Valley of Dreams: TDXC Celebrates its Rich History, 40 Years in the Making

By Cynthia Cendreda

1985

In the early hours just before dawn, he cups his hands together over his mouth, and in the darkness, gently blows the warmth of his breath across his fingers before climbing into the cab. Inside, he rests one hand on the dashboard, giving it a once-over before firing up the ignition with the other. The engine shudders to life, piercing the silence of the meadow with a roar of protest before settling into a low, submissive rumble.

At this ungodly hour, the cold of the vinyl seatback penetrates through his down parka and several base layers, sending a shiver up his spine. He takes several long sips of his tea to ensure both he and his snowcat are fully warm before pressing forward.

Noisier than a horse, and only arguably less temperamental, he guides the machine down toward the base of the valley, tilling a wide, level path into the hillside. A sliver of the sun appears just above the ridgeline to the east, casting a golden glow on the pines and illuminating the old barn. It’s nearly 7AM now, and while the temperatures are still far below freezing, his metal steed contentedly grinds and sifts and combs the snow into silky corduroy ribbons. As a bubbling creek springs forth from beneath a heavy blanket of white, the driver pauses to let a lone coyote pass. He seizes the opportunity to admire his work and the tranquility of the meadow before him.

Though much of this valley remains the same, quite a lot has changed in the past 40 years since Glenn Jobe blazed those first trails at what is now the Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Center (TDXC). And while four decades in the context of the entire history of The West seems but a not-so-long-ago blink, the beloved Nordic ski center’s storied founding harkens back to the wistfulness of a John Steinbeck novel.

EARLY PIONEERS OF TAHOE DONNER’S NORDIC SKI COMMUNITY

Rondi’s Legacy
Long before TDXC, there was just Rondi, a cross country skier with a hearty and adventurous spirit and a pioneering mindset. In the 1970s and 1980s, Tahoe Donner was a sparsely populated yet sprawling mountain community. Just 40 minutes outside of Reno and 90 minutes from Sacramento on Highway 80, the Town of Truckee’s modest population and frontier-style historic downtown ensured that, despite its foundation as a masterplan development, Tahoe Donner retained the
rugged charm of a rustic alpine settlement—with some modern amenities, of course.

While many were already enjoying the novelty of the community’s family-focused Downhill Ski Resort, Nordic skiing was gaining in popularity in Tahoe Donner as well. Although an official Tahoe Donner outfit had yet to be established, beginning in 1974, member Rondi Thorwaldsen Rembert had created a cross country program out of the Tennis Center (now the Tennis + Pickleball Center), which converted to the Tahoe Donner Nordic Center in the winter.

The association provided her use of a snowmobile to drag a track setter behind, and with a small staff of four besides herself, she offered rentals, lessons and tours. She eventually added a small ticket booth up at the horse stables and expanded the trail system there, as well. John Slouber, founder of Royal Gorge, helped her attach the hydraulic track setter behind her Tucker Sno-cat®, and she groomed cross country trails all around the flat areas, nearby upper slopes and even down to Euer Valley with permission from her good friend and the property’s owner, John Euer.

Rondi succeeded in creating a vast network of groomed, doubletrack trails, all mapped and marked and free for Tahoe Donner property owners to access. She even provided special experiences that included a tour and lecture led by local historian John Corbett and moonlight tours of Bennett Flat Meadow. During the 10 years from 1974 to 1984, Rondi was largely responsible for cultivating the early cross country community in Tahoe Donner.

New Visionaries
It all started with a chance encounter with an advertisement and a couple of phone calls. In Peter Werbel’s words, “I remember seeing a little ad in the Sierra Sun for someone to come run a cross country ski center in Tahoe Donner. I didn’t know enough about running a snowcat, but I had run the fire roads out there, and I knew it had potential, so I called up my old friend, Glenn Jobe.”

Peter, an avid cross country skier for many years, had met Glenn and his wife, Edith, at Kirkwood, where they had established and run a cross country area since 1973. A University of Nevada, Reno, athlete who lettered in Alpine skiing, Glenn began his cross country journey that same year, winning the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate Championship in 1973 and qualifying for the NCAA Championships. In 1975, he met the national biathlon coach and, for the next several years, was a member of the U.S. Biathlon Team, competing in the 1978 and 1979 Biathlon World Championships and the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.

Glenn Jobe competes in biathlon at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics. Photo courtesy of Glenn Jobe.

Glenn and Edith Jobe at Kirkwood Cross Country. Photo courtesy of Glenn Jobe.

While Glenn’s accomplishments as an athlete significantly influenced the direction of the Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Center over the years, it was perhaps his upbringing on a cattle ranch in Las Alturas, California, that was most pivotal in the development of one of the country’s most endeared cross country ski facilities.

Peter already knew something of the beauty of the Euer Valley, and when he showed Glenn, he immediately recognized its potential. Taken by the valley’s stunning expanse and varied terrain, they both agreed that the breathtaking beauty of the meadow, with its forests and the South Fork of Prosser Creek meandering through, combined with sprawling flats for beginners and steeper climbs of the upper mountain for the more experienced, could really put the ski area on the national map.

Cattle graze in Euer Valley in 2013, shortly before ranching was phased out. Photo by Alyson Stetz.

During this time, John Euer owned and operated a cattle ranch on his property. Glenn ran into him coming out of the valley one day, they got talking, and quickly connected. Glenn says of the encounter, “With my ranching background, we spoke a common language, and during that chance meeting, John concluded we’d be good stewards. So, we shook on it.” Glenn and Peter agreed to pay John $1 per ticket sold and keep an eye on the Euer family’s property in exchange for being able to access it and groom trails as part of the cross country ski area in the winter.

