Schnebelen was a crafty entrepreneur known for brokering several resort deals in France, including the development of Tignes and Megeve. He was looking for opportunities in America.

Hope Valley, which is 15,000 rolling acres, made an immediate impact on the Frenchman. Up high 10,000-foot mountain peaks ring the valley, and there are grassy, well-watered meadows punctuated with graceful aspens. Ranchers have used Hope Valley since earlier times for pasturing their cattle.


"Schnebelen really liked the layout because of the ring of mountains," Klaussen told me. "The valley had every exposure and was close to the casinos in South Lake Tahoe."

Klaussen continued: "At the time there were only 900 residents in Alpine County. Most of the land was privately owned. Between Stevens Peak and Red Lake Peak there was a ridge lined with huge bowls that led right down to the road. And there was good access up the mountains via old mining roads."

For two years Klaussen (who had left Alpine to become a ski-area consultant) surveyed Hope Valley, drawing maps and making reports. Schnebelen hired Klaussen's former Boston roommate, architect Henrik Bull, to conceptualize a dense village, full of tall structures; the village would sit high up in the basin. Bull was already involved at the time in the first phases of the Northstar and Kirkwood developments.


"He wanted me to pattern the village after the new French ski stations where parking was underground and where taller buildings located at the base of big mountains have less impact," recalls Bull. He was (and is) recognized internationally for architectural design, and he had won over 35 major design awards. "The village was to spread over 25 acres with buildings 8-10 stories high, but it was to be out of sight in the valley and from the runs."

Schnebelen envisioned a resort with 12 lifts that could service 6,000 visitors per day. The owner (at the time) of Heavenly Valley, Hugh Killebrew, entered the discussions as a possible partner. However, before the project could move beyond its early stages, the France economy dropped into a recession. In addition, several avalanches proved disastrous at two of Schnebelen's French resorts. Finally, shady dealings in the French entrepreneur's past came to light.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time, a compact, ski-in/ski-out pedestrian village in a corridor that was out of sight, but I'm glad it didn't happen," said Bull later. " I'm glad it never got out of the concept stage. Although the project would have been in scale with Hope Valley's powerful environment, the project still would have disrupted the harmony and appeal of one of the most beautiful areas at Tahoe."