The popular Lake Tahoe ski area will not be open or operating this season

TAHOE CITY, CA. – Skiers won’t be able to visit a popular resort near Lake Tahoe this season.

Homewood Mountain Resort (HMR) announced Friday that it will not be opening or operating this ski season.

“We understand the great disappointment this announcement will cause. It goes without saying that this decision was not taken lightly,” HMR said in a statement.

The resort said its backer withdrew support for the 2024-25 season due to issues related to renovation plans.

Fans of Homewood Mountain Resort said they were surprised to learn Friday that the resort would not be opening for the season.

“It’s a bummer,” said Greg Winkles, general manager of California Ski Company in Berkeley. “I thought they would at least give us a little more warning than maybe a month or so early.”

HMR said it received approval from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency in 2011 to build homes, condos, a hotel and a grocery store. However, during that time, the resort reported running a deficit.

“Some of our families are at a loss… We’ve heard from some of our seasonal rental owners who are now looking at new plans, particularly those who may have already booked their ski rental,” Winkles said.

HMR is a private company and is not supported by public taxes, the resort said. In May 2024, they submitted an application to the authority to revise the site change master plan approved in 2011.

Those revisions include relocating the gondola to a more “skier-friendly position,” reducing building mass, reducing residential density and opening mountain and lake view corridors.

The changes still need to be approved, but with “no clear path forward,” its financial partner, who HMR is not naming, has withdrawn its support for the ski season.

“As a result, we are now in the unfortunate position of being unable to operate or sell season tickets for the 2024-25 season,” HMR said in a statement.

Opened in 1961, the ski area is popular with families because of its relatively affordable prices and as a training ground for aspiring skiers.

Their website does not allow users to purchase season tickets or lift tickets for the 2024-25 season.

HMR officials said they would work to support all employees by finding them alternative employment or allowing them to remain at the resort while they go through the approval processes.

“My children had their first experience at Homewood,” said Greg Whitehouse, owner of California Ski Company. “On Wednesdays we had 2-on-1 training for adults and we gave them group lessons and that’s where they skied for the first time.”

Store employees said they now fear HMR will be acquired by a larger ski company and lose its low prices and unique character.

“The trend seems to be for pass prices to come down, so people who ski a lot are getting better deals than ever before. On the other hand, you have people who want to learn to ski, which for me is the future.” “The ski business, my industry and the sport itself are very, very difficult right now,” Whitehouse said.

KTVU has reached out to Homewood Mountain Resort and is awaiting comment.

KTVU digital content producer Andre Torrez contributed to this report.