Supercharger - Mammoth Lakes, CA (8 V2 stalls)

[ucmndd]

Studded tires are common in Alaska and Northern Europe. They are illegal in California.

Studded tires are certainly not illegal in California - they are permitted annually from November 1 to April 30.

They are NOT, however, considered traction devices and aren’t a legal substitute for chains.

 

[ucmndd]

CalTrans technically has a higher level of chain controls that requires AWD + Chains, but in reality, CHP just closes the road when it gets to that point.

The only place I still occasionally see R3 chain controls are the roads to Big Bear. It’s been decades since I’ve seen them anywhere else in the Sierras.

 

[4SUPER9]

I’ve been driving a Model S in heavy snow for the past 8 years. I have needed chains only twice, and both times were in steep snow and ice: once was road to Timberridge in Mammoth with 6” of fresh, which was on top of weeks of prior dumps. The other time was 1 year ago in Lake Arrowhead with white-out conditions and 18” of fresh. That time, we were the only vehicle to manage the drive. Even some 4-wheel drive pickups couldn’t make it. I just returned from Mammoth today, using summer tires. Fortunately, I had good conditions and no chains were needed. I am still planning to swap those tires for all-seasons or maybe even winters.

 

[rlpvl]

This snow tire discussion is interesting but very off topic and should be moved to a new thread in a different forum.

 

[Dave EV]

This car does very well with good all terrain tires. I am a big fan of the Continental DWS 06 (now 06+) and have run them on my last two Model S's and my Audi Q7. As long as the tread still shows the "S" (DWS=Dry, Wet,Snow) it does very well and I have never had to put on chains in California (Mammoth or Big Bear area). My kids were on the ski team in Big Bear and we drove up every weekend. Below is one example of a day we drove up and I saved the clip because of one aggressive Audi who thought 35-40MPH was too slow in these conditions. The car handles very well in those conditions and never faltered in deeper snow (but you need to use good judgement as there is not a ton of ground clearance):

Ouch - I doubt that the Audi was actually on 3PMSF tires in that video - very narrowly avoided a much bigger accident by hitting that stranded car.

Question: How hard does the CHP look to confirm that your Tesla is actually AWD vs RWD and actually has 3PMSF tires vs regular all-seasons? With proper 3PMSF tires, RWD Teslas outperform most other vehicles. SUVs like the ones in the videos are almost certainly in 2WD mode and not 4WD mode 99% of the time as well. I would bet that a RWD Tesla would outperform your typical AWD vehicle such as the Subaru under most conditions as well with the same tires - any AWD vehicles without LSDs or traction control will just spin a tire on each axle in slippery conditions.

 

[4SUPER9]

This snow tire discussion is interesting but very off topic and should be moved to a new thread in a different forum.

Correct, but since the Mammoth supercharger is so frickin’ miserable, this discussion is more fun. There are several active threads for chains and winter tire setups. Can’t point to them now, as I am on my phone right now.

 

[ucmndd]

This snow tire discussion is interesting but very off topic and should be moved to a new thread in a different forum.

I disagree. This is relevant discussion for people traveling to/from this supercharger.

 

[ucmndd]

Question: How hard does the CHP look to confirm that your Tesla is actually AWD vs RWD and actually has 3PMSF tires vs regular all-seasons?

Usually, they just ask at the checkpoint.

Do you have AWD with snow tires?
Do you have chains in your possession?

If you answer yes, they usually wave you on your way. If you spin out, get stuck, cause a wreck, whatever past the checkpoint and any of those statements were a lie, you get a hefty ticket.

 

[brucet999]

The general rule in CA is that you have to carry chains, but if you have snow tires with 3PMSF logo and AWD you don't need to put them on to pass chain controls.

My friend, who lives in Truckee, drives a 4WD Subaru and carries a set of chains to show at chain controls on I-80 over Donner Pass…chains for her granddad's '41 Desoto.

 

[McManX]

Looks like possible expansion / second location based on the updated find us map. Q4 2022

 

[4SUPER9]

Looks like possible expansion / second location based on the updated find us map. Q4 2022

View attachment 764502

This would be great. Maybe in near the Village, as there are lots of shops and activity there.

 

[cmarshack]

This would be great. Maybe in near the Village, as there are lots of shops and activity there.

It would also be great if the hotels in the area replaced their 1st gen Level 2 chargers. Last year I stayed at Juniper Springs Lodge and they had 4 or 5 Tesla Chargers (Level 2, not superchargers) and I could not use any of them because I had a 2020 Model S that was not compatible with 1st Gen Tesla Destination Chargers.

