junemountainEarlier this month, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area submitted a response to the Forest Service on how they will manage June Mountain this winter during its closure and when and how they plan to re-open it.

After Mammoth Mountain CEO Rusty Gregory announced that June Mountain would close due to financial problems and a reported annual loss of $1.5 million, Forest Service officials said that they would issue a letter of non-compliance to the Mountain and require a response.

June Mountain sits on a Forest permit and the closure of the Ski Area for which the permit is issued amounts to non-compliance. Forest Service Public Information Officer Nancy Upham had earlier said that the Forest Service issued the letter to Mammoth Mountain on September 27th.

Upham had said that corrective actions in the Letter of Non-Compliance included submitting a report of actions and a schedule by which Mammoth Mountain “intends to analyze and plan for the sustainable future of June Mountain Ski Area.” That document was due October 15th. Upham said Mammoth Mountain did submit a “sizable package”. Forest Supervisor Ed Armenta and Mammoth District Ranger Jon Regelbrugge are reviewing that document.

Upham said that Mammoth Mountain submitted information on an operations plan this winter to secure the site of June Mountain. Upham had earlier said that this plan has to identify how the Mountain will provide for public safety and make sure infrastructure, equipment, and supplies are secured and monitored. The plan, she said, must address “monitoring, avalanche control, signage and emergency notification procedures.”

Upham said Mammoth Mountain’s report would set the foundation to address concerns and “chart a path forward.” She did say that revocation or suspension of the June Mountain permit remains an option for non-compliance with the terms of their permit. Upham clarified that the requirements in the June Mountain permit found to be in non-compliance include the “failure to operate June Mountain Ski Area for public use.”

Meanwhile, the Mono County Tourism Commission and the June Lake Revitalization Committee continue to work on plans to promote visitorship to June Lake this winter in the absence of the ski area. Jeff Simpson, Mono County Economic Development Assistant, said that he and others were at work on plans that include marketing, transit, ambience of the town and events. The Mono Supervisors had approved $100,000 toward those efforts.

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