Mt Rose expansion

[Jim S]

http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...=2012201010314

Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, which opened a new slide-side lodge in 2009, is going big with its latest proposal -- $23.5 million in expansions during the next 10 years.

If all components of the plan are approved, the end result will change the face of the home mountain of many Northern Nevadans.

Mt. Rose has asked to develop what it is calling "Atoma" terrain, which is adjacent to the resort, for skiers and riders.

The plan is to use the 99-acre parcel to complement beginner terrain on the Mt. Rose side of the mountain.

"This open, mosaic-glade style skiing would make for a unique lower level snow experience combining open runs with pods of trees intermixed throughout the new area," Mt. Rose said in a news release.

A bridge over Mt. Rose Highway (Nevada 431) will connect skiers and riders with the expanded terrain. The bridge would be constructed just up the highway from the entrance to the main lodge and connect the existing Mt. Rose trails to the new Atoma terrain for what Mt. Rose says is almost 3.5 miles of top-to-bottom skiing. The Atoma terrain proposal also includes trails through the trees off Galena.

The Atoma return lift would be approximately 3,500 feet long and would cross Nevada 431 to return skiers and snowboarders to the main trails. The existing Ponderosa and Galena lifts would be combined into a single high-speed, 5,000-foot-long lift.

Mt. Rose also has plans to extend of the Lakeview lift, moving the unload station just over the current top knob. The lengthening would expose skiers and snowboards to vast views of Lake Tahoe, and also better access the three finger trails that feed into the Wild Card return trail.

Mt. Rose also wants to build a mountaintop restaurant and a new guest locker building. The proposed facility would be designed to hold approximately 75 to 100 guests for a full-service dining experience with views of Lake Tahoe and Virginia Peak.

A Slide Bowl locker building would accommodate 500-1,000 lockers.

Additional changes include the expansion of the main lodge to include a remodeled and larger Rosebuds Children's center, plus a new First Aid facility.

A new Mountain Operations Center at the Slide Bowl would replace the current shop near the main lodge.

Snowmaking improvements include the construction of a 1-acre pond to increase storage capacity near the existing tank above the Galena terrain.

Many of the planned improvements would be located on national forest lands operated by Mt. Rose under a special-use permit from the U.S. Forest Service. The resort said it is working with representatives of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest to initiate an environmental analysis of the proposed projects in compliance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. The resort recently submitted its plans to the Forest Service and Washoe County, including the new terrain, additional lifts, snowmaking improvements and facility enhancements.

[RaccoonFace]

Boo, me no likey. There is no word of a parking fix for the problem they already have, but I do like that they are trying to attract more beginners to pay the bills and leave the goods to those of us who can ski it.

okbye

[PB]

"Pods" of trees!!!

[El Chupacabra]

That new area is nearly flat. It'll be all beginner area, which is good for Mt. Rose in terms of $.

If Galena and Pondo chairs are replaced by a single detachable lift, then they might be looking at making that area into a park. This would allow all of the beginners to be over in their own area, safely away from the runout from the (new) park and from the existing main side runs.

[thudder]

There is no word of a parking fix for the problem they already have, but I do like that they are trying to attract more beginners to pay the bills and leave the goods to those of us who can ski it.

Agreed. I don't mind having more Bay Area visitors subsidizing my season pass. The Northwest chair has been relatively empty these past weeks despite the number of cars packed into the lot.

Will this open up some more decent tree skiing on powder days, or is it all super-flat? I'm not expecting anything spectacular, but a few more decent areas to hit while waiting for the chutes to open (or when the top of the mountain is shut down by the wind) wouldn't hurt.

[rsknight1]

Seems like $23.5 mil is a lot for a 99 acre expansion. But if it works, more power to them.

[agwat1111]

So that adds Rose to the Homiewood and White Wolf/Alpine/Squaw list. Is this all due to the Tahoe Olympic Bid?

[sierraskier]

This will draw even more gapers away from the already completely deserted expert terrain (read: Chutes). sshhh, don't tell anyone

[Spats]

I'm pretty sure that the "new" area they're talking about was part of the resort back in the day.

If I recall correctly, you can still see a tower from the old lift that used to cross 431 on the other side of the road...people used to just ski across the road as part of the run. I also recall that there are pictures in the lodge of what this used to look like.

[kaos2088]

would the new area be below the main lodge or above the ponderosa lift? I've seen that old tower and its a little ways down the road back to Reno.

