anaheim-gazette 1964-01-23

County Builder Gold on June M By DAVE DISTEL JUNE LAKE — After a four year struggle against the elements of nature and the nature of a small town, Tustin builder William C. (Bud) Hayward has built a gold mine in the sky. Hayward's gold mine — June Mountain — is perched 8,600 feet up on the eastern slope of the High Sierras, overlooking a throwback to the 19th century called June Lake. June Lake, a town of 400 people, is noted for its summer-time fishing but its citizens have been slow to adjust to the idea of becoming a booming winter sports center. Hayward, a skier for 25 years, turned a dream into reality when he opened June Mountain in 1961, but it was a long road to the top in more ways than one. Had Glass in Mind He took his first trip over the present site of his June Mountain lodge in June of 1959. He had what seemed like a far out dream of building a little warming hut and a small skiing area to catch overflow from Mammoth. "It was sort of like comparing a pitcher to a glass," Hayward explains. "I had a glass in mind when I first looked at this place." When Hayward took that ride in 1959, he traveled over rugged terrain densely covered with nine trees of all sizes. The first trip: unpredictable weather and the hibernation of the town in the wintertime. Hayward studied the wind currents, slopes and trees as he considered the site and decided to go ahead with his "glass." Million Dollar Bill But the "glass" turned into a "pitcher" early when Hayward decided the best place for the three story Chalet was high on a cliff — 1,000 feet above the town. He figured the skiing would be better and there would be more snow higher on the mountainside. He claims the decision to put the Chalet on the cliff was just a "lucky fluke." But to put the Chalet on the cliff, the bill soared over the million dollar mark and Hayward was no longer dealing with a little warming hut. His glass had grown past the pitchers stage and was approaching the bath tub size. To put the Chalet on a cliff, a dirt road was built up the side of the mountain to transport equipment and materials. The road has now disappeared as Hayward has strived to maintain the appearance of a Swiss skiing lodge. Heavy equipment, hampered by the high altitude, struggled up the hill. The Chalet was built from July of 1960 to J. 11, 1961. While the Chalet was built, two other projects under way: the carving of runs out of the tree cover mountain and the construction of a chair lift up the face of the mountain to the Chalet. Bulldozers tore into the and mountain side to form ski runs down to the Chalet to rope and T-bar lift skiers further up the mountain from the Chalet. The ski all begin up the mountain conclude in front of the Chalet. On the other side of Chalet, the chair lift makes 1,000 foot descent down the face of the mountain to the warmer hats at the bottom. Hayward claims the lift was probably the most physical problem to overcome. Trees had to be chopped down and towers erected in He had what seemed like a far out dream of building a little warming hut and a small skiing area to catch overflow from Mammoth. "It was sort of like comparing a pitcher to a glass," Hayward explains. "I had a glass in mind when I first looked at this place." When Hayward took that ride in 1959, he traveled over rugged terrain densely covered with pine trees of all sizes. The slopes were steep and rocky. He took the ride in the summertime when the little town of June Lake was bustling with activity. He couldn't foresee two major obstacles on his To put the Chalet on a cliff, a dirt road was built up the side of the mountain to transport equipment and materials. The road has now disappeared as Hayward has strived to maintain the appearance of a Swiss skiing lodge. Heavy equipment, hampered by the high altitude, struggled up the hill. The Chalet was built from July of 1960 to January 11, 1961. Carving Mountains During the last 90 days of construction, there was never less than three feet of snow. One day workers had to shovel two feet of snow off the Chalet floor to construct the walls. Hayward claims the lift was probably the most physical problem to overcome. Trees had to be chopped down and towers erected in the places without the construction of any roads to mar the sery. Unpredictable Snow There is no way to reach Chalet except by the chair today. All employees reach THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO GO chair lift transports skiers, food, fuel WARM FIRE GREETS WEARY, COLD SKIERS most popular spot in any ski lodge While the Chalet was being built, two other projects were under way: the carving of ski runs out of the tree covered mountain and the construction of a chair lift up the face of the mountain to the Chalet. Bulldozers tore into the trees on mountain side to form the runs down to the Chalet. A rope and T-bar lift takes further up the mountain in the Chalet. The ski runs begin up the mountain and slide in front of the Chalet. On the other side of the Chalet, the chair lift makes its 10 foot descent down the side of the mountain to the warming at the bottom. Hayward claims the chair was probably the major physical problem to overcome. It had to be chopped