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Employee Housing

Affordable housing on the Summit.

We know how difficult finding suitable housing in our highly desirable location. That is why we offer more employee housing than any other resort in the region. Various styles of accommodations are offerdd, from studio apartments to dorm-style shared rooms with double-occupancy for most room types. And as a bonus, all our housing is located on Donner Summit, so you will be spending less gas getting to work each day.

We have nearly 150 beds for seasonal employees. Additional housing units are available, which serve as home to year-round managers and supervisors. In order to ensure that each department can meet its staffing needs for the season, housing units are allocated on a department-by-department basis.

What is Employee Housing on Donner Summit like?

After wrapping up your workday on the mountain, your commute is about as quick as they come. Hop in a carpool with one of your dormmates back your homebase. You’ll be there in a jiffy since most units are only 1-3 miles from our main gate (some units are even onsite, so you could walk or even ski home). Once you’re back at the dorm, the night is yours. Socialize with your housemates in one of the comfy common areas, travel into town to restock on groceries, or catch up on some rest in your room. Each of the dorms is equipped with a large stocked communal kitchen with all the basic appliances, so whether you want to cook a giant pasta feast with friends or simply microwave a quick burrito, you’ll have everything you need at your fingertips.

With a dorm full of passionate mountain enthusiasts, you can expect there to be some fun activities going on until quiet hours at 10pm. Spend the rest of your evening playing games, watching movies or chatting with friends about their recent adventures in the mountains. When your evening winds down, head up to your shared dorm room (you’ll either have one or two roommates depending on the size of your room.) After a good night’s sleep, you’ll be rested and ready for another great day of work on the mountain the following day.

 

Have Questions About Housing? Contact our Housing Team housing@sugarbowl.com or call (530) 426-6749.

 

Two employees snowboarding in the terrain park at Sugar Bowl Resort.
5 Reasons to Live in Employee Housing

Affordable
We get it, housing in our highly desirable region is hard to come by. Sugar Bowl’s employee housing is supplemented and affordable. When you work here, we hope that you can dream about skiing powder, not the nightmare of trying to pay rent.

Drive Less, Ski More
Our employee housing is super close to the resort, most units are 1-3 miles from our main gate, and some are even onsite. Your commute can’t get much quicker than that. Since you’ll be driving 3 miles or less to get to work, you’ll seriously save on gas. Carpool to really make it count.

Not Getting Stuck in Snow Storm Traffic
If there’s inclement weather on Donner Summit, you’ll have a much easier commute heading to one of the dorms than if you had to travel to offsite housing.

Primo Post-Storm Powder Access
When the blizzard clears, you’ll be in the right place to catch a sweet powder day even when the highway closes from Truckee or towards Sacramento and the Bay Area. Are you scheduled to work on a powder day? Don’t worry, you can take your ski/ride break to get out and enjoy the snow.

Fun with a New Community
A mountain house full of people who are passionate about working in the ski and ride industry? You bet we have fun! After your workday, unwind with your roommates, cook with friends, socialize, and play games. When you choose employee housing, you’ll get to know people from all over the world. The dorms are a cultural mixing bowl and you’ll get to immerse yourself in a community of new friends and coworkers.
Affordable housing at Sugar Bowl

Affordable Housing Options

Donner Summit Lodge (“DSL”)

Located on Donner Pass Road

  • Dorm Style (2-4 per room)

  • Bathrooms are located in the room for shared use by roommates

  • Several informal gathering spaces are on the first floor

  • Kitchen accommodations are located on the basement level

Donner Summit Lodge is the best of both worlds- close to work and town. It’s conveniently located near the i80 highway entrance, so residents can zip to Truckee in under 15 minutes. At the same time, it’s less than 3 miles from the main entrance gate to Sugar Bowl.  

This is our largest housing unit, and about 100 employees call DSL homebase. The facility has ample outdoor parking and includes a handful of great common rooms where employees come together to socialize. Each unit includes its own bathroom, to be shared between roommates. Depending on the size of the room, residents have one to three roommates. The large shared kitchen unit is located in the basement level of the building with access to stoves, ovens, microwaves, and a walk-in fridge. 

 

 

Summit House

Located on the top of Highway 40

  • Approximately 22 beds

  • Dorm Style (2-3 per room usually)

  • Kitchen accommodations vary by season –but generally, basic appliances are available.

  • Bathrooms are communal (there are men’s restrooms and women’s restrooms) and are located on each floor.

  • Summit House is typically reserved for lead departmental positions.

  • Summit House has parking adjacent to the building, however, many employees choose to walk to work.

Old 40, the winding road from Donner Lake up to Donner Summit, tops out at the aptly-named “Summit House.” It’s tough to find a better view with a shorter commute. Continuing another 400 yards down the road, you’ll find the main entrance for Sugar Bowl. 

The building perches atop Donner Summit and some rooms feature panoramic views of Donner Lake, sweeping granite cliffs, and the surrounding Sierra, including the foreboding Donner Peak. The building is in close proximity to backcountry skiing, sledding, and summer rock climbing. The facility features onsite parking, a common room with games, and a shared commercial-style kitchen.

 

 

Village Dorms 

Located onsite within the Sugar Bowl Village near the bottom terminal of the Disney Express lift.

  • Approximately 25 Beds

  • Dorm Style (1-2 per room)

  • Kitchen Accommodations with basic appliances (stove, oven, microwave)

  • Bathrooms are communal (there are men’s restrooms and women’s restrooms)

  • Common Room with television

  • Onsite in the snowbound Village

If you were any closer to work, you’d be sleeping under your desk! The Village Dorms are located onsite within the snowbound Sugar Bowl Village. You may be asking yourself what is a “snowbound village?” Well, during the winter season, the heart of Sugar Bowl can only be accessed via a short skate on skis, a snowcat ride, or by walking over the groomed snow-trails. Your accommodations will be just steps from the chairlifts, so after a big storm day, expect to hear the avalanche bombs early the next morning as your alarm clock. Living in the Village Dorms is like living right in the middle of a winter wonderland!

 

 

Kingvale Lodge

Located west of Sugar Bowl, along Donner Pass Rd. (Approximate 10 min. drive)

  • These private apartment-style units are reserved for key management, supervisor & technical positions.

    • Some units are pet-friendly

    • Domestic partners and dependents may live in the unit too, even if they are not working for the resort.

  • Each unit is a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment with kitchenette. One studio and one 2-bedroom unit also available.

  • Shared on-site laundry in common space

  • Personal transportation is needed for living in these units.

  • Located on the Yuba River with summer water access.

New for 22-23, we are pleased to offer additional professional-level housing for employees at the recently purchased Kingvale Lodge. These private apartment-style units are an alternative to the dorm-style housing we offer at other employee housing facilities. Reserved for key management, supervisor & technical positions, the Kingvale Lodge units are well-suited for employees who wish to live with their spouse/partner, children, and/or pet. 

The Kingvale Lodge is a quick 10 minute drive to Sugar Bowl along Donner Pass Rd. Choose from a variety of studio, one bedroom, or two bedroom units to suit your lifestyle.