Barn Ops + Blazing Trails
A deal was signed with Tahoe Donner for Glenn and Peter to establish the Cross Country Ski Center. Operating out of two horse stalls where the Alder Creek Adventure Center (ACAC) currently stands, Peter used his contractor skills to convert the space into a rental and retail shop and ticket office. While he managed the everyday sales and rental operations, Glenn maintained the trails, and Edith handled the finances.

The front desk of the upgraded Cross Country Ski Center, with the kitchen in the background, from the early 2000s. Photos from the Tahoe Donner archive.

XC Skiers in the Euer Valley. Photo from the Tahoe Donner archive.

TAHOE DONNER TAKES THE TORCH

Over the next decade, the Cross Country Ski Center continued to grow in both size and popularity among Tahoe Donner members and Truckee locals, while also establishing itself as a Nordic ski resort destination. As anticipated, Euer Valley became the crown jewel of the Cross Country Ski Center, a must-see landmark along the trail system that drew visitors from across the continent. Peter and Glenn eventually moved on to new endeavors after a few years. When the concession agreement ended in 1996, Tahoe Donner assumed management of the ski facility and continued the relationship with the Euer family.

Acquisition of Euer Valley
In 2003, a net sale of 200 acres of land was finalized between the Euer family and Tahoe Donner. And in 2011, Tahoe Donner acquired an additional 482 acres of land. With input from its membership, an extensive plan detailing the land’s uses and rules was established by association staff and the board of directors to preserve its pristine beauty and value long-term, while also opening access to the valley in the summertime for hiking, biking and equestrian riding. Grazing was phased out several years after the purchase, but the Euer family continues to own and maintain a 40-acre homestead to this day.

From Old Barns to an Official Basecamp
After a year of operating out of the stalls, Tahoe Donner recognized the success of the cross country operations and built an addition to the stables that included warm indoor seating, an enhanced rental and retail shop and a kitchen for preparing and
selling food.

Top: The demolition of the old Cross Country Ski Center in June 2014. Bottom: An aerial view of the Cross Country Ski Center temporary operations and construction of the Alder Creek Adventure Center in December 2014. Photos from the Tahoe Donner archive.

Operating out of this building for the next 30 years, in the fall of 2015, Tahoe Donner unveiled the Alder Creek Adventure Center in the very spot the stables once stood. Designed to fit seamlessly within the natural landscape but offer modern amenities for members and guests enjoying the trails year-round, the new center featured a restaurant and bar with spacious seating and a grand fireplace inside, and an expansive patio overlooking the meadow. In the winter, ACAC would house the Cross Country Ski Center’s operations, including staff offices, ski rentals and retail shops, as well as locker rooms and restrooms. In the summer, the facility would transition to a trailhead for summer adventures and house the association’s Equestrian Center and Bikeworks operations.

Today, ACAC and the Alder Creek Cafe and Trailside Bar remain a cozy and convenient basecamp for winter and summer adventurers, as well as an ideal event space for parties, weddings, corporate meetings, banquets and more. With its warmth and panoramic views, it has become a popular gathering place to convene after exploring the trail system, whether on skis, bikes, foot or horseback. But there are still lingering echoes of the past, whether it’s the old coral just outside, the horseshoe above the double doors to the patio, or even the Western-inspired trail names that remind locals and visitors alike of TDXC’s rustic roots. Glenn, Edith and Peter still love skiing at Tahoe Donner. Peter and Glenn have both come back to work as part of the team and remain passionate about helping TDXC evolve its programs and offerings.

An Innovative Approach With a Community Focus
In its 40-year history, Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Center has endeavored to be on the leading edge of industry innovation. From Glenn first experimenting with dragging creative devices behind snowmobiles and then helping to pioneer the development of an articulated tiller behind a snowcat, to TDXC being the first facility in the region to implement dedicated snowmaking capabilities on its trail system in 2022 and utilizing the Nordic Pulse app and technology to provide real-time grooming data and trail updates in 2024, the center continues to find new ways to enhance the experience for the cross country community.

A snowmaking test in 2020. Photo by Sally Jones.

Beyond its epically designed and groomed trails, the development of new and comprehensive training programs at TDXC remains a top priority. Each year, the center offers programs for skiers of all levels in both classic and skate skiing. From youth P.E. and afterschool programs, one-off lessons and clinics with industry professionals, to four-week sessions, and new this year, season-long sessions, TDXC aims to foster a strong community and instill a lifelong passion for cross country skiing while teaching essential foundational skills.

A kids ski program at TDXC in the 1990s. Photo from the Tahoe Donner Archive.

A kids ski P.E. program at TDXC in early 2024. Photo by Camy Marotta.

THE NEXT 40 YEARS

While it’s been a remarkable 40 years, Tahoe Donner Cross Country Manager Sally Jones has even higher hopes for the future. “The sky is the limit, really. I’m so proud of the center’s history and legacy and the quality we offer today. Many cross country ski areas are an add-on to a downhill resort, but Tahoe Donner recognizes that we have a world-class facility and supports the team’s desire to continually improve it. We love creating meaningful experiences for people who choose to ski here, whether it’s newcomers to the sport or the regulars on trails, and we are always looking for ways to help everyone, from kids and newbies to
elite athletes, reach their goals.

We consistently strive to offer the best conditions and grooming. We are excited about our new PistonBully 400 Snowcat with SnowSAT and improved classic ski track grooming technology that will arrive this fall!”

TDXC looks forward to celebrating its 40th anniversary this winter with events, commemorative items and more. Visit the website for more information on what skiers can look forward to this 2025/26 winter season at tahoedonner.com/xc.