June Mountain Ski Getaways

June is Mammoth Mountain's sister area and often considered the "little" sister at that. However, you can get a lot smaller than 2,590 feet of vertical and about 500 acres of terrain. Sure, it doesn't compare with Mammoth's 3,100 foot vertical and 3,500 acres but if you are looking for a good family mountain or a more relaxed day on the slopes, June is worth checking out. Crowds are uncommon at June and that means so are long lift lines and crowded slopes, and while the terrain may not be as extensive as Mammoth, there is still something here for everybody, especially the beginners and intermediates, although you might not realize it when you since when you pull into the parking lot you'll come face-to-face with...well, The Face, one of June's double diamond runs. But don't worry, there's more.

From the base of the mountain everyone has to take the J1 double chair to get to anything not rated a black or double-black diamond. From there, in front of the June Meadows Chalet, guests have a choice between the J2 double or the J6 high speed quad which will take you to the top of the Rainbow Summit. For the most part, beginners are going to want to stick to J2 and enjoy trails like Desperado, River Run and Mambo. Although don't worry if you do head up to the top of Rainbow since Silverado is a gentle cruiser that will get you back down. For the intermediates there are a lot more options, head up the J6 and enjoy the blues there or take J2 to J7, the other express quad at June and head down Matterhorn or even Schatzi. Advanced skiers and riders will want to stick to the lower mountain, the trails off J7, or head into the tree where lines of untracked powder can be found, often for days after a storm. There are also a couple of pretty extensive terrain parks and a super pipe for the freeriders