[El Chupacabra]

I'm pretty sure that the "new" area they're talking about was part of the resort back in the day.

If I recall correctly, you can still see a tower from the old lift that used to cross 431 on the other side of the road...people used to just ski across the road as part of the run. I also recall that there are pictures in the lodge of what this used to look like.

I think that old lift is from the Reno Ski Bowl, which is slightly east of the main side parking lot at Rose. There are photos in the main side lodge from the old operations, and an old trail map illustration.

From the description of the proposed Atoma terrain, it's going to be further west of the main side. I think it'll be near the new parking lot entrance, which has a road cut visible from the highway -- it's near the first pullout to the west of the main side parking lot.

[RaccoonFace]

I think that old lift is from the Reno Ski Bowl, which is slightly east of the main side parking lot at Rose. There are photos in the main side lodge from the old operations, and an old trail map illustration.

From the description of the proposed Atoma terrain, it's going to be further west of the main side. I think it'll be near the new parking lot entrance, which has a road cut visible from the highway -- it's near the first pullout to the west of the main side parking lot.

^^^ All of this.

And the area proposed has almost as much angle as the main parking lot, so it is a HUDGE beginner area. So low angle I think it will be difficult to ski the trees in that area unless they allow access to the canyon further north west... Even then it will be pretty flat. I can handle the expansion so long as condos are not in the plan till I can afford one.

If they use this expansion as a stepping stone there is a lot of really good terrain that may be opening up to Rose in the areas further west. That may include the stuff below bronco chutes and hour glass. This may upset those who spend a lot of time climbing that stuff, but give Rose some rad terrain.

okbye

[MTT]

So that adds Rose to the Homiewood and White Wolf/Alpine/Squaw list. Is this all due to the Tahoe Olympic Bid?

Mt. Rose has been looking to expand for some time, I think they have given up on trying to acquire Sky Tavern (Owned by City of Reno)

My only concern is that Mt. Rose is one of the only Privately owned Ski Area's left on the planet! They have made money (In the Black) until recently, I hope they do not go public and then go bankrupt in short order. I suspect the long term plan is to grow into the Mt. Rose wilderness and be a VERY large resort. I am down with that. Next step is to see a plan for public transit from Washoe Valley or Galena to Mt. rose to eliminate a rough mountain drive to the resort.

[Teh Poacher]

Spent 3 winters as a pass holder there about 10 years ago, loved everything about the place except the wind. The owners/staff are all about skiing/riding and making it feel like they want you there. No sterile, corporate vibe to be found on that hill. Stiff drinks to be had in the bar and the breakfast burritos are the mutha-fukin' bomb too.

Is the proposed expansion that bowl area across the road from the Rose side, always full of sled-neck highmarks? A lift to the top of that would be sweet!

[Jim S]

El Chup said "pull out".

[El Chupacabra]

The sled highmarking area, bronco chutes, and the radio towers are all much farther west than the proposed expansion site.

[Jim S]

Could you do a bc day, end with a run down Fireplug and ski down to that area?

[RaccoonFace]

The sled highmarking area, bronco chutes, and the radio towers are all much farther west than the proposed expansion site.

Baby steps.

[El Chupacabra]

Could you do a bc day, end with a run down Fireplug and ski down to that area?

Absolutely. It's in the Galena Creek drainage.

[thudder]

Unofficial Networks put up a map of the expanded area:

http://unofficialnetworks.com/235-mi...rose-nv-64059/

[BirdRock]

One of my top 3 resort days ever was at 1/1/05 at Mt. Rose. Left the wife and 17 month old asleep at the in laws and took the bus from reno to the resort. Scored powder runs solo until 2pm. Made nice, nice with some couple and scored a ride back to town in a limo going to their hotel/casino. Still have sport the orange Mt. Rose hat I bought that day. Awesome memory.

[mmmm...pow!]

Well, if they are going to do all this, they might as well put a lift down in the valley. Sure, it would only be good occasionally, but it would give Rose some serious vert.

[Spats]

So according to that map, you'll need to ski over TWO BRIDGES on every run?

That's...retarded.

[Ottime]

^^^ Exactly what I was thinking. Huge area that funnels into a single run with two bridges. Sounds like a beginner cluster fuck.

[RaccoonFace]

That will be sick! That is more than I thought, and there is some really good stuff back there. You just may not be able to get to the lift if you hit it.

I support this expansion!

okbye


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