June Mountain Ski Resort Review 2026

Scored honestly

June Mountain suits two kinds of skier especially well. The first is the powder hunter who hates crowds, because when a Sierra storm rolls in, June gets the same snow as Mammoth but a fraction of the people, and the gladed terrain off the upper summits holds untracked lines well into the day. The second is the family that wants a gentle, low stress hill, helped by a long standing policy of free skiing for young children and a calm, friendly base.

For everyone else, the trade offs are real. The mountain is small and a strong skier will lap the good terrain quickly, the lower slopes can be thin early and late season, and the awkward base means you ride the chair up to the mid mountain lodge before the skiing really begins. There is no nightlife to speak of and the June Lake village is tiny and seasonal. Intermediates and mileage seekers should base at Mammoth, ski the big mountain most days, and drive over to June for a powder morning. As an escape it is a gem; as a week long destination on its own it is thin.

Terrain by ability

June is laid out across two linked summits above the June Lake loop. The lower mountain is gentle, with the quirk that beginners ride the first chair up to the mid mountain lodge to reach the easy terrain rather than starting at the base. Higher up, the June Mountain and Rainbow summits open a satisfying spread of blues and the steeper black pitches, with a vertical of roughly 790 m and long, quiet runs back toward the lodge. Grooming is good and the views over June Lake and the Sierra crest are superb.

For the off piste skier the appeal is the trees and the quiet. The glades between the marked runs on the back of June Mountain and around the Rainbow summit are the heart of the place on a powder day, holding soft, sheltered snow long after the open slopes have been skied off, and because so few people ride here the fresh tracks last. It is mellow to moderately steep tree skiing rather than big committing terrain, which makes it a wonderful place to ski powder safely and lap untracked lines. The surrounding June Lake and Carson Pass country also offers genuine backcountry touring, but that is true off resort terrain that demands a transceiver, shovel and probe, avalanche knowledge and ideally a guide. Within the resort, treat June as a low stress powder playground and it delivers far more joy than its size suggests.

Photos via Google. Contributed by Andrey Madz, Steve Nguyen, Matthew Draggoo, Bryan Moreland.

Charm, convenience and evenings

The base is the small, seasonal village of June Lake, a string of cabins, a couple of bars and eateries and a famous loop road around the lakes, with real Eastern Sierra character but very little bustle. It is charming and low key rather than a resort town, and out of peak times some of it is closed. There is no ski in ski out village in the resort sense, just a quiet lodge at the base and the mid mountain day lodge.

Evenings are quiet and local, a drink and a meal in June Lake or a short drive to the larger town of Mammoth Lakes for more choice. There is no apres ski scene at the mountain itself, which suits the powder seekers and families who come here. Anyone wanting nightlife should base in Mammoth Lakes and visit June by day.

Chalets and easy access beds

For the quietest, most local trip, stay in a cabin in June Lake itself, minutes from the lifts and right on the loop, ideal for families and powder chasers who want to be first up the hill after a storm. For more dining, lodging choice and the option to split days with the big mountain, base in Mammoth Lakes about 30 minutes away and drive over to June when it snows. Either way, book ahead for powder weekends, when the small village fills quickly.

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What a pass costs

A day pass at June Mountain runs around $130, less than Mammoth, and the mountain is included on the same season pass as Mammoth, so most visitors ski it on a multi resort pass rather than a day ticket. The long running policy of free skiing for young children makes it especially good value for families. If you are skiing the Eastern Sierra for a week, a pass that covers both Mammoth and June is almost always the smart buy, since it lets you chase the snow between the two. Booking ahead beats the window rate.

Schools and guiding

June Mountain has a friendly ski school that suits children and beginners well on its quiet slopes, and the calm setting makes lessons less intimidating than a big, busy resort. Strong skiers do not need guiding within the small resort boundary, but anyone planning to tour the surrounding June Lake and Carson Pass backcountry should treat it as serious avalanche terrain, carry a transceiver, shovel and probe, check the Eastern Sierra avalanche bulletin, and go with proper training or a local guide. Reserve rentals ahead on powder weekends.

The journey

Reno Tahoe is the most practical airport, roughly a 2 hour 30 minute to 3 hour drive south down highway 395 into the Eastern Sierra, a beautiful but exposed road that can be slow or closed in heavy snow. Mammoth Yosemite Airport, a short drive from June, has limited seasonal flights and is the quickest option when it is running. From Los Angeles the drive is around 5 to 6 hours. A car is essentially required for the Eastern Sierra, both to reach June and to move between it and Mammoth.

Timing your trip

The Eastern Sierra is feast or famine for snow, so timing matters at June. January and February usually bring the deepest, most reliable cover and the best powder days, when June is at its finest as a quiet escape from a crowded Mammoth. December and April can be thin in a lean year, since the lower slopes need good cover to ski well. The best plan is to keep some flexibility and ski June the day after a storm, when the trees fill with soft, untracked snow and the crowds stay south at the big mountain.

June Mountain FAQs

If June Mountain is not quite right

These three sit within reach of the Eastern Sierra and Tahoe, each offering far more terrain, steeper skiing or a bigger resort base.

See the wider United States guide for more options, or compare picks in our best uncrowded ski resorts in the United States list.

Where should you stay and when should you go?

Prefer a village bed to staying in the main base? Read our village guide to Mammoth Lakes for beds, transfers and who each one suits. For month by month snow, crowds and prices in the United States, see skiing in the United States in December, January, February, March, April.