California's Mammoth Mountain ski area has announced its ski season, which began in early November last year, will finally end on August 6th – 270 days and nine months after it opened.
Following record January snowfall Mammoth had the deepest snow in the world for most of last season by a long way – with nearly nine metres (30 feet) lying on upper slopes.
The resort has been offering free skiing to children and to early buyers of 17-18 season passes since early spring.
2016-17 will not quite be the longest or the snowiest in Mammoth's history however.
22 season ago in 1994-1995 it stayed open more than 300 days from early October to August 14th. This season is the second longest and second latest closing in the area's history.
With 618 inches (15.7m) of snowfall it's not quite the snowiest season either, that was 2010-2011 when 668 inches fell at the main lodge.
Recent weeks and months have seen very warm temperatures in California and a fast thaw of the massive snowpack. The snow is now three feet/90cm thick with 10 runs still open served by three lifts.