June Lake Backcountry 2

Rick had skied the June Lake backcountry Sunday and found excellent conditions so he gave me a ring and we made plans to ski Monday. We again rode chairlifts to the top of June, but this for this tour we skinned up the Hourglass on a well worn skin track.

The forecast was for mostly sunny skies, but soon the clouds built with light snow showers and occasionally moderate winds. Looking back at June Mountain (hump on left), Glass Creek Meadow, and White Wing (right in sunlight).

After a nice little run into the Fern Creek drainage we skinned up mellow slopes to the top of the bowl. Real pretty area. Saw a Snowshoe Hare too!

Soon we found ourselves at the top of Carson Bowl with the town of June Lake literally at our feet.

 Rick took a cool selfie of us before we dropped in.

The first few turns off the top were decent on cold wind buff snow then improved to quite good with slightly wind packed powder. Rick enjoys the ride.

Rick snapped this one of me. Lovin' the dramatic scenery up in the bowl.

 Another one of me. A little lower down.

 

The bowl opens up and moderates lower down. Great cruiser skiing in an incredible setting.

The exit was a little steep and rocky but not a problem. We elected to skip Devils Slide because it had been skied a lot over the last couple of days. The tree skiing just east of the slide proved to be ok. Fairly heavy with small to medium rollerballs. Skiing actually improved lower where there was just a few inches of new snow over a supportable melt/freeze crust. No death slush like Friday.

Another fantastic day! I had never skied Carson Bowl, but surely admired it many times. Super happy to have skied it in good conditions.

Thanks Rick! Not a tour I would have done solo.

Rick's avy observations for the tour:

https://esavalanche.org/content/carson-bowl-conditions