Overnight, Tahoe became home to the largest ski resort in the nation.
At approximately 6,000 acres, the merged territories of Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows — announced Tuesday morning by Squaw Valley owner KSL Capital Partners and Alpine Meadows owner JMA Ventures —combine two of Tahoe’s most heralded ski resorts into a mega-resort unrivaled in size and terrain in the region.
The merger is reminiscent of the 1997 combination of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains in British Columbia under resort heavyweight Intrawest, which created the continent’s largest ski resort at over 8,000 acres.
But unlike Whistler Blackcomb, the two resorts will not be directly connected —at least for now. Squaw Valley is currently separated from Alpine Meadows by the White Wolf property owned by former professional skier Troy Caldwell and the Five Lakes basin of Granite Chief wilderness. White Wolf currently has lift towers strung up by Caldwell from near the lower parking lots of Alpine Meadows to the lower reaches of the backside of Squaw Valley’s KT-22. Although the towers have been standing for years, they have never been outfitted with cables or chairs. Caldwell also owns the top portion of KT-22, which he has leased to Squaw Valley for years.
Squaw Valley CEO Andy Wirth said that he kept Caldwell informed of the negotiations between JMA and KSL as the merger was worked out.
‘The vision of connecting the two resorts does not escape me, but we have to be focused on this season,’ said Wirth.
The merger does mean that the two mountains will be owned and operated by the same company, the newly formed Squaw Valley Ski Holdings, and season passes from either resort will be honored at both mountains. A new season pass to both mountains, called the Tahoe Super Pass, is now being offered for $439.
Wirth said the Squaw Valley Ski Holdings’ goal will be to retain the character of each resort.
‘We see two distinct and separate mountains with their own distinct spirit. It is really two great mountains tied together by one pass,’ said Wirth.
Regular shuttle connections will link the two resorts this winter, according to resort officials.
Alpine Meadows owner JMA Ventures will become a minority owner of the combined ski resort; KSL Capital Partners will be the majority owner. JMA Ventures continues to be the sole owner of Homewood Mountain Resort on Tahoe’s West Shore.
Two issues that local Tahoe skiers are intensely interested in — Squaw Valley’s boundary policy and the overcrowding of Squaw’s lower mountain lifts during storm days when the upper mountain is closed —are still being worked out by KSL.
Wirth said the boundary policy is being discussed but has not been decided. He also said KSL is putting in place a state-of-the-art computer system that will keep guests better informed of lift openings.
The merger of the two resorts is still subject to approval by the United States Forest Service and the California Tahoe Conservancy.
