Rally/Walk to save June Lake :
– Sunday 6/24
– Meet at 10:00 a.m. Rite Aid parking lot Mammoth Lakes
– Plan to walk streets of Mammoth and Rally to save our lively hood and your home away from home
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todays modern ski areas dont make money from lift tickets…theymake money from the real estate that surround the ski hill……just like sierra star golf course isnt about golfers…its about selling million dollar homes on the greens.
During the Great Depression, small towns not contributing that much to the overall national economy went by the wayside. It’s happening once again.
Bridgeport should be next.
I doubt the the county seat will ever go away.
Towns are drying up and dying all across America. I love June, I love all the tiny communities in the Eastern Sierra as I grew up here and they are my neighbors but not everyone will survive this recession. Some towns will go away or become seasonal. This is life, this is business. MMSA had to stop the hemorraging. They’re a business, they deserve to turn a profit and not support an entire seperate mountain that isn’t capable of supporting itself as a community service.
I’m curious how many more skier visits June needs to become profitable? How much cash would be needed to reuse this place from MMSA?
What suffers in the end, are people. Yes, it’s choice to live in June Lake, but people live and work there for a specific reason. The same reason that people chose to ski and ride June. The relaxed enrvironment, the relative safety of the community as opposed to Mammoth. Let’s ignore, just for a minute, the perception that EVERYONE in June was opposed to the Rodeo Grounds development. Most year round residents wanted it, and knew what a boost it would be for the town and economy. Let’s ignore the argument completely.
The issue for the vast majority of residents is not the ski area closing per se, and skiing disappearing, it’s the fact that the most year round residents are dual seasonal employees. With the economy still heavily under the weather, it’s not a reality to suggest that they just find a job in Mammoth. There isn’t a family in June who isn’t directly affected by this decision, from business owners, to dishwashers and housekeepers, and families who live there so that their kids can grow up in a manner that harkens back to 30 or 40 years ago, when kids showed a greater sense of innocence. It makes me wonder which of my kid’s friends at school will be there when school starts back in August. Many people will just not stick around to see the winter.
While I’m sure that it will all appear to blow over in the next month or two, the residents and businesses will feel the effects for years to come. In the various different arguments over the situation, please don’t forget the people who are involved. The families, the children, the business owners who had no say, but are nevertheless affected beyond your comprehension.
Day late and a dollar short…..people should’ve supported “the Village” development in 2002….rallied to get the USFS to change their special use permit that only allowed June Mtn to stay open until April 15th.
I’m sad June’s closed but I did everything I could.
Everything is a political situation today, SierraFan.
I don’t ever recall such polarization.
There are people out there who tune in to listen to the rantings of one obese, drug-addicted talk radio host 3 straight hours a day, 5 days a week and reruns on weekends.
His message:
“I hate liberals! (aka Democrats).
And this hatred is spreading dangerously and affecting everyone.
Note how often the demonized words “left” or “liberal” are used in almost every communication today.
This polarization, sadly, is working.
Neocons don’t like it when their guru (Limbaugh) is dissed.
thumbs down – 3
LOL!
LOL. You and only you are being dissed.
OH, NO!
Not another Limbaugh-lover on this blog!
are you having fun?
The most accurate way to explain the nasty style of some would be “Limbaughism”
Like conservative guru Rush Limbaugh knows all too well is “if you want something to stick – give it to ’em loud and dirty.”
And so many followers believe this style to be true.
Nasty,
This isn’t a political situation so I’m not sure why you would want to bring it up. It’s about the community losing jobs due to an apparent unprofitable situation. We need to bring folks together rather than create a wedge.
“We need to bring folks together rather than create a wedge.”
Tell that to Limbaugh, Fox News, Coulter, Hannity …
I wish I had a dime for every time I’ve heard the words “liberal” “left” and “socialist” today.
I wonder who started this mess?
and Maddow, and Sharpton and Hayes and anything on MSNBC…plenty of hate going around on both sides……..oops I forgot not many people watch Ms. Maddow
Wedge,
You forgot Glenn Beck! I think you’re drinking too much political coolaid! Yes there’s the far right you’re talking about but you seem to have forgotten the hard left wing nuts! CNN, NBC, CBS, NPR, etc. …………. way too many to list. It’s funny that the left forgets that there’s actually a left! I’m neither left or right just an American that wants success for those that choose to have it. Folks that are angry that Rusty has several properties seem to have a problem with his success so they choose to personally bash that point as if it’s a bad thing. This is America, not Europe! Our founders left that life for prosperity and many chastise it! If folks think success is bad here then move on to more socialist climates!
Be careful what you wish for, you just may get it. The residents of June Lake have been opposing development for decades. In the early-to-mid 2000’s, there was a proposal to develop the Rodeo Grounds. The June Lake locals fought it hard in every possible way (http://www.junelakeadvocates.com/news/JLAnewsv2n1.pdf).
Let’s face it, you can’t run a ski mountain without a base of residences and visitor accommodations. Mammoth Mountain is a business, not a charity. It can’t operate without skiers. June Lake residents and businesses didn’t want development and they got what they wished for. No development and no ski area.
Very well said Scott. Sad but true.
