Donner Ski Ranch: A Little Mountain, A Lot of Memories
There was a time when a family ski trip didn’t require a second mortgage, a reservation months in advance or a wallet full of credit cards.
All you needed was a pair of skis, a warm jacket, a little snow, a thermos of hot chocolate and enough enthusiasm to get back up the mountain after every tumble.
For generations of Northern California skiers, Donner Ski Ranch offered exactly that.
Tucked along historic Highway 40 on Donner Summit, west of Truckee, the Ranch became much more than a ski area. It was a gathering place, a proving ground for young skiers, a weekend escape and, for many families, the place where a lifelong love of skiing began.
And while the big resorts around Lake Tahoe grew into international destinations, Donner Ski Ranch held onto something increasingly difficult to find: its independent, unpretentious personality.
It all started with a rope and a Model A
The story begins in 1937, when skiing in the Sierra Nevada was still a considerably different proposition.
According to the resort’s historical account, Jerry Ellis helped establish the operation with one of the earliest uphill transportation systems on Donner Summit: a rope tow.
Historical accounts describe early tows powered by Model A automobiles positioned on blocks. The vehicles turned their rear wheels, which drove a rope that skiers grabbed to pull themselves uphill.
Imagine that for a moment.
No heated gondolas. No high-speed detachable chairlifts. No electronic lift tickets. Just a moving rope, a pair of skis and the determination to hang on.
A historical marker commemorating the original operation recalls the remarkably simple pricing and rules:
“Pay 50 cents. Keep you skis on. Grab a handle. Ride up and ski down all afternoon. We don’t count rides.”
That last part might be the most wonderful sentence in the history of the ski industry.
Fifty cents for an afternoon of skiing, with no one counting how many times you went back up the hill.
Donner Ski Ranch’s own history traces its beginnings to 1937, when the rope tow helped make downhill skiing accessible to a growing number of Californians.
World War II interrupted the fun
The early ski operation eventually encountered the same difficulties confronting recreational businesses throughout the country during World War II.
With workers and visitors leaving for military service and wartime responsibilities, operations temporarily stopped.
After the war, Herstle Jones purchased the property with the intention of bringing skiing back to Donner Summit.
Leadership subsequently passed to his niece and her husband, Madeline and Stanley Walton. They gave the operation the name that generations of skiers would come to recognize: Donner Ski Ranch.
In 1948, the Waltons expanded the facility, adding a T-bar lift and a lodge.
That lodge became an important part of the experience. Skiing was no longer simply about getting uphill and coming down. It was about spending the day together, warming up, sharing a meal and making a weekend of it.
The resort expanded again in 1955 under new ownership, with the construction of one of California’s early chairlifts, opening up additional terrain on the mountain.
The Norm Sayler years
One of the most important chapters in Donner Ski Ranch history began with Norm Sayler.
Sayler became involved with the resort in the 1950s, helping construct its first chairlift. In 1958, he took over its management and eventually acquired most of the ownership.
He would remain at the helm for 46 years.
That’s nearly half a century of snowstorms, ski seasons, equipment changes, generations of families and the countless little adventures that make a mountain resort special.
Sayler’s tenure helped establish the Ranch’s identity as a place that didn’t need to compete with the biggest resorts on their terms.
It had its own personality, its own loyal following and a mountain that offered plenty of skiing without requiring a grand production.
When the resort changed hands in 2004, Sayler had good reason to hope its character would survive.
A 2007 Los Angeles Times profile quoted him describing the new owners’ willingness to do the hands-on work:
“They are not afraid to pick up a shovel or wash dishes.”
That may be one of the best descriptions of the Donner Ski Ranch philosophy ever published.
Before snowboarding became fashionable, Donner was already making room
Here’s another interesting piece of the Ranch’s history.
Donner Ski Ranch was among the early ski areas in the country to welcome snowboarding, telemark skiing and snow bobbing.
At a time when some traditional ski resorts were reluctant to embrace these new activities, Donner Summit developed a reputation for welcoming people who wanted to experience the mountain differently.
The resort also became associated with night skiing and music, adding another dimension to its identity.
It wasn’t just a place for traditional skiers. It was a place where winter sports were evolving.
That independent attitude helped attract generations of riders and skiers who appreciated having a mountain where the experience mattered more than appearances.
Rock ‘n’ roll on the mountain?
Apparently, the memories didn’t stop when the lifts stopped turning.
A recent online conversation about Donner Ski Ranch brought back a particularly entertaining recollection.
Michael Davis posted:
“Saw Quiet Riot and Loverboy there in 80.”
Think about that combination: a Sierra Nevada ski destination, winter recreation and the soundtrack of the early 1980s.
