The sleepy village of June Lake is a throwback of the best kinds to the mountainside ski towns of yore. Photo: Courtesy of Mono County
I had just finished ordering a cheeseburger when I checked my phone and saw I had a missed call and voicemail. It was Dave Miller, owner and operator of International Alpine Guides, with some bad news.
“Hey Dylan, looks like the forecast is calling for 70 mile-an-hour winds up at the top of the mountain tomorrow. Any chance you’re available Wednesday?” My heart sank knowing I wasn’t and that a five-plus hour drive to June Lake from Los Angeles may have all been for naught if conditions proved too hairy to get on the mountain the next day.
The following morning, Dave and I met for breakfast and discussed our options over coffee – neither of us all that eager to be in a hurry. After all, conditions couldn’t get any worse.
We decided to make do with what Mother Nature had given us and turn our planned outing into more of an exploratory mission, staying low in the trees in the backcountry just down the back of June Mountain ski resort. If we were lucky, we could catch a few lifts to the top to save our legs depending on the wind situation but we weren’t holding our breaths. As we waited for lift status updates from the mountain, I was content to nurse another cup of coffee and stand by the window at the Eagle’s Landing restaurant, nestled just beneath a handful of towering peaks that represent just a portion of June’s backcountry terrain, as Dave pointed out some of the area’s more famous runs. The potential seemed endless.
About a 30-minute drive north up U.S. Highway 395 from Mammoth Lakes sits the quaint hamlet of June Lake, so-called because of the beautiful adjacent alpine lake of the same name. As you rumble into town on State Route 158, also known as the June Lake Loop, panoramic vistas of towering peaks, pines, and the blue of the lake quickly give way to the town proper. The main thoroughfare, if you can call it that, is an eclectic mix of bygone-era businesses, including a saloon called the Tiger Bar and Café that’s been around since 1932, and new ventures including June Lake Brewing, a café, and June Pie Co. that makes kickass pizza.
Of late, June has gone through a bit of a renaissance, drawing younger crowds looking for a no-frills ski town (or fishing during the summer) that isn’t quite as hustle-bustle as neighboring Mammoth. The charming, almost European feel of June’s downtown with a fresh blanket of snow buffeted by glorious chutes and couloirs in the distance has even earned it the nickname, “California’s Switzerland.”
Yes, June’s lift-assisted backcountry terrain has unmatched potential. Photo: Andrew Miller
Farther down the road from June’s main business district lies the area’s ski resort, June Mountain. Purchased by Mammoth Mountain in 1986 and briefly shuttered for the 2012-2013 season before reopening a year later, June Mountain sits in stark contrast to its neighbor to the south. Billed as “California’s Family Ski Resort,” the terrain on offer at June is comprised largely of beginner and intermediate runs, which is likely why it continues to fly under the radar on powder days – according to Dave, it’s entirely possible to ski fresh tracks on June’s expert runs during the week at 11:00 a.m. But, more than that, many contend that June Mountain holds the key to some of the best resort-accessed backcountry terrain in the United States, maybe the best. I was out to see it with my own eyes, from the vantage of my splitboard.
When we finished our food and coffee, Dave took a look at the lift statuses at the ski resort. “Hey, looks like the lower lifts are spinning. The wind must not be as bad as they said it was going to be.” And with that, we headed out.
Over thirty minutes, energetic back and forth gave way to long stretches of silence as we marched up a steep toward the top of a tree line that would take us to another zone.
Two long lifts up and our plan for a little extra mechanical assistance to gain vertical had hit a snag. J7 – the lift that terminates at the top of June – was officially closed due to weather with no plans in the foreseeable future to shuttle passengers. The rest of our day we’d be climbing under our own power. We slapped skins on – Dave much more quickly than me, admittedly – and began to move.
As I said, conditions weren’t ideal for sampling all that the June backcountry had to offer, but once Dave and I gained altitude, our exploratory mission quickly proved that options were virtually endless a short skin from the resort. As Dave aimed his pole at areas in the distance, mental notes quickly turned into a miles-long bucket list that I swore I’d come back to when conditions were right.
“So that area is The Negatives,” said Dave, pointing. “Then you’ve got Dream Mountain there, and Hemlock Ridge. Maybe if you’re up to it we can check that out once we go down here,” said Dave. I nodded.
Turning around, I eyed June Lake in the foreground and Mono Lake in the distance in a breathtaking panorama of undulating hills peppered with sagebrush.
Dave Miller showing the author the beauty in his backyard. Photo: Heyden
“Powdery descents are one thing, but this,” I thought, “this is what venturing into the backcountry is all about.”
As we skinned, I tossed questions at Dave. Mainly, I wanted to know why the June backcountry continues to fly under the radar, or if he worried about it blowing up.
“I’m not all that worried about the terrain here getting too crowded, honestly,” he said. “Because there’s just so much of it.”
Having skied and guided in Europe and throughout much of the U.S. for decades, Dave is confident that the June area, in particular, is home to the best resort-accessed backcountry terrain in the U.S.
“You know, I used to say the best lift-accessed backcountry terrain in California, but a few years ago I was talking to some friends and really thought about it and I think June is pretty tough to beat,” he said.
Over thirty minutes, energetic back and forth gave way to long stretches of silence as we marched up a steep slope toward the top of a tree line that would take us to another zone. When we reached our stopping point we transitioned as I swigged water and got to work putting my splitboard back together.
As we descended, floating and bobbing around trees at a decent clip, I quickly learned what made the Eastern Sierra backcountry so special.
“It hasn’t snowed much since Christmas, and we were still able to get a few pretty good turns in there,” said Dave as I beamed.
“Oh, for sure.”
If this was a so-so day in the June backcountry and we were still both grinning ear-to-ear, I could only imagine what a good day would be like. I vowed that sooner rather than later I’d find out.
The author with June Lake in the foreground and Mono Lake in the distance. Photo: Heyden
Guide Services:
Hit up Dave Miller, Owner of Mammoth-based International Alpine Guides, and his friends at Alpine Skills International for all your guided touring needs. Hot tip: Dave and his crew also guide for rock and ice climbing and not just in California. The crew runs expeditions in Europe, South America, and Mexico, too.
Where to Stay:
Complete with an on-site restaurant and indoor spa facility to warm the bones after a long day on the mountain, Double Eagle Resort and Spa‘s cabin-like facilities are spacious and comfortable with warm chocolate chip cookies ready for you at check-in.
Where to Eat:
Grab a slice or an entire pie from June Pie Pizza Co. With an oven fashioned from stone harvested from the Dolomites in Italy the crust is arguably the best in the Eastern Sierra.
Where to Caffeinate:
For a grab-and-go breakfast burrito and a frothy bev, The Lift is your go-to.
Best Aprés:
June Lake Brewing, ideal for a pint or two after a day in the mountains. And if the weather’s nice, the patio is the spot.
