June Lake (California)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

June Lake

Location	Mono County, California
Coordinates	37°47′19″N, 119°04′29″WCoordinates: 37°47′19″N, 119°04′29″W
Lake type	Freshwater
Primary inflows	Snow melt
Primary outflows	none
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	1.2 mi (1.9 km)
Max. width	0.6 mi (1.0 km)
Average depth	60 ft (18 m)
Max. depth	168 ft (51 m)
Surface elevation	7,612 ft (2,320 m)

June Lake is a subalpine lake in Mono County, California, located at 37°47′19″N, 119°04′29″W at an elevation of 7,612 ft (2,320 m), 20 miles North from Mammoth Lakes and 15 miles South from Lee Vining. It is one of the four lakes (June Lake, Gull Lake, Silver Lake & Grant Lake) inside the June Lake Loop. The lake is popular for fishing. It is located about 5 miles south of the southern end of Mono Lake following U.S. Route 395 and then 2 miles west on State Route 158.

The town of June Lake, California is on the southern end of the lake. The population of the town is approximately 600 (according to the posted signs) full time residents. In the Summer that can blossom to 5400 fisherman, campers, tourists, backpackers and outdoors enthusiasts.

1 Fish Stocking
2 Skiing
3 Ecology
4 Sources
5 Current Weather Conditions

[edit] Fish Stocking

California Fish and Game regularly restocks June Lake with catchable-size rainbow trout from the Department of Fish and Game hatcheries. The June Lake marina supplements the lake with 6-7" cutthroat trout, ensuring the lake has a diverse abundance of trout, and the increased potential of capturing 1 1/2 lb + trout. According to the marina owner, the rainbow trout growth is suppressed if not stunted, whereas the cutthroats thrive in June Lakes' conditions. The on-site marina and advocacy of the California Fish and Game have provided the lake with a population of trout that has become a favorable retreat for anglers.

Gull Lake tends to be where boaters enjoy trolling and still fishing. The lake here is about the third the size of June Lake but it has the reputation of being just as productive.

[edit] Skiing

A half-maile past the town is the June Mountain Ski Area. According to many this rivals the much more famous Mammoth Mountain in snow conditions and exceeds it because of the lack of crowding. There is an average snowfall of 250" and the mountain's capacity is 10,000 per hour. The ski area features a 2590 foot vertical drop with 6 lifts, two lodges and a pleasant bowl shaped intermediate and beginner area by the warming lodge, all in over 500 acres. The ski area is also known for it's snowboarding emphasis, with several competitions having been held there. There is an onsite ski school there as well. This is also an area draw, as it also attracts up to 5400 people on the more popular ski weekends.

[edit] Ecology

June Lake's vicinity is surrounded with a dominant succession of pine trees accentuated with clusters of Aspens. The aspens display shades of red, orange, yellow, and green that fade and regenerate with the seasons.