Join the Oakland Ski Club!
Membership in the Oakland Ski Club offers a special opportunity to enjoy the friendship of people with a strong common interest in snow sports, hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities. Members also get together at meetings and special events held throughout the year both at OSC Donner Lodge and in various places in the Bay Area.
Why the Oakland Ski Club?
Great question! The Oakland Ski Club is unique among all of the Tahoe ski clubs in several ways.
First – Our Location
Perhaps the most important is the OSC Donner Lodge. The lodge was built in the early 1940s and was designed by the same architect who designed Sugar Bowl’s lodge. It is by far the nicest ski club lodge in the Donner Lake area. Also, the lodge provides incredible convenience. We are literally a stone’s throw from Sugar Bowl and only a short drive to the other Tahoe ski areas.
Second – The Food
Another great perk to Oakland Ski Club members is the food. Our onsite caretaker makes amazing meals during the ski-season for members and guests. Hot breakfasts, delicious aprés-ski snacks, and mouth-watering dinners are all included in the price. To check out some of our menus visit the food page.
Our annual New and Prospective member’s Weekend is usually held in late October.
Ok, I am definitely interested, what’s the next step??
Great! Drop us an email via the form below and our Membership Director (Vicki) will get back to you promptly! An outline of the process follows the form.
Membership process
The main parts of the application process are:
1. Correspond with the Membership Director, who will be happy to answer basic questions.
2. If you and she think it a good idea to go forward, fill out Part 1 of the membership application she sends you, and the Waiver.
3. Visit the club to find out if the Lodge routine works for you, and get to know some members.
There are two ways to fulfillment visit requirements:
3.1 Make two visits to the Lodge during the winter.
3.2 Make one winter visit and attend two social events.
4. As you meet members and members meet you, fill out part 2 of the application. This includes securing two “sponsors.”
5. Submit your completed application for consideration by the Board of Directors.
The Board meets monthly, but we can expedite the application if necessary.
6. Receive an invitation for membership.
7. Accept the invitation, agreeing to ongoing membership responsibilities:
A one-time fee to become a member.
Annual dues, the costs for which vary by age.
Adult members are required to participate in at least one “work party” during the summer. (Work parties are weekend events that mix Lodge maintenance and preparing for winter with a lot of fun.)
After a few years in the club, we encourage members to volunteer for one of the club management roles.
The process can take less than a month if you are diligent.
Some prospective members take as long as two years, depending on how much snow falls and their level of involvement in snow sports.
Our goal is for the current membership to find like-minded “new blood” who appreciate what our club offers, and for prospective members to determine if the Lodge works for you as “your home in the mountains.”