Homewood Backs Away from Going Fully Private, Plans to Add First-Ever Gondola

Following an agreement to stay open to the public for the foreseeable future, Tahoe-adjacent Homewood has some major projects in the works.

Background

California’s Homewood ski resort has a substantial suite of upgrades slated for the next few seasons. Following a years-long attempt to go fully private—which the resort has now officially walked away from—the resort plans an out-of-base gondola to replace the Madden Triple lift. As part of this initiative, the resort will also build a new mid-mountain lodge at the top of the gondola, as well as a new food and beverage “outlet” at the bottom terminal. Homewood sits immediately adjacent to the west shore of Lake Tahoe, and the gondola’s bottom terminal will start just feet away from the lake.

The 8-passenger gondola is still subject to approval from the Tahoe Regional Planning Authority (TRPA) and could be finished as soon as late 2024 depending on the agency’s analysis. According to Liftblog, Homewood has already ordered the gondola, and parts for the lift are already sitting onsite. At this point in time, the timeline for the new on-mountain facilities is still unclear—but it’s probable they’ll open around or just a bit after the gondola is complete.

Homewood still plans to go semi-private, and the resort will offer exclusive club memberships similar to those unveiled by New York State’s Windham ski resort earlier this year.

The four-decade-old Madden Triple lift, which has no safety bars, is slated to be replaced with a gondola.

Our Take

Homewood offers one of the most stunning aesthetics of any resort we’ve ever visited, with views of nearby Lake Tahoe that make for a truly unparalleled vibe. Unfortunately, the resort has struggled to attract guests in recent years, in part due to variable conditions brought about by its low elevation and unfavorable exposure aspects—but also in part due to extraordinary access road traffic caused by demand for other nearby resorts such as Palisades Tahoe and Northstar.

Homewood isn’t going to solve its weather and traffic issues overnight, but the resort has also lagged behind competitors in terms of on-mountain infrastructure—and by completing these gondola and lodge projects, they can offer a much more competitive experience in these regards.

New Gondola

The new, faster gondola should make for a much more inviting out-of-base setup than the current unassuming triple. Vitally, the gondola should be much more practical to download than the Madden chair; Homewood’s lower-mountain conditions often make the bottom half of the resort either undesirable or impossible to ski, and by switching from a slow lift with no safety bars to a high-speed gondola with enclosed cabins, it’ll take away a lot of the burden of leaving the resort at the end of the day.

New Lodges

We expect the new mid-mountain lodge to really enhance Homewood’s on-mountain experience. The only existing mid-mountain facility is a small hut, and while it sits next to an outdoor patio with outstanding views of Lake Tahoe, this infrastructure doesn’t even have running water. By adding a true lodge in this area, we hope Homewood can make the mid- and upper-mountain—which is where most guests will be spending their ski day—more appealing to spend time in, and reduce the need for guests to return all the way to the base to stop in for breaks.

The lower-mountain aprés outlet at the bottom of the gondola seems like it will be more of a nice amenity than a truly fundamental piece of infrastructure, but we doubt many folks will be opposed to a new hangout spot so close to the lake.

Final Thoughts

Homewood’s infrastructure still won’t be perfect with these investments; notably, the South Side of the resort, which hasn’t had a base lodge since a fire destroyed the previous structure in 2016, isn’t set to see any new projects. But we’re hopeful that these projects can bring some much-needed rejuvenation to one of the most unique ski resorts in the country, all while allowing it to stay open to the public.

However, as these developments progress, we plan to keep tabs on one important circumstance: Homewood’s lift ticket prices. While Homewood is set to stay open to the public, that doesn’t mean it will be cheap; the resort made headlines last year for $279 walk-up lift tickets on peak weekends and holidays. We’re still awaiting the release of 2023-24 ticket prices, but if such high access costs become the norm, the resort might remain “public”—but essentially in name only.

Considering a ski or snowboard trip to Homewood this year? Check out our full Lake Tahoe ski resort rankings, as well as our comprehensive Homewood review. You can also check out our full Lake Tahoe rankings in video form below.