Spring Creek does not need a private or public ski resort. We do not need to become a Jackson Hole or Park City.
March 19, 2026, the same landowner, that was denied a zoning change in 2024, applied for a conditional use permit to build a private ski resort with five ski lifts for friends and family. Despite heavy opposition at the public meeting, the Elko County Planning and Zoning Commission approved this application with conditions that are in violation of established county codes.
Eight appeals of this decision have been filed with Elko County. The arguments will be heard by the Elko County Commissioners in the near future. We will update this when the agenda and date has been set.
The appeal hearing has been set for Monday, May 11, 2026 at 10:30am, at the Elko County Commissioners Chambers. Please attend as share your thoughts if you're available to do so.
Some issues with this approval - leading to the appeals:
- The Open Space district is intended to preserve rural lands and limit
development intensity. Seasonal recreational use within the district is
described as non-commercial activities that do not require fixed
improvement.
- The approved project includes: Up to five mechanical chair lifts, Associated towers, foundations, terminals, and mechanical systems, Short-term lodging accommodations.
- This infrastructure would require a form of fixed or “permanent" improvement, which is not consistent with a framework that does not allow for recreational uses that would require fixed improvements.
- The project includes short-term lodging offered by reservation to the public,
including platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO. This constitutes a
commercial use that is designed to generate revenue.
- The Open Space district emphasizes non-commercial recreational activities. The combination of lodging and lift-served recreation reflects a destination-style commercial operation rather than incidental or low-intensity use.
Additional concerns:
- Water usage. With continued droughts and multiple years in between heavy snow falls, our water resource continues to decrease. Wells around the valley are drying up, and residential water restrictions lead to concern for what our ground water availability really looks like.
- Developers claim they will not be making snow, but a ski resort without snow is not profitable. Private or not.
- Concerns that this development will not stop here and will lead to residents being priced out with higher taxes, and utility rates.
- This same landowner has been approved for a zoning change for a parcel that backs up to the Spring Creek Association fence line in Palace Heights. His intention is to subdivide and build high end homes.
- Disregard for the opposition at the public meeting, leading many to believe that the voice of the majority is no longer a higher consideration over personal interest. Those that showed up or submitted a statement were still 45 against to 19 for.
- Numbers from the meeting that led to the zoning change denial in 2024; in person statements; 35 against to 17 for. An additional 1300 signatures in opposition with an online petition were collected as well.
Beyond preserving the mountain views and the habitat for the wildlife that call it home, those in opposition to this development have nothing to gain. We simply wish to keep Spring Creek the residential community it is, the Rubies as untouched as possible, and the critical resources from frivolous use.
Property details:
This parcel extends to 9,455 feet in elevation, virtually to the top of the face of the Rubies. Open Space
District (OS) to an Agricultural-Recreational District (A), for the
2296.22-acre parcel owned by Ruby Mountain Ranch Holdings, LLC, adjacent
to the Spring Creek Campground.
Open Space Designation: The open space exclusive district is intended to provide protection for agricultural areas from urban development of residential subdivisions, and to serve as an open space area around the more intensive urban uses of the county of Elko. Noncommercial seasonal recreation activities not requiring fixed improvements including hunting, fishing, camping, horseback riding, ball games, archery, picnicking, snowmobiling, skiing and similar uses allowed. (Ord. 1975-A, 3-5-1975, eff. 4-1-1975). https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/elkocountynv...
All signatures are in opposition of this development and conditional use approval.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
April 18, 2026
Reached 100 supporters
April 14, 2026
517 Comments
This change of the face of the Rubies into a private ski hill cannot be allowed to happen. It will be an eyesore, hurt ranching and irrigation, harm wildlife, and negatively affect the people of Spring Creek, Lamoille, and Elko. Please do not allow this to happen.
Please keep the Rubies undeveloped. The Planning Commission basically denied this application in 2024. By approving the misguided 2026 application, they are giving the applicant a backdoor to build what the Commission denied in 2024. Please override the 2026 approval.
