Category: Historic Event

Mt. Rose manages Slide Mountain and operates as Ski Reno which allows skiers to ski “both sides” for two seasons, 1978-80.

Mt. Rose Manages Slide Mountain Operations 19 Oct 1978, Thu Reno Gazette-Journal (Reno, Nevada) Newspapers.com

Rodney Beard purchases Slide Mountain and take over management of the resort once again.

“Skiers will find a much-expanded Mount Rose Ski Resort this winter, but Mt. Rose and Slide Mountain once again will be splitting operations.

 

Mt. Rose Expansion and Slide Mountain continue as an independent resort. 04 Sep 1980, Thu Reno Gazette-Journal (Reno, Nevada) Newspapers.com

In 1980, 180 acres of new trails were cut at Mt. Rose between the Sunset ski trail and the Mt. Rose Highway. That same year the Lakeview chair was built offering spectacular views of Lake Tahoe and increasing uphill capacity.

Galena triple chair was installed providing increased terrain for beginner and novice skiers. In 1985, “Around the World” was cut adding a new 2.5-mile-long ski run for a long relaxing cruise.

Slide Mountain was one of the first Tahoe resorts to allow snowboarding. At the time, most snowboard riders were self-taught and had never heard of the Skiers Responsibility code or been on a chair lift since they weren’t allowed previously. So riders had to get a snowboard certification pass which required a basic skills test before they could be allowed on the lifts. Only 40 U.S. resorts (approximately) allowed snowboarding during the early/mid-1980s.

Photo: Taken spring 1989 courtesy of Mitch Morgan.

The “Iron Curtain” between Slide and Rose finally came down in 1987 when Mt. Rose started to operate Slide Mountain under a lease agreement with the U.S. Forest Service. The “Slide Side” (as it is affectionately referred to by locals) became the East Bowl of Mt. Rose. The combination of the two ski areas increased the overall terrain of Mt. Rose to 900+ acres and established the resort as a significant player in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Mt. Rose Ski Resort to Manage Slide Mountain 04 Dec 1987, Fri Reno Gazette-Journal (Reno, Nevada) Newspapers.com