Donner Ski Ranch is a budget-oriented, family owned ski area located on Donner Summit in the Tahoe National Forest of Nevada County, California.[1][2] It is owned by Janet and Marshall Tuttle, who purchased it after it went into bankruptcy.[3] The area it is on has been used for skiing since 1937.[4] It has ski lifts on both sides of Donner Summit, and is located close to Sugar Bowl Ski Resort. 25% of its terrain is beginner, 50% intermediate, and 25% advanced, but of the 52 runs 16 are of beginning difficulty, 20 are intermediate, and 16 are advanced.
| Donner Ski Ranch | |
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  Donner Ski Ranch Location in California  Donner Ski Ranch Donner Ski Ranch (the United States) | |
| Location | Donner Summit Tahoe National Forest |
| Nearest major city | Norden, California |
| Coordinates | 39°19′5.93″N 120°19′48.07″W / 39.3183139°N 120.3300194°W |
| Vertical | 750 ft (230 m) |
| Top elevation | 7,781 ft (2,372 m) |
| Base elevation | 7,031 ft (2,143 m) |
| Skiable area | 435 acres (176 ha) |
| Trails | 52 total  25% beginner  50% intermediate  25% advanced |
| Lift system | 8: 5 doubles, 1 triple, 2 moving carpets |
| Snowfall | 412 in (1,050 cm) |
| Snowmaking | Yes |
| Night skiing | None |
| Website | www.donnerskiranch.com |
The rustic lodge, built-in 1947, is mostly made of wood, and has open pipes. The adjacent structure was built in 1951 by John Sloan Woodard, who owned and operated the resort from 1950-1956. Norm Sayler worked for Woodard at the Donner Ski Ranch starting in 1953, helping to build the ski area’s first chairlift in 1955. Sayler took over the management of the resort in 1958, and ran it for the next 46 years, while slowly acquiring most of the ownership.[5] The rustic lodge was renovated after its acquisition by its current owners. At the time of the acquisition, all of the ski lifts were painted as well.[6]
References
edit- ^ Keith Romig (2010). "The Latest DSP News". Donner Ski Patrol. Archived from the original on May 13, 2010. Retrieved January 18, 2010.
- ^ "Donner Ski Ranch". Ski Tahoe. Retrieved January 18, 2010.
- ^ Maggie O'Neill (March 15, 2008). "Resort Report: Donner Ski Ranch". Reno Gazette-Journal. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ McLaughlin, Mark (2012) Skiing at Lake Tahoe Arcadia Publishing ISBN 9780738589060 pg 46-48
- ^ Sierra Sun, History and Legacy of Donner Ranch Dec. 9th, 2016
- ^ Hugo Martin (September 16, 2007). "Old school skiing Donner Ski Ranch in Truckee offers a retro slope experience". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 January 2015.