It started with 171 inches of snow.
The holiday storm cycle was historic. Over two weeks between Christmas and New Year's, Mammoth Mountain was buried under 14 feet of snow.
But the powder came with a heavy cost. We witnessed the tragedy of a skier lost to Snow Immersion Suffocation. Then, the heartbreaking loss of a Patroller, Cole Murphy, who gave his life conducting avalanche mitigation to make the mountain safe for us.
The atmosphere on the mountain shifted.
Operations were buried. Lifts couldn't open. Lines grew long, and frustration mounted. Online, the conversation fractured. Some vented about closed terrain, while others recognized the herculean, dangerous effort happening in the dark, hours before the first chair loaded.
I realized there was a disconnect.
There were thousands of us who wanted to say "Thank You" to the men and women throwing bombs and digging out towers. We wanted to acknowledge the risk. But there was no bridge — no way to connect the skier in the lift line with the patroller on the ridge.
Patrol Pal was born from that storm.
It is a simple way for the community to connect with the crew. A way to show appreciation that goes beyond words. A way to ensure that the people who look out for us are looked after in return.
In memoriam of Cole Murphy and Claire Murphy. Mammoth Mountain, CA, 2025.