Whether remembering a particular concert, an event or simply the atmosphere of those days, Davis’ recollection prompted a reminder that Donner Summit’s entertainment history deserves a closer look.
The comment itself is a wonderful snapshot of how people remember the place. It wasn’t just somewhere to ski. It was somewhere to spend an entire day, meet friends and occasionally experience something completely unexpected.
The reported concert appearance is a personal recollection, rather than an independently verified event listing.
Remember when a ski day started with a rope tow?
Perhaps the most revealing part of the recent discussion wasn’t about the lifts, the concerts or the skiing.
It was about the little things.
Randall Mikkelsen shared a family photograph and a memory that captures the experience beautifully:
“A family lodge. I started skiing here and at Donner Ski Ranch in the early 1960s. Memories include struggling with the rope tows, thermos bottles of hot chocolate and winding US 40, with crashed cars at the bottoms of ravines. My dad’s photo.”
There’s an entire generation of Sierra Nevada history in that recollection.
The winding drive up Highway 40 was part of the adventure. Winter driving was an experience of its own, particularly before modern vehicle technology and today’s highway infrastructure.
Parents packed the car, children bundled up in layers, and everyone hoped the weather would cooperate.
Then came the rope tow.
Anyone who learned to ski on one probably remembers the first few attempts. Grab the rope, keep your balance, try not to fall, and whatever you do, don’t let go unless you’re ready to start over.
For beginners, it could be an exercise in frustration. For experienced skiers, it was simply how things worked.
And somewhere between the cold fingers, the occasional fall and the hot chocolate, those days became family history.
The mountain changed. The memories didn’t.
The recent discussion also brought back memories of other Tahoe-area ski destinations and the changes that have taken place over the decades.
Darsie Evans remembered beginning to ski at Squaw Valley in 1959.
Stephen Jeffries recalled skiing there in 1961, when reminders of the 1960 Winter Olympics were still everywhere. Others remembered the Olympic Village, Powder Bowl, the old Poma lifts, Headwall and the Jake Back lift.
One commenter remembered skiing the West Face of KT-22.
Another described surviving a blizzard at Squaw Valley in the years following the Olympics.
There was a common theme running through the comments: People remembered when skiing felt different.
Some still proudly call the mountain Squaw Valley, reflecting the name under which they first knew it, while the resort is now officially named Palisades Tahoe.
And that sense of nostalgia extended to the economics of skiing.
Dave Carbone offered a particularly pointed observation:
“Skiing has become something different now. The average working family will likely never know of the joys of skiing these days.”
It’s a sentiment that resonates with anyone who remembers when a family could load up the station wagon, drive into the mountains and spend a day on the slopes without treating the outing like a major financial investment.
Donner Ski Ranch has deliberately tried to preserve that experience.
Still holding onto the old-fashioned experience
Today, Donner Ski Ranch remains family-owned and operated by Marshall and Janet Tuttle, who purchased the property in 2004.
The owners have invested in lift infrastructure, grooming equipment and mountain safety while maintaining the independent character that has distinguished the resort for decades.
Its pricing philosophy remains an important part of that identity. The resort promotes affordable skiing, free seasonal parking and special Old School Days intended to make the sport more accessible.
The Old 40 Bar & Grill also gives visitors a place to gather after a day on the mountain.
And yes, the homemade pies have become part of the attraction.
As of Nov. 11, 2026, the ski area is closed between seasons. Its website lists the ski operation as closed, while the Truckee Tahoe tourism organization has identified mid-December as the anticipated opening period for the 2026-27 season, subject to weather conditions. The Old 40 Bar & Grill remains a year-round attraction.
For residents of El Dorado County and throughout the greater Sacramento and Tahoe region, Donner Summit remains an important part of our shared Sierra Nevada recreational heritage.
It is a reminder that some of the best mountain experiences never required the biggest mountains, the fanciest equipment or the most expensive lift tickets.
Sometimes all it took was a rope, a pair of skis, a thermos of hot chocolate and a family willing to make the drive.
Some things are worth remembering
Perhaps the best measure of Donner Ski Ranch’s success isn’t the number of lifts, the acreage or the number of visitors who pass through its gates.
It’s the people who still remember it decades later.
The child who learned to ski there in 1961. The teenager who discovered snowboarding. The family that made the drive every winter. The friends who met on the slopes. The people who remember a concert, a snowstorm or simply sitting in the lodge trying to warm up.
And those memories are still being shared.
So, the next time someone asks whatever happened to Donner Ski Ranch, the answer is relatively simple.
It’s still there.
The mountain is still standing, the snow still falls, and the old-fashioned spirit of skiing hasn’t completely disappeared.
Maybe that’s the real attraction of Donner Ski Ranch. It reminds us that the best part of skiing was never just the skiing. It was everything that happened along the way.