 

[4SUPER9]

It would also be great if the hotels in the area replaced their 1st gen Level 2 chargers. Last year I stayed at Juniper Springs Lodge and they had 4 or 5 Tesla Chargers (Level 2, not superchargers) and I could not use any of them because I had a 2020 Model S that was not compatible with 1st Gen Tesla Destination Chargers.

This doesn't make sense. I stayed at Juniper several times. They have 4 Tesla HPWCs and one J-1772 charger. I have used each one of them, at one point or another, including by repairing one of them myself by removing a model 3 port O-ring that was stuck inside, and used the J-1772 when the others were full. All of them work, and all of them work with every version of Tesla. I charged there March 2021 with my 2018 Model S, and I charged there 1 month ago with my 2022 Model S. I am not aware of older HPWCs not working with newer cars. In fact, I the charger that I bought in 2013 works fine on my 2022 Model S.

 

[cmarshack]

This doesn't make sense. I stayed at Juniper several times. They have 4 Tesla HPWCs and one J-1772 charger. I have used each one of them, at one point or another, including by repairing one of them myself by removing a model 3 port O-ring that was stuck inside, and used the J-1772 when the others were full. All of them work, and all of them work with every version of Tesla. I charged there March 2021 with my 2018 Model S, and I charged there 1 month ago with my 2022 Model S. I am not aware of older HPWCs not working with newer cars. In fact, I the charger that I bought in 2013 works fine on my 2022 Model S.

Tesla may have pushed out an update to fix the issue, but MCU2 cars were not able to use Gen 1 Destination Chargers. I contacted Tesla Support and was told that my 2020 would not be able to charge on the older chargers and that I was supposed to ask the hotel to upgrade to the newer version of Destination Charger(lol).

Here is a thread on the topic (But it sound like it may be a moot point if Tesla fixed the issue): Charging equipment fault on the Tesla destination charger

 

[cpa]

I would submit that a more sensible approach for increasing the stalls at Mammoth Lakes would be to have the installation closer to US395, perhaps at the airport.

 

[4SUPER9]

I would submit that a more sensible approach for increasing the stalls at Mammoth Lakes would be to have the installation closer to US395, perhaps at the airport.

That would work, and I am always a proponent of no-frills charging along major routes. The issue right now is that Mammoth Lakes is busy enough to warrant more chargers in town, which can be used while people are dining, etc. Well, maybe not too long given the newer high rate of charge, but you know what I mean.
For travel along 395, now that Bishop is complete, and is only 37 miles from the Mammoth airport, I think a far better 395 location would be Lee Vining. That would provide perfect access to Tioga Pass, and is a nice mid-way point between existing chargers (Bishop --> Mammoth --> Lee Vining --> Gardnerville)

 

[cpa]

That would work, and I am always a proponent of no-frills charging along major routes. The issue right now is that Mammoth Lakes is busy enough to warrant more chargers in town, which can be used while people are dining, etc. Well, maybe not too long given the newer high rate of charge, but you know what I mean.
For travel along 395, now that Bishop is complete, and is only 37 miles from the Mammoth airport, I think a far better 395 location would be Lee Vining. That would provide perfect access to Tioga Pass, and is a nice mid-way point between existing chargers (Bishop --> Mammoth --> Lee Vining --> Gardnerville)

Or maybe the Shell station at the south junction of 158 that heads to June Lake. Skiers and summer outdoors types who frequent the June Lake Loop wouldn't have to go down to Mammoth or into LV to arrive or depart. Plus the north junction is closed from December until DWP needs access in late March-early April.

 

[Doug Martoccia]

Or maybe the Shell station at the south junction of 158 that heads to June Lake. Skiers and summer outdoors types who frequent the June Lake Loop wouldn't have to go down to Mammoth or into LV to arrive or depart. Plus the north junction is closed from December until DWP needs access in late March-early April.

Also get a ton of destination chargers at the Village.

 

[Tony8489]

I like the current SC location as it's walking distance to several dinner options. It would be a real PITA if the SC were out on 395. I'd say fix Mammoth so it runs at normal speed and add new capacity at Lee Vining for summer traffic over Tioga Pass.

 

[brucet999]

I like the current SC location as it's walking distance to several dinner options. It would be a real PITA if the SC were out on 395. I'd say fix Mammoth so it runs at normal speed and add new capacity at Lee Vining for summer traffic over Tioga Pass.

Lots of nearby restaurants, but no convenient bathroom facilities, especially early or late when restaurants aren't open or during pandemic closures.