MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. -- You used to be a cheap date, a weekend fling who didn't care that my budget was tight and my wallet thin. In the old days, you would welcome me with open arms, even if I showed up on your doorstep with a brown bag lunch and blue jeans sticking out of my ski boots.

But you've changed. You've become a diva with expensive tastes, a snob who associates with country club types in time-share condos and designer ski outfits. I just can't believe what I'm hearing. So I corralled my wife, Tina, and 10-year-old daughter, Isabella, and headed up U.S. Highway 395 to see whether a penny-pinching weekend skier was still welcome in Mammoth Lakes, Southern California's favorite winter sports getaway.

When I arrived in mid-November, the Village at Mammoth teemed with noise, shoppers and light.

The European-style pedestrian hub is the crown jewel of a multimillion-dollar makeover that its detractors claim is turning this blue-collar ski town into the Aspen of the West. The makeover was accelerated when Starwood Capital Group, led by hotel mogul Barry S. Sternlicht of Greenwich, Conn., bought a controlling interest in the resort in 2006 from Dave McCoy, the resort's founder.

Before the face-lift, Mammoth was known for its rustic charms. It was a hodgepodge of hotels, strip malls and mom-and-pop eateries, but that didn't bother most of the skiers and snowboarders who came only for the mountain experience. Thanks to an average of 33 feet of snow and 300 days of sunshine each year, the experience usually was good.

The resort took a transformative step this summer when Mammoth Mountain teamed with Patina Restaurant Group in an effort to improve its culinary offerings. To make the slopes more convenient, Horizon Air this week begins nonstop flights from Los Angeles International Airport to the Mammoth Yosemite Airport.

Considering the economic crisis, this might not be the best timing for hedonism on the hill. And yet, surveys suggest that Americans will not forgo vacation plans. They'll merely spend less on them.

This raises the question: Can a family on a budget still have a good time at the new and improved Mammoth Lakes?

LODGING

The lodging near the lifts in Mammoth Lakes is expensive, but with legwork you still can find a few bargains. Room rates typically skyrocket in peak snow season, between Thanksgiving and mid-April, but if you can schedule your vacation before or after that period, you can save a bundle.

Thanks to online comparisons, I found a bargain early in the season at the 1849 Condos, (800 421-1849, www.1849condos.com) within walking distance of the lifts at Canyon Lodge. I booked a two-bedroom, two-bath condominium with a kitchen, fireplace, living room and sun deck for $117 a night, plus tax. The rates were low because the condos were being renovated and only five runs were open at the time. (Canyon Lodge, a ski hub with a large outdoor deck, a bar, meeting rooms and access to lifts, had not yet opened.) Once the renovations were completed near the end of November, the weekend rates at the condos jumped to $400 a night.

By using the kitchen in the condo to prepare our breakfasts -- cereal, milk, coffee and pastries bought at the local supermarket -- we also saved at least $30 to $40 each day on restaurant costs.

Even less expensive: On the drive up, I noticed that hotel rates advertised on the marquees in Bishop were nearly half the cost of lodging in Mammoth Lakes. Although it's 42 miles south of Mammoth Lakes along U.S. 395, Bishop has much to offer visitors, including Erick Schat's Bakkery (763 N. Main St.), the ideal place to stock up on apple strudel and sheepherder bread, and Jack's Restaurant & Bakery (437 N. Main St.), where the omelets are huge and tasty and the fishing advice is free.

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