Scott-
I remember Mammoth as a cool little town back in the day without the Ferrari conventions, the Village, and the ridiculous priced A-frames. I could ski for a $1/day as a Bishop student. Before all the development, Mammoth was still a profitable business so why isn’t June Mtn? The schools went to Mammoth because I guess it was closer just like a lot of the skiiers think today. I’ll bet if the locations of June and Mammoth were flipped, June would have plenty of traffic and profit. Has all the development in Mammoth siphoned off too many people from June? If so than supply and demand economics are at play here. June needs to reinvent itself now if it wants to come out of this. I’m pretty sure MMSA is using this “crisis” as a bargaining chip to help twist the arms of the anti-development folk to change their mind. A deficit of $1.5 mil each year is nothing in a good year for MMSA so you can bet they’ll be stretching this to their benefit!
Unfortunately, in today’s society, developers must develop. They can easily persuade the powers that be to develop every available square inch of land in the community – even though the residents clearly do not want this to happen.
The Bell-Shaped parcel comes to mind and we all know who on the town council was on the warpath to develop that land that our deer and bear like to roam around in.
There are some raised in Southern California who want duplicate the overdeveloped neighborhood syndrome because “its good for the economy.”
And to make matters worse, there are no laws on the books making it illegal for a councilman to accept favors, monies, percentages, perks, from developers.
I’m waiting for that one elected official to come forward and spearhead a motion to make that sort of development partnership against the Town of Mammoth Lakes ordinances.
Perhaps closing the ski hill was MMSA/Startwood’s way of telling June Lake who the boss is.
Grow or die means we develop or we destroy you.
ken, I don’t think MMSA wants to destroy june but I’m sure this will send message. The residents will write their story from here on out so let’s see what story they have. This certainly is a wake up call!!
I don’t have a problem with that. Business is business. Rusty’s tired of supporting their personal ski hill.
Once again, the shop owners and lodging owners wanted it.The 2nd homeowners wanted it. The ‘movers and shakers’ wanted it. We elected a supervisor 2x who was gung ho for it. It was not opposition that killed the project, it was economics.The developers saw the light, as did their financers The advocates are about 20 left over hippies who were powerless, they were not allowed to speak at meetings. Go to their website. when was it last updated? Dont be silly by making such blind comments.
Please don’t use phrases like – “Don’t be silly by making such blind comments.”
We are all weary of self-righteous accusations. You provided some legit info.
Leave it at that.
Benett Kessler
esfotoguy,
There’s no doubt the local business owners wanted more business, who wouldn’t? But the locals seemed to have put enough roadblocks in the way as many communities do when change is coming. All I’m saying is that if you want progress then it will happen and if you don’t it won’t. I sure hope that either MMSA see’s the value in what they have or find someone who will. It’s way too beautiful not to.
Forget Politics!!!!
This is a community of people who depend upon other people for their livelihood. I wish the community the best and will make a special point of spending more time there.
“Forget Politics?”
Are you kidding?
EVERYTHING today is politics.
it would make way more sense to actually support June by doing this march over here[at June] …..and maybe have lunch while you are here.
EXACTLYYYYY I love “protest” “support” marches. Lets be honest. Nobody goes to June because it is flat, and mostly boring. Great for the fam who are full on novices but it gets boring FAST. Life isn’t fair and when you live in Mammoth I would think by now your aware how inept your town is in all aspects of day to day life. Now task them with trying to “run” a mountain with that nerd in the black t shirts? It’s over and wont get better till your one remaining mountain is sold. Now all you dorks on facebook who are gonna go stop traffic and yell at chipmonks on Sunday get a life!!!!
pmak…those who know dont tell, those who tell dont know…….sorry you missed all them tree runs into town up to a wk after a storm unlike mammoth where you get 3-5 hours of powder,,,oh well, it was your loss
“3-5 hours of powder”…? Try 30 minutes of powder. Mammoth gets tracked out faster than Amy Winehouse.
And I agree June Mountain was a gem. It didn’t get too crowded, rarely wind affected powder, great tree skiing and awesome access to nearby backcountry. I have always liked small ski hills and June was a gem.
Hopefully someone else will buy it and compete with MMSA. If done right I believe the mountain could be profitable and offer what Mammoth does not or can not.
Please sign and share, it’s more than a Mountain they are trying to shut down! Save our communities!
http://www.change.org/petitions/give-it-back-to-the-town
Everyone- please be aware that you are registering on a left leaning political website for this petition. If you dont want the spam, dont register.
“Beware!”
“Left-leaning…”
And the ridiculous Limbaughism never stops in today’s polarized society.
Im sorry, I meant right leaning
Too little too late. If you wanted to save June you should’ve skiied there, spent money there, got your friends to go there. Pounding pavement isn’t going change years of revenue loss.
What CL and Vince Townsend are saying is probably true…This ain’t the 70’s and 80’s anymore…when people went skiing to ski…June Lake is a much nicer place to go than Mammoth Lakes,but the skiers and snowboarders,for the most part,see the sport as an after-thought,and just something to do when they’re not in the bars getting drunk,or walking around town looking for someone to take home for the evening.June Lake doesn’t have that type of “activities” for the visitors…thus not as popular as mammoth lakes….and not the place to go and spend their money.Who I feel sorry for in all of this are the families…that want to actually go skiing,and enjoy their family time in a nice,quiet little town,safely walk the streets at night,and have a nice dinner in a place with a great view,like the June Lake restaurants all seem to have..and not have to fight off some drunk hitting on their teen-age daughters….their choice to be able to do that now has been dissolved, unless they choose to go the extra miles to Tahoe.
What a Joke… get over it already people, June Lake Is DEAD DEAD DEAD, move on the future is brighter 🙂
“lively hood”? What’s a hood?