Facts over feelings: there is not enough water for ski resort. That’s all that matters. It doesn’t matter how cool it would be to have a ski resort here. There is not enough water. Please don’t shortchange the existing residents of Spring Creek and Lamoille.
We are opposed to this development. The impact will have detrimental consequences on the wildlife and the surrounding agricultural entities that have been there for generations. Not to mention fire potential and water issues.
I’m right in line with this area. 326 crowbar. We are already low on water. Having to drill another well probably this year. It’s going to be a shame to see all the new traffic problems in this already small rural area. No no no
Hello, I grew up in the community, all through middle school and high school there was passion found in being able to freely travel the land that was not owned by ranchers or reservation land. There were many valuable lessons learned in being prepared for the weather and struggles life can often throw at us. I now live in Idaho but often have to work in Jackson, WY and Teton Village, WY. I can assure you, the people of the community I grew up in, do not want to become a community as such. Most of the people living in the town are working in mines and ranching where there is so much beauty in the land around but due to it being privately owned by the companies they are restricted from hiking, backpacking, camping, hunting, and fishing in those areas. The economic changes that could happen are not worth changing the passion in the small community. In Jackson and Teton it costs over $20 for a burger, is this really what you want for this community? The mountains the companies and private land has taken for the ski slopes in Jackson Hole area would cover over half of the range of the Ruby Mountains. That would ruin a large amount of the already existing opportunities the Ruby Mountains have to offer, and it would make it so the people of the community are charged an admission fee to do what they already can do for just the cost of the gear. I urge you to think about the people of the community and the values the nature in the community wants to encourage rather than the values a dollar bill can encourage. Thank you
It's nature we cant afford to lose
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Spring Creek does not need a private or public ski resort. We do not need to become a Jackson Hole or Park City.
March 19, 2026, the same landowner, that was denied a zoning change in 2024, applied for a conditional use permit to build a private ski resort with five ski lifts for friends and family. Despite heavy opposition at the public meeting, the Elko County Planning and Zoning Commission approved this application with conditions that are in violation of established county codes.
Eight appeals of this decision have been filed with Elko County. The arguments will be heard by the Elko County Commissioners in the near future. We will update this when the agenda and date has been set.
The appeal hearing has been set for Monday, May 11, 2026 at 10:30am, at the Elko County Commissioners Chambers. Please attend as share your thoughts if you're available to do so.
Some issues with this approval - leading to the appeals:
- The Open Space district is intended to preserve rural lands and limit
development intensity. Seasonal recreational use within the district is
described as non-commercial activities that do not require fixed
improvement.
- The approved project includes: Up to five mechanical chair lifts, Associated towers, foundations, terminals, and mechanical systems, Short-term lodging accommodations.
- This infrastructure would require a form of fixed or “permanent" improvement, which is not consistent with a framework that does not allow for recreational uses that would require fixed improvements.
- The project includes short-term lodging offered by reservation to the public,
including platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO. This constitutes a
commercial use that is designed to generate revenue.
- The Open Space district emphasizes non-commercial recreational activities. The combination of lodging and lift-served recreation reflects a destination-style commercial operation rather than incidental or low-intensity use.
Additional concerns:
- Water usage. With continued droughts and multiple years in between heavy snow falls, our water resource continues to decrease. Wells around the valley are drying up, and residential water restrictions lead to concern for what our ground water availability really looks like.
- Developers claim they will not be making snow, but a ski resort without snow is not profitable. Private or not.
- Concerns that this development will not stop here and will lead to residents being priced out with higher taxes, and utility rates.
- This same landowner has been approved for a zoning change for a parcel that backs up to the Spring Creek Association fence line in Palace Heights. His intention is to subdivide and build high end homes.
- Disregard for the opposition at the public meeting, leading many to believe that the voice of the majority is no longer a higher consideration over personal interest. Those that showed up or submitted a statement were still 45 against to 19 for.
