Donner Ski Ranch
Old-school Donner Summit hill above the historic pass: wallet-friendly, family-run, and gloriously unfussy.
Key Stats
Terrain Breakdown
The percentage of marked trails in each difficulty level. A higher beginner percentage means more terrain suitable for novices and families; a higher advanced percentage means more challenge for experts.
Best For
When to go
Average monthly snowfall and snowpack depth, with the typical operating window shaded.
Donner Ski Ranch's heaviest snowfall lands in December; the snowpack peaks in February.
- Snowfall
- peaks Dec
- Snowpack
- peaks Feb
- Typical season
- Nov – Apr
Snowfall: NOAA, 30-year normals (1991–2020).
Snow depth: NOAA, daily station data (1994–2023).
Location
Set high in California's northern Sierra Nevada, this hill sits atop Donner Pass near Lake Tahoe. The elevation keeps it firmly above the tree line, in a maritime mountain zone known for deep, heavy snowfall.
Getting there
Fly into Reno/Tahoe (RNO), about 1.5 hours from the resort by road.
- Reno/Tahoe (RNO)1.5 hoursDirections
- Sacramento (SMF)2 hoursDirections
- San Francisco (SFO)4 hoursDirections
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