge was built in 2003 and still has that new hotel smell. Large rooms—mostly one-, two-, and three-bedroom condos—offer views over the pools and up the flanks of this massive peak. Five hot tubs, three fitness centers, and a massive arcade room round out the amenities.

The Village Gondola transports skiers to a base area where you can access 3,100 vertical feet of varied, big-mountain terrain. Superb terrain parks draw the best-of-the-best Gen-Y hucksters, and it's not uncommon to see the likes of Shaun White or Mason Aguirre practicing tricks off the massive booters above Main Lodge. Huge Sierra snowfalls come in as thick as paste, letting you ski steeps you wouldn't have access to in drier climates. Mammoth's above-treeline terrain can be treacherous in whiteouts, but its tree skiing is also some of the best in California.

True, the older Mammoth Mountain Inn is both cheaper and closer to the lifts, but in this SoCal town with its laidback surfer vibe, you want to be close to the action. Mammoth Village has a variety of great nightlife and dining options, including the tiki-themed Lakanuki, a play on words chastising the town's predominantly male population ("lack of nookie," get it?). At least Intrawest isn't without a sense of humor.

A former senior editor at Skiing magazine, Pieter van Noordennen owns more ski jackets than any man should.