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A long-discussed ski resort in Nevada’s Ruby Mountains is back on track, but not in the way many had originally hoped. After a failed push to build a public-facing resort in 2024, landowner Peter Christodoulo has now received approval to move forward with a private ski area on his ranch outside Elko.
The Elko County Planning Commission voted 5–2 last week to approve a conditional use permit allowing a small lodge with a handful of guest rooms and up to five chairlifts. The project is scaled back from the original proposal, which aimed to create a lift-served, public resort that would bring broader access to one of the most rugged and underutilized mountain ranges in the West. Instead, this version will function more like a private ski club, primarily for friends and family, with limited short-term stays allowed.
The approval marks a sharp pivot from what was once pitched as a potentially transformative ski destination. Back in 2024, Christodoulo proposed a resort that taps into terrain many believe rivals some of the best in the country.
The Rubies, which are often called the “Swiss Alps of Nevada,” are no joke. With dozens of peaks over 10,000 feet, consistent north-facing terrain, and an average of around 300 inches of dry, Great Basin powder annually, the range has long been viewed as one of the most underrated ski zones in North America.
At the time, the vision was to open that terrain to the public. But concerns over zoning, infrastructure, water, and environmental impact led the planning commission to deny the rezoning request needed to make that happen.
The newly approved plan is far more modest in scope:
- A small lodge with limited guest capacity
- Up to five chairlifts
- No night skiing
- A cap on how long guests can stay
- A requirement to remove lifts if unused for five years
- Potential for summer recreation, including mountain biking
While it’s technically not a commercial resort, the scale of the lift infrastructure suggests something more than just a backyard setup.
For skiers, this is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, lift-served skiing in the Ruby Mountains has been talked about for decades, and this is the closest it’s come to reality in years. On the other hand, the shift to a private model means the terrain will remain largely inaccessible to the public.
That’s a notable contrast to what could have been. The original concept had the potential to create a new destination resort in a region where skiers currently drive hours to Utah despite having world-class terrain in their backyard. For now, the Rubies remain what they’ve always been: a backcountry gem with limited access, plus a small footprint of heli-skiing operations.
- Related: The 8 States Where You Can Heli-Ski
With a 10-day appeal window open through March 30, the project’s future remains unsettled. Any challenge would send it to the county commission for another round of review. Still, the bigger picture is already taking shape. After decades of stalled ideas and missed opportunities in the Ruby Mountains, lift-served skiing is finally inching forward. What it ultimately becomes and who gets to experience it remain open questions.
It’s a bummer that a community so comprised of anti-NIMBY folks when it comes to mining, and being precisely that when it comes to something that would promote healthy family activity and property values. Instead, we get a new Yellowstone Club in the neighborhood that none of us will be able to enjoy. What a thoughtful move.
Why would Joy Royer be shaking in his boots? Unless you are going to heliski, then maybe but you can also go into Lamoille Canyon and hike, go cycling to the lakes. You can hike and over to Hallack, the question is what will be different about your experience? The other going up to Lamoille Lakes has a nominal fee and cycling over to Hallick is free! Of course when you get to Hallock if you want to go farther you can turn right at Hallick and go to Ruby Valley!
Unless you are going into hilisking what does Joe Royer have to worry about? We have hicking trail to the lakes in Lamoille Canyon, bike trip across Lamoille to Hallack
This is far from a done deal. Even if the county commission upholds the zoning change it will likely be held up in lawsuits for years. Plus the still have to have the o.k. from the state engineer for water and the state health department for sewage.
Joe Royer is shaking in his boots….