down towers erected in their Chalet each morning on the chair lift. All food for the Chalet's restaurant and the gas that heats the massive building are transported up the chair lift each morning. After overcoming these obstacles, Hayward and his dream were still confronted by another nightmare — weather. During the 1961-62 winter, snow was so heavy all of the southern California ski reports had excellent skiing and it wasn't easy to get anyone to travel as far as June Lake. "We were sort of like a bride without a groom," Hayward quips. Last year it was a different story. There was no skiable snow until Feb. 8 and the winter was a loss. Problems in Town But this year ski conditions found a happy, for Hayward, medium. More than 10,000 skiers flocked to June Mountain during the Christmas holidays. But the massive onslaught on the June Mountain slopes has caused another problem — the town. June Lake has always considered the winter season to be dead and has been slow just. Only one restaurant 40 seats, remains open the winter months. There has a restaurant, but the lift closes at sundown. June Lake's lodges are starting to see on that thar hill and are ing more units with moern facilities. Hayward has some idle the restaurant problems are underway for a res The ski runs begin up the mountain and hide in front of the Chalet, on the other side of the let, the chair lift makes its 10 foot descent down the side the mountain to the warming at the bottom. Hayward claims the chair was probably the major problem to overcome. It had to be chopped down towers erected in theires without the construction any roads to mar the scen Unpredictable Snow There is no way to reach the set except by the chair lift. All employees reach the But this year ski conditions found a happy, for Hayward, medium. More than 10,000 skiers flocked to June Mountain during the Christmas holidays. But the massive onslaught on the June Mountain slopes has caused another problem — the town. June Lake has always considered the winter season to be Only 1 out of 17 people can buy U.S. Savings Bonds is very small indeed. In this big world of ours, the number of people who can buy U.S. Savings Bonds is very small indeed. Only Americans have the privilege—just one person in each 17 of the world's population. In case you never considered it a privilege before, talk to a few of the other 16. The ones who've literally climbed walls and swum rivers to find some of the benefits Bond dollars help protect for us. The benefit of personal liberty, for instance, that gives us the choice to say, "Yes, I want to save some of my money in Bonds" or "No, I don't want to invest in Bonds." In spite of their "restricted" sales, though, U.S. Savings Bonds happen to be the most widely held security in the Keep freedom in your fut U.S. SAVINGS SKIERS GRAB T-BAR FOR RIDE TO TOP OF JUNE MOUNTAIN RUN overlooks ski run on this side and 1,000 foot drop to valley on the other side. (Gazette Photos by Stan Hill) dead and has been slow to adjust. Only one restaurant, with 40 seats, remains open during the winter months. The Chalet has a restaurant, but the chair lift closes at sundown. June Lake's lodges and motels are starting to see the gold on that thar hill and are building more units with more modern facilities. Hayward has some ideas on the restaurant problem. Plans are underway for a restaurant at the bottom of the chair lift which would stay open after sundown to accommodate skiers. New Ski Lift Hayward has gone a long way out on the cliff and he doesn't intend to fall. If no one else carries the ball in June Lake, Hayward may build a lodge to handle the booming influx of skiers. Hayward's immediate plans call for an additional ski lift to the top of June Mountain at an elevation of 10,212 feet to provide longer ski runs. Hayward has put so much money into the pitcher he isn't about to let it evaporate for lack of funds. "If you had told me three years ago it would have grown to this size, I probably wouldn't have done it," he smiles. And it's a good bet he's not going to stop now that he's started. June Lake's lodges and motels are starting to see the gold on that thar hill and are building more units with more modern facilities. Hayward has some ideas on the restaurant problem. Plans are underway for a restaurant. New Ski Lift Hayward has gone a long way out on the cliff and he doesn't intend to fall. If no one else carries the ball in June Lake, Hayward may build a lodge to handle the booming influx of skiers. Hayward's immediate plans call for an additional ski lift If you had told me three years ago it would have grown to this size, I probably wouldn't have done it," he smiles. And it's a good bet he's not going to stop now that he's started. people in the world Savings Bonds world. Which indicates that a lot of people in our country know a good thing when they see it. Exercise your privilege to buy U.S. Savings Bonds, soon. See if you don't feel pretty good about it. Quick facts about U.S. Savings Bonds • You get $4 for every $3 at maturity • You can get your money anytime • Your Bonds are replaced free if lost, destroyed or stolen • You can buy Bonds on the Payroll Savings Plan in your future with NGS BONDS