- Numbers from the meeting that led to the zoning change denial in 2024; in person statements; 35 against to 17 for. An additional 1300 signatures in opposition with an online petition were collected as well.
Beyond preserving the mountain views and the habitat for the wildlife that call it home, those in opposition to this development have nothing to gain. We simply wish to keep Spring Creek the residential community it is, the Rubies as untouched as possible, and the critical resources from frivolous use.
Property details:
This parcel extends to 9,455 feet in elevation, virtually to the top of the face of the Rubies. Open Space
District (OS) to an Agricultural-Recreational District (A), for the
2296.22-acre parcel owned by Ruby Mountain Ranch Holdings, LLC, adjacent
to the Spring Creek Campground.
Open Space Designation: The open space exclusive district is intended to provide protection for agricultural areas from urban development of residential subdivisions, and to serve as an open space area around the more intensive urban uses of the county of Elko. Noncommercial seasonal recreation activities not requiring fixed improvements including hunting, fishing, camping, horseback riding, ball games, archery, picnicking, snowmobiling, skiing and similar uses allowed. (Ord. 1975-A, 3-5-1975, eff. 4-1-1975). https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/elkocountynv...
All signatures are in opposition of this development and conditional use approval.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
April 18, 2026
Reached 100 supporters
April 14, 2026
517 Comments
my family has rich history with the Ruby’s and the surrounding areas for over a hundred years. this would be absolutely devastating if it were approved. this is one a monumental piece of nevada’s scenery, and wildlife habitat.
This change of the face of the Rubies into a private ski hill cannot be allowed to happen. It will be an eyesore, hurt ranching and irrigation, harm wildlife, and negatively affect the people of Spring Creek, Lamoille, and Elko. Please do not allow this to happen.
Please keep the Rubies undeveloped. The Planning Commission basically denied this application in 2024. By approving the misguided 2026 application, they are giving the applicant a backdoor to build what the Commission denied in 2024. Please override the 2026 approval.
Facts over feelings: there is not enough water for ski resort. That’s all that matters. It doesn’t matter how cool it would be to have a ski resort here. There is not enough water. Please don’t shortchange the existing residents of Spring Creek and Lamoille.
We are opposed to this development. The impact will have detrimental consequences on the wildlife and the surrounding agricultural entities that have been there for generations. Not to mention fire potential and water issues.
I’m right in line with this area. 326 crowbar. We are already low on water. Having to drill another well probably this year. It’s going to be a shame to see all the new traffic problems in this already small rural area. No no no
Hello, I grew up in the community, all through middle school and high school there was passion found in being able to freely travel the land that was not owned by ranchers or reservation land. There were many valuable lessons learned in being prepared for the weather and struggles life can often throw at us. I now live in Idaho but often have to work in Jackson, WY and Teton Village, WY. I can assure you, the people of the community I grew up in, do not want to become a community as such. Most of the people living in the town are working in mines and ranching where there is so much beauty in the land around but due to it being privately owned by the companies they are restricted from hiking, backpacking, camping, hunting, and fishing in those areas. The economic changes that could happen are not worth changing the passion in the small community. In Jackson and Teton it costs over $20 for a burger, is this really what you want for this community? The mountains the companies and private land has taken for the ski slopes in Jackson Hole area would cover over half of the range of the Ruby Mountains. That would ruin a large amount of the already existing opportunities the Ruby Mountains have to offer, and it would make it so the people of the community are charged an admission fee to do what they already can do for just the cost of the gear. I urge you to think about the people of the community and the values the nature in the community wants to encourage rather than the values a dollar bill can encourage. Thank you
It's nature we cant afford to lose
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my family has rich history with the Ruby’s and the surrounding areas for over a hundred years. this would be absolutely devastating if it were approved. this is one a monumental piece of nevada’s scenery, and wildlife habitat.