As the days move close to winter, the community of June Lake faces the fearful fate of no ski area. Citizens continue to work on plans to make their town attractive to tourists, and the issues were scheduled to come up at the Mono Supervisors’ meeting Tuesday.
The Board has proposed to send a letter to Inyo Forest Supervisor Ed Armenta regarding Mammoth Mountain Ski Area’s Special Use Permit for June Mountain. The letter that the Mono Board has proposed to approve and send to Armenta thanks him for showing interest in the June Mountain issue and asks for an update on the Mountain’s use permit.
The proposed letter says that Forest Service personnel had “indicated that they viewed the closure (of June Mountain) as a form of noncompliance with the special use permit.” The letter says that the Supervisors “understood that the Forest Service was consulting with its legal counsel but that its intention was to eventually send the permit holder, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, a formal notice of noncompliance.”
The Board’s letter said the sending of the notice would set in motion the process to either “cure the noncompliance or revoke the permit.” The Board says they are unaware of whether such a notice was ever sent. They’re asking for a copy of it if it were sent and a written update regarding the status of the June Mountain use permit.
Community members and county officials have expressed interest in finding a buyer for June Mountain if Mammoth will not re-open it. Meanwhile, a group called the June Lake Revitalization Committee and the Mono County Tourism Commission were scheduled to talk to the Supervisors about their proposed plans and budget for winter marketing and product development initiatives in June Lake.
The Mono Board had already approved $100,000 of county funds for marketing June Lake. The Revitalization Committee has talked about plans for special events, new recreation opportunities and a shuttle service between June Lake and Mammoth Lakes.
“Unfortunately, there is a redneck mentality here (especially from Mono County North) that will fight you all the way on the art thing.” I understand where you are coming from but there doesn’t have to be a conflict. There are many great Western artists. Ansel Adams was an environmentalist and… Read more »
MJA ~
Sounds like a lot of Fun, count me in !!!
I think I’ll hike and ski June this year,
Remember when Lincoln Mtn. was that Way?
Epic!!!
Just cause Rusty aint charging an arm and a leg don’t mean we can’t ski it.
Turn em and burn em,
Let it snow!
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Well, Here’s how Robert Redford does it: http://sundanceresort.com/ But methinks Rusty Gregory likes things just the way they are. If trouble hits – just lay people off. He knows the usual suspects will drive all the way from L.A. as they’ve been doing for years. 100K from the county? A… Read more »
Just a quick question, if the letter from the USFS re noncompliance for the June Lakes Pemited operation, how would this non-compliance (non-operation) effect the USFS Permited operation of Mammoth Mountain by the parent company (who ever that may be)… How are these operations linked? Just an old miner, and… Read more »
Leavenworth Washington…look it up. Read the history.Its a town of 1200 that attracts 1.5 million visitors a year….w/ no ski area.I looks very similar to the June loop. It is something that is totally possible in this town. The town needs to think beyond the mountain. It needs to separate… Read more »
Leavenworth Washington…..it’s a great town and worth the drive from Seattle. The town it beautiful, the shops nice, the customer service is top notch….yes, June should look into how they do things there! Great idea!
http://www.leavenworth.org/modules/pages/index.php?pageid=1
These are all true statements but the thing we have to remember is that June is 5 to 6 hours from the populous LA, Orange And San Diego (our main visitors) and not a few hours in a leisurely drive. In order to bring his crowd up here, we need… Read more »
Suggestion. More world class food and restaurants. More attractive shops. Travelers love to spend time eating, shopping and just walking around and enjoying beautiful places. I’m thinking of Mendocino. There is some boating and ocean diving there, but mostly people love to walk around the quaint town, go into shops,… Read more »
June Lake is a ski town, Benett. Not a Mendocino by the ocean. The party is over for most Americans who have been on the gravy trained post-World War II. Everybody will be better off accepting the reality. Deer Valley knows their target audience – those still on that gravy… Read more »
Yes, June Lake is not Mendocino. But when it comes time to face survival mode, the creative process can come in to re-develop for success. It’s always worth a try. Maybe the $100,000 from the county would be better spent re-designing some of the business facades and menus. People love… Read more »
A “Quaint” village can’t be constructed to be “Quaint” Quaint happens over time. It happens from having many, many people contribute to it in an organic fashion. That one can just construct a quaint village is the myth that the big developers create and spread to convince people to let… Read more »
I agree, but you have to start somewhere. Leadership is required to inspire those in June Lake to somehow upgrade a bit to make the town itself more attractive to visitors.
Then, with the additional sports amenities, it might work. Just brainstorming. Benett
Bennett, You’re right about that but in order to bring the investment needed or folks willing to invest then we need to be known as a place to go. I’m pretty certain we’ll have skiing here again but for the mean time we need to build June up and market… Read more »
We should be setting up at the ski show for the summer maybe and any other outdoor trade show that’s in our zone. Sell what we have for now and build on that. Rome wasn’t built in a day nor will June lake be. June lake is completely capable of… Read more »
Maybe it’s time to look beyond tourism and think of more productive endeavors. I often wonder why there is no fine art/photography school somewhere up here on the East Side. What a fine place to be a photographer or painter or potter. The inspiration of the environment is unique. Just… Read more »
Benett, you mentioned “leadership” Quite rare here on the East Side. Most just do what has been done over and over again. Another aspect of “quaint” is that whatever is done, has to be done with honest love of the effort. False effort produces the “quaint” equivalent of a McBurger.… Read more »
I completely know what you mean. I guess that’s why I like Mendocino so much. It’s been developed over time. Individual shop owners love what they do and it shows.
