San Diego -- MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. -- The Marine Corps Recruit Depot Single Marine Program helps Marines, sailors and coastguardsmen experience life and nature by planning recreational and social activities that offer service members the opportunity to participate and help their local communities.
Marines and sailors from San Diego ventured up to the Mammoth Mountain Resort during a SMP trip March 13 through 16.
The service members received three nights of lodging at the resort. The trip included a private cabin, meals, transportation, lift tickets and gear rental, for $150.
“The price for this trip was unbelievable,” said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Dylan J. Thornburg, religious program specialist. “There was no way I wasn’t going to go on it.”
While lift tickets alone cost $100 dollars per day, they were only $50 for the service members.
The resort offered the service members over 150 separate trails to ski or snowboard across 3500 acres of skiable terrain in central California, eastern part of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Service members could test themselves to see which trails they could handle.
Mammoth Mountain’s trails are labeled in four categories: beginner, intermediate, advanced and expert. Riders could ride any trail they wished, but it was at their own risk.
“I mostly rode the intermediate trails,” said Thornburg, a native of Fort Walton Beach, Fla. “I have been snowboarding for some time now, but I am still trying to get better.”
The service members spent two full days at the slopes. For some, this was an introduction to the sport.
“This weekend was the first time I had ever stepped on a snowboard,” said Cpl. Tyler Robinson, supply administration and operations clerk, Weapons and Field Training Battalion. “It was hard at first, but I feel like I got the hang of it by the end of the second day.”
By the end of the trip, the service members all felt a little more confident in their abilities to snowboard.
“Snowboarding and skiing is a great chance for young Marines and veteran Marines to be able to get out and be active,” said Staff Sgt. Donnie Goodson, range staff non-commissioned officer in charge, Range Company, WFTBn.
SMP has a lot more to offer to Marines and sailors who want to get out and do fun events for reasonable prices.
“SMP does trips to Las Vegas, ski and snowboarding trips, volunteer opportunities such as feeding the homeless, habitat for humanity and beach clean-ups,” said Joshua Davis, SMP coordinator. “It’s a good chance for service members to be able to get out and do things they wouldn’t normally do.”
For more MCRD SMP information call, (619)-524-8240.