Axe Throwing when Exploring Mammoth Lakes – First Cut!

After 20 years of heading to Mammoth in Sierra Mountains, its always a treat to find & experience something new. I mean, how much natural beauty & downtime with your loving family can one man take?? 🙂 That said: Axe Throwing when exploring Mammoth… yes please!

Yosemite Axe Throwing, off Old Mammoth Road in the downtown, was ridiculously entertaining! For about $30 bucks an hour (per person), you can  unleash  your inner Norseman, heaving a variety of axes & hatchets at the targets.

Safety First

After settling the bill & signing a waiver (well that makes sense), our instructor, Justin, patiently explained the safety protocols, including where to stand, how to retrieve your hatchet, bounce back etc…  Frankly, when you see the hatchets firmly dug into the stump in front of you, it inspires a desire to really pay attention.

Technique is Everything

Next, Justin explained and demonstrated the proper technique for launching a variety of Axe/Hatchet sizes to the target. There is a distinct difference in technique, dependent on the size. Another interesting pointer was that “less is more.” Crisply releasing the axe will result in a clean strike of the target… throwing the Axe really hard can result in a miss OR the axe bouncing off the target a coming back your way! We stuck with crisp…

After the clear & thoughtful advice. It was time to let loose!

The Pay Off

While it may not be in the top 5, sinking a hatchet into the wooden target, 20 feet away, is definitely in the satisfaction top 10… And hitting the Bulls-eye? Forget about it!

After 3-5 throws, we were all regularly sinking our weapons into the target. Every once in a while, proper form would go out the window, resulting in an unsatisfying dull thud, as the axe deflects off the target and comes to a rest on the ground.  Proper technique paid dividends & the accuracy got better with practice.

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Pick a Game

After we felt dialed in, it was time for competition. Justin introduced us to a couple different games we could play in teams. The most basic was akin to darts. Hitting the rings are worth points & the inner rings were worth more. The Bulls-eye offers the most points. If the game is to 31,  you can’t  go over the score or you loose points.

Gotta Go with video

Watching an axe bury into the target is a good video clip. Watching YOU bury it is the stuff of great art! Once again, Justin gave us solid advice on where to stand and how to film the action. I have a clip below for you to check out.

Axe throwing when exploring Mammoth Lakes is an off beat & highly entertaining way to start an  evening… or make it the evening! With just a little bit of instruction, you can begin to routinely sink the axe into the target. While we’re not ready for the WATL, Axe Throwing was a great outing that allows everyone to have a level of success… & something to whoop about!

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