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Mammoth to June Ski Traverse
$1,295
Dates
- April 25-27, 2025
This tour from Mammoth to June Lake is an ideal introduction to backcountry touring. The skiing is moderate and the scenery is outrageously beautiful. In the summer the Thousand Island Lake and Agnew Pass area is a popular destination, but in winter it is deserted and perhaps even more beautiful than ever.
Prerequisites
You should have good aerobic fitness with the ability to ski intermediate runs at the resort. Prior backcountry skiing experience is required but overnight winter camping experience is not necessary. You should be proficient at kick turns, traversing on 30-degree slopes, side slipping, and wedge turns all while carrying a pack of about 30 to 35 pounds.
Inclusions
Price includes meals, shuttle, guiding, permits, and avalanche equipment (beacons, shovels and probes). Does not include ski equipment. We recommend Mammoth Mountaineering Supply for rentals.
Acclimatization & Physical Training
For proper acclimatization, we suggest spending at least one night at a moderate altitude, higher than 8,000 feet, just prior to the start of the journey. See our detailed tips on acclimatizing and physical training in the “Resources” tab.
Day 1
Quickly leaving behind the bustle and noise of the ski area lifts, we follow Minaret Road to Minaret Vista (9,150 feet). This snow covered road gives time to adjust gear and ease into the skiing. After lunch at the viewpoint we make a quick, fun descent of the road to Agnew Meadows and finally leave the road. We climb up through aspens and pine forest to camp (8,800 feet) from where we can watch the sun slowly set to the west over the jagged Minarets.
Day 2
On day two, we take a steadily rising line through forest and open meadows to Agnew Pass (9,900 feet) and spend the night here, close to Thousand Island Lake and Mt. Banner. With several steep traverses this can be a challenging day, depending on conditions.
Day 3
Day three starts with great views towards the Ritter/Banner area and the Sierra Crest before we descend to frozen Gem Lake, crossing the dam and dropping down to lower Agnew Lake. We top a rise and below is the community of June Lake and a steady descent down Rush Creek to the road near Silver Lake (7300 feet). Our shuttle van is waiting here for us and we return to the vehicles and a well deserved rest.
Rental Equipment
We have rental equipment available at checkout.
Reviews
Michael, AIARE II
“Hey all! I recently took AIARE 2 with SP Parker and I have to admit it was fantastic! He showed so much passion for his craft and “patience” with us. It truly showed in the 3 days we spent together that he cares about what he does. He is so knowledgeable about snow science and in particular Eastern Sierra snow that I highly recommend participating in his course if you’re a frequenter of this magical mountain range. Can’t thank you enough and will most surely use the lessons learned in this course to be a more safe and conscious backcountry traveler.”
More Reviews
Aaron, AIARE Rescue
“Anouk was a terrific educator and guide during the avy rescue clinic- very experienced. Good natured and supportive. Expertly managed our group. We all got a ton of practice and had a nice day out in the field. I’ll be coming back for more avy training.”
Stefanos, AIARE I
“I got my avalanche education here (AIARE1). The team I met, Anouk, Tyler and Emma, is fantastic. I greatly appreciated their attitude and the experience they provided. Will be back for more soon.”
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