I have many fond memories of riding the slopes at June Mountain Ski Area in the Eastern Sierra, far removed from the bustle and within a spectacular alpine setting.
So it saddened me to read in the Mammoth Times on Thursday that June Mountain, about 30 miles to the north of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, has closed for the summer and will not open for 2012-13 winter season.
Undoubtedly, the news deeply saddens dozens of employees, only some of which may find work next winter at Mammoth, which owns June and itself is struggling financially.
"June has operated at an annual deficit each year since its purchase in 1986,” Mammoth CEO Rusty Gregory said a news release. "It is time to invest some of this subsidy into the analysis and planning required to position the resort for a sustainable future, then secure the approvals and financing required to create it."
June has been heavily subsidized by Mammoth, which this past spring laid off 75 permanent employees, thanks largely to a sharp decline in skier visits.
Mammoth is the far larger and more popular of the two resorts, but June was perceived by many to be a more remote gem for skiers and snowboarders who liked the smaller crowds and a change of scenery and terrain after skiing and riding at Mammoth.
With 2,590 feet of vertical drop and about 500 acres of terrain for all levels, though, it was not a particularly small resort.
After Mammoth purchased June it planned significant expansion, but for various reasons that goal was never realized.
Whether June will reopen at a future date remains to be seen.
-- Pete Thomas
Having been a fan of June Lake for so many years, and traveling to the area to enjoy all seasons from Southern Cal, it was quite disheartening to hear the news that Mammoth Mtn. Inc. was going to close down June Mtn. The town is so strongly tied to the winter activities, so to close down the biggest and most lucrative of them is potentially devastating to all. We have talked for years about ways to market the town, to draw people up there to experience its beauty. The town wants to remain small and family-like, but it needs more traffic to survive this. How can both sides of this, respecting the nature and tone that identifies June for what it is and to create enough economy to keep it viable and alive, be brought together into one cohesive plan for the area?
Posted by: Esther | Jul 24, 2012 at 12:05 PM
The people in Mono and Inyo Counties' small towns, now including local schools and businesses and county supervisors – surprised by this unexpected corporate news last week -- have started mobilizing quickly to try to keep June Mountain open, under different business models than Mammoth Mountain (now owned by external financial groups) had tried.
Their goal is to prevent the tiny-towns, including June Lake and elsewhere in Mono County, from disappearing, because their wintertime social fabric has been so closely tied to June Mountain for nearly 50 years. Community ideas include creating a local community-run operation like Mad River Glen resort in Vermont, or other models. But this is only viable if the corporation running Mammoth Mountain Inc. now will actually consider and allow it (and perhaps even invest in it), rather than just shutting June Mountain immediately. The people in Mono County’s small towns are seeking input and show of support from others throughout California too.
Posted by: David | Jun 29, 2012 at 09:11 AM
http://www.change.org/petitions/give-it-back-to-the-town please sign and share!
Posted by: Karrahslove | Jun 23, 2012 at 11:43 AM