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You may have glimpsed the Tahoe Donner sign on Donner Pass Road in Truckee, but unless you’re a golfer or an avid cross-country skier, you might not have a clue about what lies up that hill. Tahoe Donner’s 7,300 acres of family-friendly recreational possibilities feel hidden away in the woods, off the radar for most Tahoe visitors.
In summer, the offerings include an 18-hole course, private beach and marina on Donner Lake, an equestrian center, three outdoor swimming pools, three restaurants and 60 miles of hiking and biking trails. The big draws in winter: It’s home to one of California’s top cross-country ski areas and a family-friendly downhill ski hill with just two chairlifts, but a learning program so robust it employs more than 100 instructors.
There’s another big draw, as well: Scores of vacation rentals, from studio condominiums to 10-bedroom mountain chalets, are available through Airbnb, VRBO and other platforms, and most vacation rentals come with a guest pass that lets visitors use member-only amenities for a nominal fee.
Tahoe Donner Cross-Country has earned national accolades for its extensive, meticulously manicured trail system, with more than 60 miles of ski, snowshoe and fat-bike trails, some of them dog-friendly. Its recently expanded Alder Creek Adventure Center houses rental and retail shops, a restaurant and an après-ski patio with fire pits.
“A lot of locals come – it’s their outdoor workout space,” says Sally Jones, ski area manager. “There’s always lots of social interaction happening, both between visitors and people who live here or come up on weekends.”
That sense of community, along with the development’s secluded location out of the Tahoe mainstream, is what led Majid Karimi, 39, an “avid ski bum” from San Bruno, and his wife to buy place in Tahoe Donner last summer. “On the weekends when Tahoe goes off, there’s no chaos,” he says. “It’s one of those rare places where you can get a sense of solitude but also a sense of community.”
The Tahoe Donner vibe is especially strong at Tahoe Donner Downhill, where two chairlifts and three magic carpet-style conveyor belts serve 17 trails, including four black-diamond runs and a mile-long beginner track.
“It’s one of the best places in the region for beginners, and we start them at age 3,” says downhill manager Robert McClendon. It’s also, he adds, a bit of a hidden gem when it comes to powder skiing. “You can get pow on the backside here all day, because there are no lines. Families are on the front side and everybody else is at Squaw or Sugar Bowl.”
Grab pizza at the Northwoods Clubhouse restaurant or healthy lunch fare at the Alder Creek Cafe, or go upscale at the Lodge Restaurant & Bar. And if skiing’s not your thing, head for the snow-play area outside the members-only Trout Creek Rec Center, where tubes and sleds can be rented to slide on a gentle hill open to all for a small entry fee.
Details: Season passes are $359. Find more information at tahoedonner.com.
