Today is the anniversary of the 21st Amendment, which repealed the 18th Amendment and ended prohibition.

The 1920s and the prohibition era were a time of unbridled enthusiasm and secret parties, and the Speakeasy was the hush-hush place to go for dancing and socializing. In those days, one needed to walk down a dark alley, knock on a nondescript door, share a password, and descend into cellars filled with the boisterous energy of those looking to imbibe on a cocktail.

It’s amazing what two days can do to your mindset. On Sunday I was still thinking about all the great fall mountain bike rides I wanted to get in this year; and today I’m insanely jealous of Jennifer and Tat, who I found skinning through Homewood’s parking lot, taking advantage of the 20 inches of fresh snow the resort now has at the base for a little ski tour.

And while it’s been a quick mental transition to winter mode, I am stoked to see how excited all of the Homewood family is about the early-season snow that the Lake Tahoe region has received this October. We’d love to see how you’re getting ready for the upcoming season of riding and skiing, so share your photos, thoughts and videos on our Facebook page if you’re feeling inclined.

This new snow is a great start, and we’re excited that there is more in the forecast!

Homewood wants to open more of the mountain as much as our guests and tenured pass holders want to ski and ride it! But with new snow (and in essence, the mountain’s first snow) comes the need for preparation: sufficient accumulation and time to pack the snow down onto the slopes; time to properly build chair lifts’ boarding and de-boarding stations (all made from snow); time for our mountain pros to make sure all guests will have a fun and safe time up there; and much more.

We at Homewood are thrilled about the arrival of snow, and hope to receive much more. We’re equally as thrilled that our readers and diehard guests and friends are interested in our plans – so we’ll keep you up to date along the entire way.

But keep in mind – if the mountain receives sufficient snow, then the mountain will open. With additional snow in the forecast and our incredible team of snow makers, we’re working our way, step-by-step, toward trying to bring you more of the mountain.

Thanks to everyone for your support, continued snow jigs, and your interest. We hope to see you at Homewood soon!

Homewood’s Opening Day is here!

Skiers, snowboarders, and snow players are enjoying beautiful sunny skies, plus great terrain covered with perfectly groomed snow upon which to make their first turns of the season!

The ski and snowboard school is filled with guests of all ages – and the complimentary Snow Play Zone is filled with permagrin-wearing kids.

C’mon out and make some turns at Homewood!  Tickets are only $25, the view of the lake from the slopes is, as always, superb.  Enjoy the Opening Day photos, and see you soon at the mountain!

Great snow conditions

Amazing view of Lake Tahoe

The complimentary Snow Play Zone has lots of enthusiastic guests

The ski and snowboard school offers lessons throughout the entire day

Shredding at Homewood

More shredding at Homewood

Lots of kids and kids-at-heart

The magic carpet surface lift is perfect for beginners

Quite possibly the cutest person on the planet

Homewood’s West Shore Cafe & Inn offers the best of summer at Lake Tahoe. Whether you’re in search of fresh, delicious cuisine for lunch, mid-afternoon, or dinner; or a day of paddle boarding, kayaking, or biking, the West Shore Cafe is the go-to spot on the lake. The expansive lawn at the West Shore Cafe & Inn is host to many a game of badminton, croquet, and Frisbee – or for guests who would rather gaze at the water or explore the beach, this is the place.

Have a look at what you’ll find during summer at the West Shore Cafe & Inn:

Arrive via car, boat, bike, kayak, paddle board. Boat and car valet are complimentary:

The West Shore Cafe & Inn’s fleet of paddle boards and kayaks make for a fun day exploring the shore line or venturing out into the big blue! Hotel guests receive complimentary use of water toys, life jackets, as well as bikes.

The lawn and lawn games offer endless hours of both fun and relaxation for any age:

The West Shore Cafe & Inn offers exquisitely beautiful, lakefront accomodations; but did you know that within each guest room or suite exists the coolest flashlight EVER?!?

