Neighbor FAQs
What is TubeTahoe?
We are a locally owned and operated snow tubing park located on Highway 50 in Meyers on the Tahoe Paradise Golf Course. Our mission is to provide visitors with an outstanding winter recreational experience that is family friendly and a safe alternative to sledding/tubing in non-designated areas around the community.
We are dedicated to operating in a manner that complies with local standards, protects our beautiful Lake Tahoe environment and does not disturb neighbors near the property. We worked closely with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) to fine-tune our operational plan with that goal in mind.
Does TubeTahoe Comply with the Meyers Area Plan?
The Tahoe Paradise Golf Course is located inside the Meyers Area Plan (MAP) in a recreational area designated for “Day Use.” The MAP was jointly adopted by El Dorado County and the TRPA and serves as zoning for both agencies.
Does TubeTahoe have a permit?
We have obtained a temporary use permit from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) for the 2020/2021 winter season, along with other permits and licenses required by local agencies.
Our goal with the temporary use permit is to test the viability of our business and to demonstrate that we are an asset to the community by operating without disturbing neighbors, driving revenue to other local businesses and helping to reduce the number of visitors sledding in non-designated areas.
When will TubeTahoe be open?
We will open to the public, weather permitting, in late November or early December and remain open until March 31st.
We plan to be open for guests between the hours of 9am and 4pm, Monday through Sunday.
Will TubeTahoe contribute to over tourism in the Tahoe Basin?
As locals, we are acutely aware of the problem of over tourism in the Tahoe Basin. We believe that our business will not attract new visitors, but instead help our community better accommodate visitors in a way that is safe, non-disruptive and beneficial to our local economy.
To verify this belief, we will work with a third party firm throughout the season to collect data from our guests on the primary purpose of their visit to Lake Tahoe.
Will you be renting snowmobiles?
No. We will only offer non-motorized snow tubing.
In the past, other companies have operated a snowmobiling concession at our location. We decided it was in the best interests of our community and our neighbors to discontinue the operation of snowmobiles, opting for a less disruptive and more environmentally friendly recreational alternative.
Will TubeTahoe make snow?
Yes, we will have a small snow making operation, but our goal is to rely on natural snow as much as possible. We expect to make snow only intermittently throughout the season.
Our snowmaking operation consists of two snow guns, a generator and a pump. We will use the well-fed pond near the first fairway as a water source.
Will TubeTahoe make snow all hours of the day and night?
No. When we make snow, our snowmaking will be restricted to the hours between noon and 8pm, with the exception of the week leading up to opening day. During that week we may make snow throughout the day, but all operations will cease at 8pm.
Also, our water source has a limited capacity which will make it impossible for us to make snow for extended periods of time.
How will you make snow without disrupting neighbors?
We worked hard to develop a snow making plan that allows us to operate without disrupting neighbors. The key elements of our noise mitigation plan include:
- Using equipment designed with noise attenuation technology that will allow us to make snow while making the least amount of noise possible.
- Placing snow making equipment will at least 500 feet from any neighboring property line, which we believe is far enough to eliminate significant noise travel.
- Limiting our snow making to the hours of 4-8 pm.
Will you conduct a noise study?
Yes. We will work with the TRPA and a professional third party acoustical consulting firm to conduct a noise study. This will include testing noise levels at various points along our property line while snow making equipment is in use.
During this test, we will have to demonstrate that sound from our equipment falls within allowable Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) limits for the Meyers area, which is 55 CNEL. CNEL is a calculation of the average sound level in decibels produced over a 24 hour period.
What about light pollution?
We will not cause any significant light pollution. Our only use of outdoor lighting is limited to safety lighting for our employees. We will not use lighting to extend our operating hours.
We plan to place two safety lights at the top of the sledding area, which will be pointed downward and have cut-off shields to eliminate any visibility beyond the fenced perimeter of the sledding area. This lighting will allow our employees to work safely between the hours of 4 – 8pm and in the pre-dawn prior to opening.
How will you manage parking?
We have 50 parking spots reserved for our guests in the Holiday Market Parking lot. We will actively manage traffic the following ways:
- Dedicate two trained employees to manage parking each day, wearing appropriate identification, safety gear and reflective vests
- Use temporary fencing to separate our parking spots from the rest of the parking lot
- Leverage a mobile guest paging system to discourage guests from waiting along Highway 50 or other nearby roadways
- Gate off the entry way to our section of the parking lot and wave traffic forward when the lot is full
- Work with officers from the California Highway Patrol to manage traffic during peak periods
- Actively monitor for and turn away guests who park illegally or in non-designated parking spots
What if someone parks illegally on my street and tries to sneak into TubeTahoe?
Only guests who park in our designated parking spots, purchase a ticket and wear a TubeTahoe wristband will be allowed access to the snow tubing hill.
To limit unauthorized access, we will use temporary fencing to mark the boundary of the snow tubing hill, actively monitor guests for wristbands and empower our employees to escort unauthorized guests from the property.
Who can I contact if I’d like to report a disturbance, illegal parking or unauthorized access to the golf course?
We encourage our neighbors to contact the TubeTahoe management team directly to report any issues. Our phone number is (530) 600-2304. To reach us by email, please contact Mark Budgell at mark@tubetahoe.com.
For the local Sheriff’s office, please call: (530) 573-3000
For the local CHP office, please call: (530) 577-1001
For the TRPA, please call: (775) 588-4547
How will TubeTahoe protect its guests and employees from Covid-19?
We are committed to protecting our guests and employees from Covid-19 by following the guidelines and best practices mandated by state and federal agencies.
Our Covid-19 plan consists of, but is not limited to, the following:
- Requiring guests and employees to wear face coverings while indoors and whenever social distancing is not possible
- Limiting the number of guests allowed indoors to purchase tickets and use restrooms
- Implementing social distancing protocols for guests and employees in both indoor and outdoor areas
- Establishing contactless screening at our entrances
- Regularly cleaning and disinfecting tubes, restrooms and other high-touch areas
- Performing health screenings for employees, along with thorough training on our health and safety protocols