Mammoth Mountain receives more than a foot of snow

It's a bit early to get excited about skiing and snowboarding in California, but with a major dumping underway in the Lake Tahoe area and at Mammoth Mountain in the Eastern Sierra, the excitement is understandable.

As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, about six inches of snow had fallen on Donner Summit in the Tahoe region. Mammoth, which has pegged Nov. 10 as opening day, received lots more and snow was still falling in both regions.

More than a foot had fallen at Mammoth's main lodge, and perhaps double that amount blanketed the upper slopes. Five inches had fallen down below, in the town of Mammoth Lakes.

Tweeted pro snowboarder Greg Bretz, who lives in Mammoth: "I get to set up some rails and snowboard today." Read More