Ski Cabin Frequently Asked Questions
Is there storage at the cabin for ski equipment or do I have take everything home each weekend?
Is the cabin also available during the weekdays if we were to go up sometime during the week?
Are we guaranteed a bed over any guests who are already there?
Couldn't we just have fewer members and a higher bed-to-member ratio?
What's the deal on guests? Are they welcome? How many guests can we bring on a given weekend?
1. Is there storage at the cabin for ski equipment or do I have take everything home each weekend?
One of the key advantages of renting in the Truckee/Tahoe-Donner area is that you can stop in on the way home to The Bay Area, eat a decent meal, shower, drop off your gear, and go home after the traffic has died down. There should be ample space in the garage for ski gear. In addition, most people store a box or bag of extra clothes, ski gear, sheets, towels, toiletries, etc, in a common area like the garage or a hallway closet for the entire season.
Don't worry. In all the years that I've been in ski cabins, nothing has gotten stolen.
The one thing that we need to avoid is people leaving their stuff in bedroom closets during the week when they're not there, because the people who use that bedroom next won't have enough closet space. More importantly, the people in that bedroom don't want to be woken up by somebody who needs to get their sheets and toothbrush out of a box in their bedroom.
Most members "take-over" one shelf of a kitchen cabinet and store their food on it. Of course everybody puts their perishables in the fridge and we have to share condiments so that there aren't 12 jars of mayo in the fridge. Everybody has been reasonable about replacing condiments. There won't be enough room in the fridge for food if everybody stores tons of beer and soda in it, so please store the bulk of your drinks out in the garage or on the back patio.
2. Does the place have a telephone and an answering machine?
Yes, there's a phone and an answering machine. The phone service is set up so that the only way to make a long distance call is with a calling card or a credit card.
3. Is the cabin also available during the weekdays if we were to go up sometime during the week?
The cabin is available anytime during the term of the lease, including weekdays, and you are welcome to use the cabin occasionally during weekdays. Most of us will stay at the cabin for one or two long weekends and a few people might even stay up there for a week once each season. That's fine. We just can't afford the utilities for somebody to LIVE there all week long for a significant portion of the season. We've only budgeted for weekend utility use, expecting that during most weekdays the heat and hot water heater will be turned way down.
4. Which weekends are the most crowded? For example, we'd like to come up around the 30th of December and stay through New Year's. Will everyone get a bed?
The long New Year's weekend and President's Day weekend are HISTORICALLY the most crowded weekends of the year, but then again, they haven't been crowded for the last several years. It's hard to predict.. Typically the cabin gets crowded based on weather, not holidays. If the weather sucks for three weekends and then we get a bluebird powder weekend, there's a good chance that the pent up demand will take its toll. Historically there are about 2-4 weekends when we run out of beds. There's never a guarantee of a bed but judging from the last few seasons, you should be able to get a bedroom on the vast majority of weekends. Also, typically single guys (or married guys who are at the cabin without their wives) will generously volunteer to give up their beds to couples-- often even guest couples. So I can't recall a year when couples members didn't get a bed.
Just in case we have some BIG weekends there will be a mattress and several fold-out futons available in the living rooms for "overflow" sleeping.
As far as members getting beds, it's first-come, first-served. But, for example, if somebody has a sales job that allows them to secure a bed every weekend (at the expense of others) by leaving every Friday at noon, they should give up a bed to other members once in a while. We've never actually had such a problem because everybody works for living, and so consequently, on most weekends there have been empty bedrooms.
5. Are we guaranteed a bed over any guests who are already there?
Yes. Members ALWAYS have priority over guests for beds-even if the guest is already in the bedroom when you arrive and even if they have been staying in that room for several days before you arrive. To avoid any awkward situations (where members have to kick guests out of bedrooms), members should not put their guests into beds (especially on Friday nights) unless the members are SURE that no other members are coming up. Typically members shouldn't put their guests in beds on Fridays before 11:30PM. If you plan to arrive late, it's a good idea to call the cabin and let the other members know that you're coming up so they don't put their guests in beds.
6. Couldn't we just have fewer members and a higher bed-to-member ratio?
Sure-it's just a cost trade-off. It's about $16k to rent a house for the season. At that price, if you want a guaranteed bedroom in a 5 bedroom house that would be about $3200 per couple. But most couples aren't willing to pay that much. The trick is to get enough members to bring down the cost-per-member while still having a reasonable assurance of getting a bed. Obviously we're gambling that not everybody will come up on the same weekend-which is usually the case. We used to have more members but over the years we backed it down to eleven. We've had eleven memberships for several years, and everyone in the cabin seems to agree that it's the right balance.
7. What's the deal on guests? Are they welcome? How many guests can we bring on a given weekend?
Guests are welcome as long as they don't contribute to an over crowded cabin. Please check the ski cabin calendar before bringing up guests to make sure that the cabin won't be crowded. (i.e. A cabin where we run out of beds and more than two guests are on the floor.) For holiday weekends, you may also want to send an email to the other members just to be sure. Enjoy the cabin with your friends. Just make sure that they are signed up on the guest register and make sure that you or the guest pays the appropriate guest fees by the time that they leave. We rely on guest fees to cover unforeseen expenses and to bolster our refunds. It's up to you to bring as many guests as you think is appropriate without interfering with everybody else's right to enjoy the cabin. Typically members bring up just one or two guests on a given weekend. Use common sense.
Guests may not stay at the cabin without a hosting member in attendance.
8. Are there linens?
It varies from year to year. In any event, it's a good idea to bring your own sheets and pillow cases so that you can just store them with your stuff and reuse them. Otherwise you should wash the house sheets before you leave which is a big hassle. (The maid doesn't do laundry.)
9. Are there toiletries, detergents, etc?
Yes. The cabin will be stocked with toilet paper, dishwashing detergent, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent. Feel free to use them.
10. Can I have pets?
No. Pets are forbidden according to the lease.