A sizable crowd last weekend of skiers and snowboarders, combined with good snow conditions, has convinced Donner Ski Ranch to remain open.
Donner Ski Ranch, located off Interstate 80 at the Norden exit, along historic Highway 40 near Lake Tahoe, had originally announced plans to close last Sunday. However, this week they decided to keep the resort operating Saturday and Sunday (May 20-21). It is one of three Lake Tahoe ski resorts still running lifts in the 2016-17 season. Mt. Rose and Squaw Valley are also still open.
“Our closing date is still to be determined. We still have plenty of snow. So, as long as we have snow and skiers, we can stay open on the weekends,” said Janet Tuttle, who runs the family-owned ski resort with her husband, Marshall.
While Tahoe’s other smaller, family-friendly ski resorts have all shut down for the 2016-17 season, iconic Donner Ski Ranch has decided to take advantage of the still snowy mountain. Last Sunday it offered a Mother’s Day promotion – all moms skied for free.
It’s been quite the season for snowfall at Donner Ski Ranch, which has received 762 inches. The enormous snow total is the primary reason the Tuttles decided to keep operating.
They anticipate running three lifts this weekend (the resort is closed week days), two on the front and one on the back side of Donner Summit. The moving carpet for beginners is also open, and so will the resort’s tubing hill, conditions permitting.
Being open this late in the season is not unprecedented at Donner Ski Ranch.
“In 2011, our last day spinning a lift was on July 10. We had Chair 2 on the backside of the mountain open and we transported skiers back there so they had easy access,” Janet said. “With all the snow we got, and the challenges it brought – from road closures and power outages, to running out of places to stack snow – this was a season for the books.”
Donner Ski Ranch has a long history, dating back to 1937 when it began operation. The resort shut down for several years during World War II, but reopened for the public after the war years. Jerry Ellis, the original owner, installed one of the area’s first lifts, a tow rope.
In the 1970s, Donner Ski Ranch also made news by being one of the first ski resorts in the U.S. to open its hill to snowboarders. Snowboarders weren’t welcome at other Tahoe resorts until the 1980s.
Lift prices are a bargain at Donner Ski Ranch. Adults can ski this weekend for $69, teens 13-17 will be charged $59, children 6-12 are $29, and it’s $15 for kids 6-under.
Mt. Rose remains open for most of May, closing for good on Memorial Day (May 29). Located on Mount Rose Highway in Nevada, Mt. Rose is operating on a reduced schedule. The resort will be open Thursday through Sunday and close the other three days until Memorial Day.
In March, Squaw Valley announced it would offer skiing and riding on July 4 for the fourth time ever. Now the famed Lake Tahoe ski resort is venturing beyond Independence Day for the first time in its history.
Beyond the Fourth of July, Squaw Valley is planning to operate the Shirley Lake Express chair on Saturdays for 2017-18 Tahoe Super Passholders. Discounted daily lift tickets will also be available.
Closing dates for Lake Tahoe resorts
- Homewood: April 16
- Kirkwood Mountain: April 16
- Tahoe Donner: April 16
- Granlibakken: April 17
- Soda Springs: April 23
- Sierra-at-Tahoe: April 23
- Diamond Peak: April 23
- Northstar: April 23
- Boreal Mountain: April 23
- Heavenly Mountain: April 30
- Sugar Bowl: May 7
- Alpine Meadows: May 14
- Mt. Rose: May 29
- Donner Ski Ranch: TBA
- Squaw Valley: TBA