It’s a kind of magical formula. I just know it when I see it and feel it.
Benett
True Ken! Very true!!! WE also need to market to corporations for their corporate events, team building events and different things like that. But to do that both June and Mammoth need the beds in one location. There’s a ton of ideas that can be had but the marketing, cooperation,… Read more »
Ken,
Your idea is a good one.
Unfortunately, there is a redneck mentality here (especially from Mono County North) that will fight you all the way on the art thing.
They want fishin’, huntin’, and campin’ …
and that’s that!
Just wondering….. if…..if we get a heavy snow year. Who will take care of the avalanche control work on the Face of June. The slide paths do not care who is in compliance. The avalanche danger will only increase left uncontrolled and without the skier compaction.Just wondering….
the Ski Patrollers will do it…just like the season when they closed after 3 wks[2006?]
Make June a publicly owned ski area, it can be done and be profitable enough to be self supporting. Put the sport back in skiing. There are plenty of people who don’t ski now because its too pricey, but they would if it was affordable, local, and no frills.
I’ll have to challange the success of a publicly owned ski area.
I’m sure Rusty got a laugh out of your comment.
The middle class is rapidly disappearing. The poor can’t afford to ski. The rich want the Deer Valley experience where snowboarders are prohibited (snowboarders per se don’t have any money).
Open the resort. Prohibit the wild and crazy snowboarders. And see if the resort will attract the rich.
June Mountain simply does not have the terrain to bring in the rich or the more accomplised skiers. It’s a very nice family resort and the families June Lake markets to are trying to make ends meet, keep their homes, and put food on the table. Things are not getting… Read more »
Accept the Fact, people… June Mtn. Ski Resort will NEVER EVER open for business Again, 🙁 The Dave Mcoy era is Over Gone !!
John- Never say never.
For 10-20 years, June Lake residents and businesses fought against housing construction — but were surprised and amazed when Mammoth Mountain pulled the plug on the ski area because of lack of skier visits. Now, the same residents and businesses demand that the Forest Service require that Mammoth Mountain “cure… Read more »
Scott you are wrong. For almost [2 terms]10 yrs the town has supported a ‘pro rodeo grounds’ candidate….Vikki Bauer. Her Platform was promoting/supporting it. How did she get all that support? Like many people that offer opinions that live far away and you have no clue to what your saying.The… Read more »
Here’s a link to the March 2005 June Lakes Advocates newsletter: http://www.junelakeadvocates.com/news/JLAnewsv2n1.pdf In the Newsletter, the opponents of development at the Rodeo Grounds gloat over the fact that they enrolled the Standford Environmental Law Clinic, and retained an expensive San Francisco law firm, to oppose development of the Intrawest project… Read more »
Hey Scott, they had a loud voice but no power..The website has not been updated in over 6 yrs…what does that tell you? Once again…THE TOWN VOTED IN A VERY PRO RODEO GROUND SUPERVISOR…..What does that tell you?…Dorothy was her opponent…She did not have good numbers. I was at the… Read more »
Sorry to upset you. I know not everyone in June Lake fought against development but many (most?) did and then the recession hit in 2007-2008. Let’s put history aside for a moment and think ahead. If you really want June Ski area to re-open, it’s NOT going to be a… Read more »
Scott- just becuase Mammoth mountain said they didn’t make a profit with June , does not make it true. Especially now days. Look at the Dodgers last 5 years of history. They claimed they were broke and worthless, then walked away with billions. With no competition Mammoth Mountain is worth… Read more »
My wife and I go to Mammoth from time to time and have had a wonderful time and we are by no means rich… I pray June Lakes opens as is harmful to all parties involved if this recreational area is closed… I must be missing something as I have… Read more »
This country is becoming designed for the very rich.
The disparity is obvious.
The rich want it all.
Unfortunately, the rich prefer all-inclusive settings.
And Mammoth is the setting.
Accept this fact.
Us is for the rich- you are right on the money with your statement, but I refuse to believe it will continue on this way.
I fully agree, if we were to look at graphs of the disparity of income from the top, middle, to the bottom looks exactly like it did before the great depression! Our system is rigged in the top 2% favor, there is no denying that. It is too bad the… Read more »
“Corporations are not people. They have none of the constitutional rights of human beings.” Really? Follow your argument to its logical conclusion, and see where you end up. Enjoy going to the movies? You will no longer see graphic violence, nudity, simulated sexual acts, or hear inappropriate language, since virtually… Read more »
Corporations do not need to be considered people in order to have liability insurance. Before the Supreme Court decision that declared corporations as equal to a human being, businesses took care of all their needs and protections and expressed artistically in the way they wanted and in the way they… Read more »
The haves know all the ways to have even more.
Such is the nature of capitalism.
So if corporations have liability insurance then surely the incorporated towns like Mammoth do too, doesn’t it?
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My point is very simple. Most of what people consider to be “free speech” is actually produced/published by corporations. If you declare them to no longer be covered by constitutional protections, you the entertainment and news industries at risk. I fully agree that corporations and big money interests have far… Read more »
Not calling a corporation a person does not deprive news organizations from living out the First Amendment. The individual reporters, producers, news writers and CEOs have a duty to defend the First Amendment.
Benett Kessler
You made my point corporations have made their grasp further then they need to. I want to see the people endorse the candidates with the peoples best interest on the reps agenda not the sell out agenda. If any of you have the time watch this, it is worth your… Read more »