Bigger, higher, snowier: the ski resort that should be on the Aussie radar

It's crazy to think that early surveyors once branded Mammoth Mountain a "terrible place for skiing - too isolated, too windy, too high, the wrong shape" and with "way too much snow''. Because every one of those reasons is why skiing Mammoth is terrific.

Spectacularly perched amid America's tallest mountains outside Alaska, Mammoth is in a class of its own. Unmatched for wildly dramatic terrain, a 10-metre-plus annual snowfall that outstrips most US resorts, and one of the world's longest ski seasons from November to June (and sometimes beyond), Mammoth also has California's third-largest ski field and is, at 3369 metres, its highest chairlift-accessible resort.

As for being too isolated, not a chance. Mammoth is the closest major ski area to Los Angeles and San Francisco (a five-hour drive or one-hour flight away) and thanks to the 1.3 million skiers and snowboarders who find their way here each winter, it sits comfortably among America's top three most popular ski resorts.

Mammoth missed the memo on skiing being a glamour sport. This world-class ski resort is remarkably egalitarian, infused with an enduring down-to-earth nature borne from being founded by a government worker in the 1940s who planted the seed with just one rope tow. That's why nowadays even A-list celebrities like the Kardashians, George Clooney, Will Ferrell and more (actor Colin Farrell recently bought a second home here) seek out Mammoth for their lower-key vacations.

It's also a big reason why a growing number of Australians are choosing the casual Californian ski area over better-known fancier resorts further afield.

Being anchored by the town of Mammoth Lakes helps seal the deal. So authentic it makes some other mountain destinations look like Disneyland, Mammoth Lakes has that no-frills feel Aussies love and - amazingly for a ski town - is still a place where they can find good value in lodging, dining, shopping and more.

As of this year, getting to Mammoth for them will also be easier and faster than ever. For the first time United Airlines' one-hour flights linking San Francisco to Mammoth will run daily through winter, ending years of problems with holiday-hampering irregular connections. It's a gamechanger for Australian skiers heading to Mammoth, both guaranteeing getting to the resort the day of arrival in the US, and in considerably less time taken to reach most other resorts. (Existing charter flights from either Los Angeles or San Diego also service Mammoth but only a few times a week.)

On a sunny April day, we take the chairlift from Mammoth's Canyon Lodge, one of three base areas accessing the slopes. Only a fraction of terrain is visible from below. But as the lift ascends vast swathes unfold - immense bowls, long gullies, gladed tree runs, the lot - crowned by a towering ridgeline cut with advanced and expert runs above.

Skiers can't help but get real bang for their buck here. Mammoth offers 1416 hectares, 178 runs, two gondolas and 28 chairlifts, and full Ikon pass holders can ski unlimited days. Yes, crowds are a thing but not a drama, quickly dispersed by the efficient lift system. Spring skiing in T-shirts is also a thing seeing the season can end as late as June.

And while Mammoth may look intimidating, the terrain is split almost evenly for all abilities, so no one misses out. Like being in the air? Mammoth's 10 terrain parks are the best and biggest in America - over 100 jibs, 40-plus jumps plus two competition-sized halfpipes. Olympic gold medallist snowboarder Shaun White and the US Olympic Ski Team train here. Say no more.

Also speaking volumes for Mammoth's earthiness is that in 70 years of operation the resort's first five-star hotel, Limelight Mammoth, opened only last December. Thanks to the new flight from San Francisco, I arrive in what feels like record time after the long haul from Sydney. It's even still early enough for a run or two - the Village Gondola to the slopes is right across the road. But hunkering down in the luxurious, all-electric, sustainably built eco-hotel is too tempting. As a guest I can test drive a latest model electric Audi if I so wish, and after skiing borrow all kinds of deluxe Therabody muscle-soothing devices from reception.

Wandering around Mammoth Lakes, there's not a faux-fur coat in sight. Just friendly faces, free buses and plenty of lively places to eat and drink at reasonable prices. Even the most popular spots, such as Mexican restaurant Gomez, are affordable. Here, I sip the signature cocktail, a bowl-sized "Mammoth" Margarita, surrounded by one of America's largest selections of tequila lining the walls. Mammoth Brewery's fresh beers and rib-eye brioche burgers are as deliciously exotic to my Australian tastes as the lauded Cuban/Puerto Rican cuisine served in Dos Alos's quirky cottage eatery. On our final night we double down on local culture by watching ice hockey at Mammoth Recreation Centre before hitting the town's favourite underground bar The Clocktower and raise a toast to one of America's last authentic ski towns.

The writer was a guest of Visit Mammoth