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Mammoth, originally established as a gold mining town, gained prominence for another kind of treasure-its incredible skiing terrain and the staggering beauty of the Eastern Sierra. Mammoth Mountain was formed 200,000 years ago as the result of a series of volcanic eruptions, the most recent of which occurred 50,000 years ago. The Mono Lake Paiute inhabited the Mammoth area for roughly 1,000 to 1,500 years before mining pioneers moved to the region in search of a new mother lode. In 1857, German miners lost in the mountains found a ledge of gold at the headwaters of the Owens Valley River. Named Lost Cement Mine, the find drew thousands of prospectors who followed rumors of the largest bonanza outside of Virginia City. The area, then known as Mammoth City, experienced a population and economic boom. The town boasted hotels, saloons and two newspapers in 1879. However, a combination of poor yields, embezzlement, fire and severe winters hampered the prospectors' efforts. By 1888, only a few remained. Mammoth Mining Co., owned by General George Dodge of San Francisco, had been the largest of the corporations and the name stuck. By the early twentieth century, Mammoth experienced a renaissance as a haven for fishing, camping, hiking, mountaineering and horseback riding. But it was die hard skiers with their portable rope tows that contributed most significantly to Mammoth's growth. Powered by Ford Model A truck motors, these rope tows allowed skiers to experience the rush of alpine skiing. Skiers could pull off Highway 395 and be propelled up McGee Mountain, Deadman Summit and Conway Summit. In 1945, Dave McCoy, one of these dedicated rope tow operators and a hydrographer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power who had been skiing the region since the 1930s, obtained the rights from the Forest Service to build a permanent rope tow on Mammoth Mountain. Armed with his knowledge of snowpack and snowfall patterns, Dave pledged to develop the mountain. He knew Mammoth had the best snow and terrain, and hundreds of hearty skiers agreed. Ten years later, he installed the mountain's first chairlift. On Thanksgiving Day in 1955, Chair 1 opened with 250 eager skiers crowding in lift lines two to three hours long. The future of Mammoth was secure. Mammoth evolved from these humble beginnings into a world class mountain resort. Through vision, determination and hard work, Dave developed California's favorite mountain resort, a place generations of skiers and riders have loved for its snow and its spirit. Long lift lines are a thing of the past. 27 lifts, including the "six pack" Eagle Express, along with high speed quads and the Panorama Gondola whisk visitors to their destinations. Summer brings mountain biking on Mammoth's extensive trail network. In 1996, Mammoth partnered with Intrawest, the leader in mountain resort development, to further expand both the mountain's capabilities and the town's appeal. The Village at Mammoth, with condominium properties, restaurants, retail space, skier services at the Mountain Center and the Village Gondola, opened in 2003. Having celebrated over 50 years of Ski Area operation, sportsmanship and camaraderie in the 2003/04 season, Mammoth has retained its title as California's favorite mountain resort and continues to improve upon its reputation for generations to come.