Eclectic Kim Review: Snowboarding River Run at June Mountain

When Deja and I made plans for me to visit Mammoth Lakes, she suggested that we head to June Mountain instead of the ever-crowded Mammoth Mountain. So, we headed to June Mountain for an afternoon of chill vibes and snowboarding. It turned out to be exactly the right call. And frankly, a deeper learning experience that I didn’t expect.

the ski lift

After my experience during the Level 2 Full Day Snowboarding Class at Copper Mountain - where I fell off the ski lift and the next lift hit me in the back of the head - I’ve been a bit trepidatious about getting off ski lifts.

That anxiety has followed me to every mountain since. While snowboarding at Sugarbush Resort, I avoided the beginner run entirely because the fear of falling getting off the lift was simply too overwhelming to push through. So, needless to say, as I rode the lift from the base of June Mountain up toward the top of River Run, those same familiar nerves crept back in.

And I fell – again.

But here’s the thing: I got back up. I dusted myself off, steadied my board, and made my way over to meet Deja at the starting point of the run.

And that, in itself, felt like a small but meaningful victory. I didn’t feel terrified. Instead, I felt confident enough to remember that I was still learning, it’s not shameful to fall down while getting off a ski lift – and more importantly – I’ll eventually get it.

River Run

I absolutely loved River Run. It was wide and open, the people around me were kind and unhurried, and the whole atmosphere felt comfortable and forgiving – which was exactly what I needed. There was no pressure, no intimidation, just a beautiful run carrying me the mountain with room to breathe and find my footing.

While at River Run, I also made an interesting discovery about myself: I do not want to and will not perform my snowboarding skills for an audience. And I have to draw the line between wanting to improv to impress someone and wanting to just be happy that I’m doing something that I find fun.

At one point, Deja and I separated – with her heading down to do another run. Suddenly, with the gentle pressure of being watched lifted, something shifted in me. I was able to focus entirely on my own movement, my own rhythm, and my own feeling on my board. My anxiety dialed down noticeably, and I found myself grounded in the experience in a way that had eluded me before – present, calm, and actually enjoying every part of the feeling.

June Mountain doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone, and on this particular day, neither did I.

I even found myself in a rather fun conversation with a 4 year old, who wanted to tell me about how much he was looking forward to his post ski hot chocolate. It was adorable.

Overall

Overall, June Mountain was a fantastic experience and exactly the kind of resort I didn’t know I needed. The vibes were relaxed, the runs were approachable, and there was none of the “see and be seen” energy that can make a place like Mammoth Mountain feel more like a performance than a passion.