For over 70 years the community has made Sky Tavern happen through their efforts and love of the sport. Sky Tavern is a CO-OP staffed by you! All the adults contribute a few hours a weekend as the staff of a ski area for kids. Kids learn to ski and ride, adults have fun too!
We are a training area, so you will not find tourists here.Announcement >>> —Sky Tavern
Scroll down this page to read more about Sky Tavern Mtn Bike Program...
Sky Tavern boasts a rich and colorful history, one that includes appearances by many Hollywood movie stars, prominent sports celebrities, and some of the most noted contributors to U.S. ski history. In the years after World War II and during the early 1950s, Sky Tavern basked in the spotlight as a chic, intimate resort patronized by some of the most famous personalities of the day. Contemporary celebrities like actors Rita Hayworth, Ingrid Bergman, Robert Stack, Gary Cooper, baseball legend Joe DiMaggio and others all found the Tavern experience exhilarating.
The Sky Tavern's on-going Junior Ski Program was first established in 1948 when local skier and schoolteacher, Marce Herz, approached the original owners Keston and Carlisle Ramsey with the idea of reducing lift prices for schoolchildren and teaching them how to ski.
Herz, who went on to win the Nevada state ski championship in combined slalom and downhill in 1950, fervently believed that sports were good for everyone, but especially for children. Herz wanted to offer school kids the thrill and excitement of sliding down a mountain. Starting with six students, the innovative ski program Herz initiated has taught tens of thousands of children for over seven decades.
In 1991 the City of Reno decided that it could no longer run the Sky Tavern Ski Program. A group of dedicated parents came together and formed the current non-profit orginazation that not only manages the program but maintains the Sky Tavern Area all year round to which benifits thousands of kids and families today.
Keston & Carlisle Ramsey
Sky Tavern Lodge
The Early Years
The Winter
The ultimate goal of Sky Tavern is to get kids and families outside together, learning, sharing and enjoying a sport for life.
The Summer
In addition to the development of Sky Tavern cycling infrastructure, we are focused on our connector trail to the Tamarack Lake Connector (TLT) from the Sky Tavern base area.
The Lodge
Located on the Mt. Rose Highway, 30 minutes from Reno is the oldest non-profit ski and snowboard training facility in America. Rich with history and charm, since 1948, the lodge is fully functional and able to provide the most memerable experiences.
Sky Tavern is a nonprofit regional center providing exceptional summer and winter outdoor sports training, recreation, competitions and events, accessible to all.
Sky Tavern is a community asset that promotes a child's growth & success through exposure to outdoor sports and recreation, no matter the personal challenges.