Summer at Homewood and its surrounding peaks is everything that summer should be: living in the moment of endless days of swimming and the Marco Polo game; hiking through cedar forests; and collecting heart-shaped stones along the beach and trails. Your inner 12-year-old is alive and well while counting as many wildflower types along Homewood’s slopes.

While hiking along the mountain’s second creek above the flume the other day, Homewood Jake’s grandfather mentioned to him that there are about 36 types of lupine. If there is ever a time to find them all, this is it. You’ll also find wild onion, penstemon, tiger lily, mariposa lily, paint brush, mule ear, corn lily, pennyroyal, and arnica, just to name a few.

Quick fun contest: Tahoe’s trails are impossible to match. The open views, granite-encased lakes, sinewy juniper trees, and fragrant jeffrey pine bark tempt anyone to explore. The first reader to identify the location where this photo was snapped, will win two 2011-2012 lift tickets to Homewood. Hint: it is not at Homewood; but for experienced long-hauling hikers, we think you know the way to this location from Homewood (there are other less lengthy access points as well). Submit your entry to HomewoodPhotoContest@gmail.com. Along with your location submission, remember to include your full name and mailing address so that tickets may be sent to you.

And the winner is… Marc Bourrigue of Tahoma, CA!  Marc identified this photos location as the top of Mout Tallac.  Congrats, Marc! 

Powder is the word in Tahoe, and it’s piled up almost 10 feet deep at Homewood this week, and the sky is turning blue just in time for the holiday weekend.

Yes, that’s 117 inches at the top of Homewood, delivered in the last week’s series of storms, with 76 new inches on the lower mountain.

Don’t believe us? Check out photos from Saturday:

Go to our Snow& Grooming Report for the latest on conditions, and get out and enjoy all the new snow!

There is only one question all you serious Winter Sports Enthusiasts must ask on a day like today: “Why am I reading this and not skiing Homewood!?”

If you appreciate the attributes of calm, cool and collected then Homewood demands your respect.  It’s an epic day at the lake with calm light snowflakes blanketing the slopes.  The forecasted high temperature for today is a cool, low, and below freezing 30 degrees.  The Mountain has a great base and plenty more is starting to accumulate.  We are expecting to collect three to seven inches today at lake level and double digits in the days ahead.

Mother Nature dumped 12 to 16 inches of powder three days ago.  Yesterday afternoon had plenty of fresh tracks still to be carved.  With today’s addition, not to mention the feet in the forecast, lucky Homewood skiers and boarders will be laying down lines in the virgin snow all weekend long.

Naturally, the second question any true Winter Sports Enthusiast must ask with a weekend like the one we find ourselves in is: “How soon can I head to Homewood!?”

Thanks to Helene Drumm for sharing this sweet pic of our marvelous mountain in Homewood’s photo contest.  To share your photos from a recent adventure at Homewood, email your pictures with your name, hometown and contact information to homewoodphotocontest@gmail.com.  Who knows, maybe your photo will be the next to appear on the blog!

Happy Sliding!

It seems like yesterday we were skiing/riding deep powder fields; hitting the long perfectly groomed runs; and memorized by Lake Tahoe water at the tips of our skis. Yes, another snow season has come and gone.  Just as our quadriceps muscles have committed to memory the feeling of gliding down the hill, all good things come to an end…at least until next season! From all of us at Homewood Mountain Resort, we wish you a safe summer season and look forward to having you on our slopes again in the 2010/2011 winter season. As always, stay tuned to our website for the latest news for season passes, lift tickets, and events.

Kids who were skiing and riding at Homewood today were not only shredding the one to two feet of fresh powder; they were rippin’ it UP in the 2nd Annual Homewood Mini Slopestyle contest! Homewood’s park crew pushed together a triple jump line sized just right for groms to show off their tricks in the terrain park at the top of Madden Chair. Check ‘em out!

Homewood Mini Slopestyle Contest