An original Sugar Bowl cabin in Truckee, California, combines rich history with distinctive character … [+]
A mountain chalet built in 1942 for an early backer of one of California’s oldest ski resorts has hit the market for the first time. The three-story family home at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe played a pivotal role in bringing together early ski enthusiasts who were committed to bringing skiing to the Sierra Nevada in a big way.
Sugar Bowl’s Snowbound Village is known for its distinctive mountain living experience, which is … [+]
The house at 950 Hill Short Brush in Truckee was built for Jerome Hill, heir to a railroad fortune and accomplished Hollywood filmmaker, musician and composer. He and a young Walt Disney were early supporters of Austrian ski champion Hannes Schroll’s vision to purchase land to create a premier ski resort at Donner Summit.
The chalet-style mountain home was designed by architect William Wurster, whose works include the … [+]
The chalet was designed by San Francisco architect William Wurster, who created the traditional Sugar Bowl Alpine Lodge that still stands today. Its style is indelibly linked to the ancient character of the resort and continues to be the heart of a close-knit mountain community. (Wurster would go on to become dean of the University of California, Berkeley School of Architecture, design more than 200 modernist residences in the Bay Area, and co-design Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco.)
The 1940s residence retains many period details, including its striking wood-paneled ceiling.
Hill and his family enjoyed the seven-bedroom house; Schroll, who married Hill’s sister, lived nearby.
The property includes seven bedrooms in total and four bathrooms.
Jeff Brown of Tahoe Mountain Realty says the chalet’s most notable feature is its location. “Clearly [Hill] had the very first choice of properties,” Brown said. “He chose this one for sight-related reasons. You are looking directly at what is now called Mount Disney. It’s a remarkable and spectacular view, and it offers arguably the best ski access in all of the Sugar Bowl.
The property overlooks Mount Disney, a peak named in honor of Disney creator Walt Disney.
Inside, exposed beams and wooden ceilings create designs that look like works of art in their own right. Large spaces allow for entertaining and comfortable sleeping areas with sloped ceilings.
The home’s outdoor patio invites entertaining on a large scale.
“The house is designed as large spaces for people to come together,” Brown said. “The floor plan does not conform to traditional measurements, where we describe X number of bedrooms, X number of bathrooms and square footage. This house was built without all of that in mind. It was built around a magnificent stone fireplace, with those vaulted half-timbered ceilings and a terrace that extends just above the Yuba River with views of Mount Disney.
The property is part of the Village at Sugar Bowl, a trailside community offering … [+]
The house remains largely intact despite its age; only the kitchen has been renovated over time. It has four bathrooms and covers almost 7,000 square feet. There is a caretaker’s quarters on the base level and living spaces on the upper two floors, including a special spot near the master suite where Hill would hold court with her niece and nephew. “In those days, before cable TV and the Internet, they would get together with their uncle and just make music in this room,” Brown said.
The residence, which retains its large stone fireplace, offers nearly 7,000 square feet of living space. … [+]
The home is located in a quiet corner of the Village at Sugar Bowl, a trailside community that includes exclusive amenities, such as snowcat service to and from your door in the winter (there are no paved roads ) ; access to the Sugar Bowl Ski Team and Academy, a college preparatory school for competitive skiers; and access to the lodge and private elevators with the community composed mainly of second home owners.
A classic U-shaped built-in provides seating for the cottage’s breakfast nook.
Sugar Bowl earned its place in California ski history because it was one of the first resorts to popularize the then-nascent snow sport. It opened in 1939 and attracted crowds including Hollywood stars who came to hit the slopes and ride the West’s first chairlift, designed and operated by Hill. It costs 2 cents to take the elevator and $2 if you want to ski down.
The price of the chalet is $4 million.
Disney continued to visit him and take his family skiing. The 1941 The art of skiing features a cartoon version of Sugar Bowl Lodge, with the character Goofy doing comical skiing moves on the slopes.
Wildflowers and native flora fill the mountains surrounding the house.
The price of the chalet is $4 million. Dylan Griffin of Tahoe Mountain Realty is the selling agent.
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