Mammoth Mountain is the third-most visited ski area in the country, after Vail and Breckenridge. But the landscape is even more beautiful during the off-season, when the trees are lush, and the wildflowers sprawl everywhere. Yosemite National Park and Inyo National Forest are neighbors, promising thousands of acres to explore. I anchored my visit at the lovely mountain town of Mammoth Lakes, California, a prime starting point for immersing myself in some of the most beautiful surroundings ever.

Read my story, Peak Times in Mammoth Lakes, California, Sans Snow, as published in Loop North Chicago. Thanks to Visit Mammoth and Midwest Travel Journalists Association for sponsoring my visit!