While the spring skiing and 'boarding has been great at Mammoth Mountain, the heavy snowpack in the Sierra is forcing the folks at Devils Postpile National Monument to delay their opening a few weeks.

According to monument officials, "plows have been able to get one lane cleared to the Minaret Vista. Crews will be working to clear the rest of the road throughout the week. Due to large amounts of heavy equipment and dangerous road conditions, the road beyond Mammoth Mountain Ski Area to the Minaret Vista is still closed and will remain so until road crews can safely open two complete lanes and have removed all plowing equipment. Because there is still such deep snow covering most of the road, the opening date of the valley has been pushed back to June 18."

Additionally, the monument's ranger station will not be open until June 19, when shuttle buses will also begin running to the floor of the monument and ranger-led hikes are scheduled to start. Naturally, this date is subject to change due to weather.

If you're planning an early season visit to the monument, it's suggested that you call 760-924-5500 for the most up to date information.