Homewood Mountain Resort
Homewood Mountain Resort is a ski area located on the west shore of Lake Tahoe in the state of California, a few miles south of Tahoe City in the town of Homewood. It has 1,260 acres (510 ha) of skiable terrain and eight lifts. While it currently does not offer lodging on site, a Draft Environmental Impact Statement has been submitted to the regional planning commission to allow for the development of a resort inclusive of a hotel, condominiums, and various other additions.[1] Since 2006, JMA Ventures, a San Francisco Bay Area developer, has owned and operated the ski area.
| Homewood Mountain Resort | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Homewood Mountain Resort Location in California  Homewood Mountain Resort Homewood Mountain Resort (the United States) | |
| Location | Ellis Peak Tahoe National Forest |
| Nearest major city | Homewood, California |
| Coordinates | 39.0827°N 120.1755°W |
| Vertical | 503 m (1,650 ft) |
| Top elevation | 2,402 m (7,881 ft) |
| Base elevation | 1,899 m (6,230 ft) |
| Skiable area | 1,260 acres (510 ha) |
| Runs | 60 total    |
| Longest run | 2 mi (3.2 km) |
| Lift system | 7 lifts |
| Terrain parks | Lakeview Kolby's Escape |
| Snowfall | 400 in (1,000 cm) |
| Website | www.SkiHomewood.com |
Management
In 2006, Jeff Yurosek sold Homewood to JMA Ventures, a Bay Area development company. Yurosek, who had owned the ski area since 1998, originally wanted to sell the land to the U.S. Forest Service.[2] JMA Ventures says it "is in the planning stages for a redevelopment of the resort including both the north and south base areas."[3] The project is in the environmental review process.[4] JMA Ventures also acquired Alpine Meadows, which physically merged with Squaw Valley as part of a joint venture in 2011.
Resort
Homewood offers trails ranging from beginner to expert. The resort is usually open from December to April and receives about 300 sunny days. The resort is located on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, and most of the mountain faces east, shielding the snow from buffeting winds. The resort is known to have great views of the lake and excellent powder, once winning a top 10 award in the Ski Magazine.
In the summer, Homewood is open to the public, boasting mountain biking and hiking trails all over the mountain. Although the lifts are not operational in the summer, the North Lodge and a cafe are open.
Climate
The climate in the unincorporated village of Homewood is similar to that of Tahoe City only 6.4 mi (10.3 km) north on Highway 89. Homewood Mountain Resort, on average, experiences 400 in (1,000 cm) of snow precipitation and has about 300 days of sunny weather a year. Ellis Peak shields the resort from the high winds created by storms coming over the Sierra Crest creating great snow conditions while other resorts are experiencing "wind holds."
| Climate data for Tahoe City | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 40.5 (4.7) |
42.0 (5.6) |
45.1 (7.3) |
51.4 (10.8) |
60.1 (15.6) |
69.2 (20.7) |
77.5 (25.3) |
77.0 (25.0) |
70.1 (21.2) |
60.0 (15.6) |
47.9 (8.8) |
41.4 (5.2) |
56.9 (13.8) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 20.1 (−6.6) |
21.3 (−5.9) |
24.3 (−4.3) |
27.7 (−2.4) |
33.5 (0.8) |
39.6 (4.2) |
44.7 (7.1) |
44.8 (7.1) |
39.6 (4.2) |
32.3 (0.2) |
25.5 (−3.6) |
20.6 (−6.3) |
31.2 (−0.5) |
| Source: Melissa data[5] | |||||||||||||
References
- Homewood - Master Plan for Lake Tahoe West Shore Resort
- Mountain News, Homewood Mountain Resort Sold To Development Company Archived 2011-07-14 at the Wayback Machine, 12 Jun. 2006
- JMA Ventures, Homewood Mountain Resort
- Ski Homewood, Homewood Newsletter, March 2009
- Climate Averages for ZIP Code 96141, accessed 17 December 2009