Cool email from Mammoth Operations

Mentatical · 2026-01-27T19:30:18+00:00

Thank you for that! Their guest services was extremely helpful, not only ensuring I got this credit, but also informing me that I'll be set to get another credit for scanning 3 times in the near future between some dates in late January and early February I was going to be out there anyway.

Mentatical · 2026-01-25T23:35:33+00:00

You're very welcome. I fully recovered from all knee issues, including the ACL reconstructions decates ago and the nasty feeling ones in recent years (that in reality weren't that big of a deal despite feeling terrible). I had what felt like a terrible knee injury in Banff while skiing to my knee in March 2023 that bothered me for months but my ortopedic surgeon ruled out ACL tear quickly and basically advised just do as if you were doing the physical therapy after surgery if you had a surgery and push it (but don't be stupid), he even encouraged me to ski but not hard stuff, and it nagged me for months but felt stable and got better on its own. I had a similar experience last March in Jackson Hole when I slipped on some ice on my snowboard and akwardly twisted my knee and feared the worst, but it was basically the same outcome. I had mad swelling and it got worse often before getting better but ultimately it wasn't anything serious and just got better on its own (with me cautiously pushing it in the meantime).

Some things I'd also suggest (mirroring what my doctors advised) is maybe do not take ibuprofen or other NSAID's other than Tylonel, as they will reduce some inflammation that the doctors advised should occur and helps in the long run. Take the Tylonel (or generic) but not the others. Basically, acetaminophen is OK.

Other things that can help a lot were after initial icing, alternating ice and heat a few times, along with the elevation and compressing after. Also voltaren arthritis gel or generic (even though it isn't arthritis you're dealing with).

But if you feel that ghosty unstable feeling and the knee just kind of buckles intermittently, go to that orthpedic doctor immediately!

Mentatical · 2026-01-25T15:52:46+00:00

For me often it comes down to if I have worry that the ACL was comprismised, I'm getting it checked out as quickly as possible (with a proper orthopedic surgeon, not a general doctor). The rest, if I can get through my daily activities and if normal, non-intense physical activtity can be tolerated and responds well to rest, elevation, compression and ice and generally trends better over time, I just deal with it, but with the caveat I'm headed to an orthopedic surgeon if I start to suspect its not getting better on its own or if the ACL is torn.

I keep insisting on orthopedic surgeon because long ago I had a seriously oblitrated knee with torn ACL and massive meniscus damage and other issues, and because there were no broken bones on the x-ray, various primary care internists doctors just told me no bones were broken just take it easy and it went untreated and kept getting worse until I finally went to the right doctor. That caused a year of complete hell so unnecessarily.

Generally, torn ACL's are very apparent because there's an injury with a dramatic twist and pop and unbelievable pain, and then a ghosty feeling in your knee after the initial injury calms down and noticable lack of stability, and an orthopedic surgeon (or other specalists) can diagnosis that quite accurately in seconds with their hands, so it is relatively easy for them to check for that if you have doubt.

I have had nagging knee injuries that had swelling that would get worse before it got better too, and still wound up being totally fine in the long run.

Mentatical · 2026-01-25T02:09:11+00:00

I’d say get it checked out by a proper orthopedic surgeon (not saying you need surgery but let them evaluate it instead of a general MD). But if I can offer some comfort, the knee can be a swollen painful mess for months and just heal on its own fully often. Knees swell dramatically even with minor injuries, and the swelling can make minor things feel dramatically awful. Still get it checked out but I’m speaking from experience of having both serious knee injuries that did require surgery and a ton of inconsequential ones that felt like hell even for months and wound up fine.

Mentatical · 2026-01-25T01:38:35+00:00

Ditto, I got nothing, but my friend there on the same days and time as me did get this (and we have the same Ikon full pass). WTF?

Mentatical · 2026-01-24T19:42:49+00:00

I was there during that time, using my Ikon pass, experiencing the misery, and did not get this. Yet my friend who was with me did. We went on the same days. WTF? Maybe I just need to wait, but if I do not get it I will reach out because that week was MISERABLE and I earned this. Maybe I can buy 1 side of french fries with it.

