Snowboarding Mammoth Mountain: Eagle Lodge

Eagle Lodge at Mammoth Mountain offers beginner-friendly slopes, rentals, and a great cocktail bar for post-snowboarding relaxation

After taking a few adult snowboarding lessons at Mountain High, I figured I was finally ready – after nine days on snow – to officially join Deja for a ride down Mammoth Mountain.

Personally, I felt I’d come a long way in just a handful of lessons and snow days. I genuinely believed I was up for the challenge.

How hard could it be?

Oh sweet “Let’s fuck around and find out” me…..

First, the fun part: getting to Eagle Lodge is a breeze from Outbound Mammoth. I just walked across from Café Crêpe and hopped on the shuttle, which dropped me right at the base lodge.

Now, Eagle Lodge has a simple rule: all skis and snowboards must be left outside while you’re inside the lodge. Makes sense, as it creates less indoor chaos.

However, while Deja and I were existing the lodge after conversations and morning snacks, I witnessed a cringe ass moment where a man, clearly trying to impress his kid, threw a mini tantrum about the rule. He called it “dumb” and gave the female staff member who corrected him and enforced the rule a hard time.

The entitlement was almost impressive, in a “no one cares about you, finance bro. Just follow the rules” kind of way.

However, I took the time to tell the staff member that I appreciated her work in making everything at the lodge entrance work smoothly – even in the face of such disrespect. She smiled, thank me and with that – Deja and I were on our way.

It doesn’t take much to share kindness with someone else.

With my lift ticket stored securely in my jacket sleeve, I was genuinely excited to snowboard with Deja. Riding the gondola up together felt like the beginning of something magical: Black women doing excellent things together.

What I didn’t plan for? Blizzard conditions and aggressive winds smacking us the second we got off the lift.

That dreamy “we got this” moment quickly turned into a “what did we just sign up for” kind of endurance mission.

I was determined to get down that mountain on my board. And somehow, I did.

I was ridiculously proud of myself. And so grateful for Deja. She never laughed at me for being nervous. Or, for talking myself through my fears out loud.  She waited, cheered me on, and just let me figure it out. Every fall, every slow glide, every moment of trying again – she had my back. That is true friendship.

Also? Falling into fresh powder at Mammoth Mountain is hella better than falling on my ass on late season, slushy ice on Mountain High.

I avoided trees. I avoided getting hit by other people skiing and snowboarding. And eventually, we cruised back down into Eagle Lodge in one piece.

Hot Toddies in hand, we toasted to our snowy triumph.

There’s something undeniably sexy about snowboarding. Something free and fierce that skiing never quite gave me. I set a goal in January to learn how to ride. I started at Canyon Lodge, practiced at Virtual Snow LA, trained at Mountain High, and now, months later was savoring the sense of accomplishment for flying down Mammoth Mountain in the middle of a blizzard.

Not bad for a beginner, if I do say so myself.

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