Are there any ponds in the high country which are a.) not highly remote, and b.) are sufficiently windswept in the wintertime, so that they offer a smooth, clear, ice skating surface? My family said that if I can find a good place, it might be just the thing to convince them that we should consider an Eastern Sierra vacation. The kids are young, however, so we wouldn't be hiking more than an hour or so to get the ice.

I hear that there is a seasonal ice rink in Curry Village, but that's not quite what they are looking for.

Thanks!

I watched some locals skating on June Lake earlier in the month -





I was amazed to see Doug Nidever (the mountain guide) out there with skates and a hockey stick too. He said nearby Gull Lake was also skateable, but that it might need some plowing.

There are a few locals who head out each fall to find the best backcountry ice skating in the Sierra. John Dittli has a video of some skating on YouTube. He also has some nice pics on his blog.