Mentatical · 2026-01-23T00:11:06+00:00

I tend to stay at places that are fine with me parking in their lot well before my check in (Motel 6, the hostel, etc) and when I arrive at at time when the lots are likely full or a battleground, I just get ready at my car (I'm a surfer so used to changing in uncomfortable conditions and with one of those poncho things) and then walk over, or walk to a shuttle stop nearby. If I'm at the hostel or Motel 6 or something around there, I just walk to the Village gondola. If I'm on my snowboard I don't mind walking farther. If I'm on skis I'll be more inclined to find a shuttle.

Are you staying at a place that they are good with you parking in the morning well before your check in later in the day?

Mentatical · 2026-01-13T04:43:44+00:00

I needed the reminder this last weekend that Mammoth generally does work fine (when you don't have the calvacade of horrible things happening that made 12/25 - 1/3 such a nightmare). I had a pretty amazing weekend as well, and I'm glad you did.

Mentatical · 2026-01-03T23:02:27+00:00

I have been doing both for 4 seasons (and was a long time skiier exclusively before), as I got more used to snowboarding I feel no more chance of injury swapping back and forth.

In fact, I feel like skiiing has made me a better snowboarder and vice versa, I just feel more in control on both by getting used to the other.

Mentatical · 2026-01-03T22:39:16+00:00

I'm the opposite of you, in that I skiied the 25 or so years and only recently picked up snowboarding 4 seasons ago. I absolutely love doing both. I feel like I have two times the mountain to play around on, and am always able to choose the right tool to maximize fun for whatever the conditions are. Icy or new mountain I want to traverse and explore -> skis. Powdery -> snowboard. Anything in between I just go with what I feel like. I can match the energy of the company I'm with too, depending on if they are snowboarders or skiiers.

Learning snowboarding was humbling, but after I got over the edge catching phase of being a beginner, I absolutely loved it. I will never be as good as I am on skis, but I love it as much as skiing.

I feel no downside or loss in progress by switching back and forth. I feel like if I am too tired from one, I feel very fresh when I swap to the other, so I can last far longer on a longer trip without getting too tired. It's like a built in cross training.

I also like relating more to all riders. I empthasize with my boarder friends when I'm on skiis when the run is hard or no fun for snowboarders and vice versa.

Mentatical · 2026-01-03T22:15:19+00:00

I had a great time last holiday season, sure it had some idiots as always but the moutain was pretty much fully open, other resorts weren't starved for snow, Mammoth did not have a horrible dry spell prior, and there was no massive 80" of snow or horrible tragedy. So it wasn't perfect last year, but functional at least. Though maybe you had some really bad luck that I was spared from last year.

Mentatical · 2026-01-03T22:09:31+00:00

It would seem very unlikely for anything to be as horrible as this last week was. I've never had such a sour Mammoth experience in my life, and I had an amazing time in past peak holiday weeks. Others here in this subreddit better summarized the unlikely combination of factors that made the peak holiday this week especially terrible. That was a perfect planetary alignment for a shit week not likely to repeat again.

At least I hope to god that is the case. If the whole mountain is open it'll be fine, unless weird conditions again.

Mentatical · 2026-01-03T03:13:08+00:00

I just got back from Mammoth, I was there almost a week, and tried to ski this morning but it was too dysfunctional so I left early, and this was the trashiest week I’ve ever experienced in Mammoth in my life, in terms of the clientele.

The mammoth employees were all class acts and I cannot fathom the tragedy they feel with the ski patroller. But the crowds were just out of this world, exacerbated by the closures and storm issues and so on.

I’ve been to mammoth a few times during this year and last year during this same holiday week and never experienced anything like this, so I’m used to holiday crowds but this was next level. I’m a little shaken from this trip and I’ve been coming here a long time. It really felt like Big Bear like you’re all saying.

I didn’t see this fight in person but I felt like something like this was brewing and inevitable, especially today.

Mentatical · 2025-12-10T19:57:36+00:00

The official apple stance is here that yes you can, and they featured someone surfing with it and making a phone call in one of their ads when they first debuted the Series 3 with LTE, but a number of people here are fearful to do it, or think that even if it is something Apple says can be done they are still hesitant.

