NEVADA – A controversial private ski resort planned for Nevada’s Ruby Mountains is moving closer to reality, with construction underway and Elko County issuing building permits valued at $7.2 million for two chairlifts.
According to a November 4 report from the Elko Daily Free Press, the county issued two permits in October, one valued at $3 million and the other at $4.2 million, for lift installations at a privately owned property along Pleasant Valley Road near Spring Creek. The development is being pursued by businessman Peter Christodoulo, who has spent the past two years working to establish lift serviced skiing on his property in the Ruby Mountains.
The new permits represent a significant step forward for a project that has faced considerable local opposition and multiple rounds of government review. Although the original concept envisioned a public ski resort, the approved development will operate as a private skiing facility.
Plans Call for Up to Five Chairlifts
Christodoulo purchased the roughly 3,000-acre Ruby Mountain Ranch in 2024 with ambitions of establishing a ski resort in one of Nevada’s most impressive mountain ranges. His initial proposal for a public resort failed to secure the necessary zoning approval, leading him to pursue a smaller private operation.
In March 2026, the Elko County Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for a recreational lodge and up to five chairlifts. The development is planned on land adjoining the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, with approximately 1,200 to 1,500 acres considered suitable for skiing.
The proposed chairlifts would carry no more than three passengers per chair, with the initial base-area lift beginning around 7,100 feet above sea level. The layout would eventually provide access to multiple drainages and the higher elevations of the property.
The plans also call for a small lodge with up to five guest rooms, primarily accommodating the owner’s family, friends and invited visitors. Overnight stays would be limited to 28 consecutive days. The development is not currently intended to offer public lift-ticket sales.
A Controversial Project Moves Forward
The project has generated opposition from residents, conservation groups and Indigenous representatives concerned about water use, wildlife, wildfire risks and the environmental consequences of constructing ski infrastructure in the Ruby Mountains.
Following the Planning Commission’s approval, several parties appealed the decision. In May, the Elko County Board of Commissioners upheld the permit in a unanimous 5-0 vote, allowing the project to advance with additional operating conditions.
Those conditions address issues including lighting, noise, building appearance and periodic compliance reviews. The development is also prohibited from operating illuminated night skiing, and chairlifts must be removed if they remain unused for five consecutive years.
The May decision cleared a major regulatory obstacle, although approval did not eliminate the controversy surrounding the development.
Skiing in Nevada’s Ruby Mountains
The Ruby Mountains have long been a destination for backcountry skiing, with rugged alpine terrain, peaks exceeding 10,000 feet and substantial snowfall at higher elevations. Despite their skiing potential, the mountains have never developed the lift-served resort infrastructure found in many other Western mountain ranges.
The terrain has instead attracted experienced backcountry skiers and commercial helicopter skiing operations. Ruby Mountain Heli has operated in the region for decades, providing access to terrain that otherwise requires considerable effort to reach.
The private ski area’s construction marks a notable change for the region, even if the lifts will not initially be available to the general public.
There remains the possibility of broader access in the future. During earlier county proceedings, representatives of the developer indicated that Christodoulo might consider public access if approached by the community. However, no formal plans to open the resort to the public have been announced.
The October permits cover the first two chairlifts of a project authorized for as many as five. No confirmed public opening date has been announced, and the completion schedule for the broader development remains uncertain.
