Tahoe’s Homewood will not Open in 2024-2025

[thetrailboss]

Yikes. Apparently their “financial backer” will not subsidize operations this year due to concerns of how slow the approval process is going for proposed work. Perhaps sour grapes on their part? It reminds me of the Berry’s closing Saddleback because the State of Maine would not help them with the purchase of a new HSQ. I think that both moves could be seen as “cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face” as old Vermonters say.

I skied there in 2010. It was my first ski area out west. My sister in law recommended we try it for its old school vibe. The terrain was fun. The views of Lake Tahoe were amazing. You felt as if you were skiing right into the lake. It is at a low elevation relative to other Tahoe areas. Honestly, with the exception of the HSQ, the other lifts and facilities were pretty rough and tired. My wife called the facilities “ghetto.” I understand that not much has changed. They’ve been trying to get their upgrades approved since 2011. And folks thought Vermont permitting was bad…..

An Update on Homewood Mountain Operations for 2024-25 - Homewood Mountain

To our Homewood community,     As the caretakers of Homewood Mountain, we have always been excited to revitalize the resort and improve the skier experience for all with updated infrastructure and responsible environmental improvements to ensure the resort’s economic and environmental...

www.skihomewood.com

 

[1dog]

excess regulation will be the death of the west (ern society)

 

[crystalmountainskier]

They've made a lot of mistakes. The place is terribly run down. Many lifts don't operate on weekdays. Their pricing is crazy. They don't participate in ANY multi-mountain pass. They ordered a new lift and it was delivered before they had approval to install it.

 

[jimk]

They ordered a new lift and it was delivered before they had approval to install it.

Is that the gondola? I didn't realize they already had it on hand. Ouch! Hopefully, this is a temporary power play to get approval for the ski area improvements wanted by ownership? I've skied it, very scenic spot.

 

[2planks2coasts]

It's probably the most scenic ski area in Tahoe. Maybe a close second to Diamond Peak. Yeah, it's lower elevation, but that's relative to other Tahoe operators. You won't be skiing in June, but otherwise the snow is great. They really, really should join Indy. Maybe they can sell to the folks who own Mt High, Bear Valley & China Peak.

 

[Edd]

Took me one ski day to fall in love with it. Homewood is the shit, I think of it as the Wildcat of Lake Tahoe.

 

[Hawk]

The only time I have skied there was back a couple of years ago. We were in Tahoe during a classic 10 foot dump period and most places were shut down except Homewood. took a wild ride down from Alpine Meadows and were part of a very small crowd. Very memorable day.

 

[thetrailboss]

The only time I have skied there was back a couple of years ago. We were in Tahoe during a classic 10 foot dump period and most places were shut down except Homewood. took a wild ride down from Alpine Meadows and were part of a very small crowd. Very memorable day.

JMA previously owned Alpine Meadows and Homewood and had the brainwave that they would connect them. That didn't happen and JMA sold Alpine Meadows to KSL.

 

[abc]

For all the years I’ve been on Alpinezone, I shrugged whenever I read one mountain closing after another (Haystack, Black,…). I hadn’t been to most of them and weren’t impressed those I had. It’s difficult enough for the big ones to make it in the unpredictable weather of the northeast. Small mountains closing seems just the unfortunate natural consequence of the climate change.

But Homewood isn’t a small mountain. I’ve skied it quite a few times, when I was living in CA, or in my travel to Lake Tahoe area. I never thought they were even anywhere near that issue. However, what I like about it, the quietness and the unhurried attitude, maybe a slow death sentence to a business? Perhaps it’s necessary to have CROWDS to sustain it?

Granted, the last time I visited it was probably a good 10 year ago or more. I didn’t noticed any sign of things falling apart, then. But maybe they’ve gone down the hill since?

 

[thetrailboss]

For all the years I’ve been on Alpinezone, I shrugged whenever I read one mountain closing after another (Haystack, Black,…). I hadn’t been to most of them and weren’t impressed those I had. It’s difficult enough for the big ones to make it in the unpredictable weather of the northeast. Small mountains closing seems just the unfortunate natural consequence of the climate change.

But Homewood isn’t a small mountain. I’ve skied it quite a few times, when I was living in CA, or in my travel to Lake Tahoe area. I never thought they were even anywhere near that issue. However, what I like about it, the quietness and the unhurried attitude, maybe a slow death sentence to a business? Perhaps it’s necessary to have CROWDS to sustain it?

Granted, the last time I visited it was probably a good 10 year ago or more. I didn’t noticed any sign of things falling apart, then. But maybe they’ve gone down the hill since?

Maybe it has improved since my visit in 2010. The infrastructure was pretty tired.

 

[abc]

Maybe it has improved since my visit in 2010. The infrastructure was pretty tired.

I quite doubt they would have improved. Come of think of it, my visits were more than 10 years ago. I left California in 2005. So my last visit was pre-2010. Probably no later than 2007 at the latest.

 

[urungus]

Last new chair installed at Homewood was the Old Homewood Express Quad in 2007:

Homewood, CA

Click on a lift’s name for pictures. View in fullscreen↗

liftblog.com

 

[thetrailboss]

Last new chair installed at Homewood was the Old Homewood Express Quad in 2007:

Homewood, CA

Click on a lift’s name for pictures. View in fullscreen↗

liftblog.com

That is a nice lift and a nice trail pod.

 

[snoseek]

There was a year when I was out there they never got open due to lack of snow. The place is fantastic on a cold year but those don't always come.