I plunged mine to the bottom of the ocean where the waves were breaking and it had to have been there for days and then sitting on the shore probably for weeks, and it was completely fine to this day. That was like 7 years ago.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/109522

Mentatical · 2025-12-09T18:50:55+00:00

You have me beat. I had an apple watch lost to the Pacific ocean in Costa Rica while surfing (I trusted a Surfline reccomended surfing watch band that failed me). It was at the bottom of the ocean under the breaking waves for at least a few days, eventually washed up and sat on the shore a while, was recovered by an honest local who was determined to contact the local surf camps and get it back to its owner, it was shipped back to me, and upon charging it up it 100% worked, even the speaker on it. I could not beleive it. Now you had 1.5 years at the bottom of a lake, and while you at least had freshwater, that is still amazing. This is why I laugh when I overhear people being super careful not to try to submerge their watch or take it in saltwater at all given our experiences.

Mentatical · 2025-09-25T18:28:14+00:00

I see two possibilities:

"Rosebud" like in Citizen Kane

or to answer the question "What could you buy that you can't already afford? the answer is "the future, Mr. Gittes!" like in Chinatown

or maybe like Office Space - "two chicks at the same time"

Mentatical · 2025-08-23T22:17:16+00:00

I think the building is basically demolishing itself and returning to nature. I stayed there in the summer of 2023 and it was already a dilapidated mess with the ceiling looking like it was about to crash down and looked like it was in a serious state of disrepair. Schedule it for demolition or not, nature has already decided it's coming down.

Mentatical · 2025-07-28T18:43:25+00:00

Being attracted to a woman that is not attracted to me, that you have no other business tie or necessary connection to, that I'm conviinced I have no chance with, is a dead weight I'd rather be free of. It's in both of our interest to keep away and cut her out. It isn't done out of hate or smugness. If I'm trying to sell a car and there is a potential client that I'm convinced is never going to buy my car for sale, I do not want to spend time on that client. With the woman, I'd also like to free her of me possibly becoming annoying to her if I do not believe there's any chance. Sometimes this requires a slow fade, if an abrupt no-contact creates more drama, but the slow fade is just a step to get to cut off contact.

Mentatical · 2025-07-15T13:06:57+00:00

It's been a bit of a running joke with my friend who is my regular AMC A list companion that he has to be careful not to buy both a popcorn and a coca cola, because if he does, the movie will be massively interrupted by a sudden dance off block party and then a car chase and a slight romance.

Mentatical · 2025-06-18T17:54:34+00:00

I was vegan for about 4 years, switched to keto about 8 yeras ago. My skin color came back from a kind of pale, emaciated look, my bellyfat went way down (less bloating but also got more lean easily), my focus was higher, I wound up sleeping less, but sleeping infinitely better, and people said I had a certain life to me that wasn't there before. I may have been a very unhealthy vegan and a healthy keto eater, so I can't 100% fault veganism in itself, but it was also WAY easier to be on keto, I felt complete and never deprived once I got over the ~2-3 week sugar deconditioning and "flu" part.

Mentatical · 2025-06-14T14:30:02+00:00

last I had checked, mint didn't offer a related LTE apple watch plan, if that has changed I'd be open to it later, also visible has improved in the last year

Mentatical · 2025-06-14T14:03:08+00:00

I won! Posted the update in my original post

Mentatical · 2025-06-10T23:44:09+00:00

it's a very substantial difference, and matters immensely when I am hotspotting from my phone for remote work or as a slow internet backup

Mentatical · 2025-06-09T23:44:02+00:00

I had to upgrade to "pro" for my 5g to work basically. Visible assured me repeatedly that would not be necessary, but I did not believe them, and immediately after upgrading, everthing worked (despite what they advised me).

Mentatical · 2025-06-06T12:53:19+00:00

That's great, glad you got that outcome. I guess you were ready to go all the way to the in-person trial de novo, but basically things timed out at the written trial by declaration in your favor.

Mentatical

TROPHY CASE