For sale: Historic Rainbow Lodge

TRUCKEE - Rainbow Lodge and the surrounding 114 acres are up for grabs with a $7 million price tag.

Rainbow Lodge, a 1920s rustic inn and restaurant tucked away on Donner Summit along the Yuba River, was purchased more than a year ago by Bay area developers Todd Foster and Kirk Syme as part of the sale of Royal Gorge Ski Resort. The sale also included 3,000 acres associated with the resort. The lodge, while separate from Royal Gorge, has been associated with the resort for years.

"It's arguably one of the most charming spots," said Karl Saimre of Truckee River Associates, the local commercial real estate agent who has co-listed Rainbow Lodge. "We hope there's a lot of interest."

Colliers International Hotels, based in San Francisco, is a commercial brokerage firm that co-lists the Rainbow Lodge property. Saimre said the firm will bring expertise in selling the property.

Royal Gorge developers are selling the lodge because they want to place their efforts into the operation of the ski resort and Ice Lakes Lodge and to focus on development plans, said Mike Livak, project manager for Royal Gorge.

The announcement of the sale of Rainbow Lodge came as a bit of a surprise to staff, said Linda Stoddart, reservation manager at Royal Gorge.

"My feeling is that people are sad," Stoddart said.

Vacationers continue to visit Rainbow Lodge year after year for its ambiance, decor, and the historical photographs hanging up in the lodge's bar, Stoddart said. The lodge offers the "isolation from the daily grind that we all have to go through," she said.

Rainbow Lodge was built in the 1920s with local granite and timber. The resort includes 35 guest rooms, a bar, stone fireplaces and an award-winning restaurant.

For prospective buyers, Rainbow Lodge is "for someone who wants to own a part of California history," Saimre said. The property consists of 114 acres, the lodge, restaurant and artesian wells that supply water, he said.

He said the lodge's location off Interstate 80 is an ideal selling point because of its proximity to outdoor recreational activities nearby.

Rainbow Lodge staff is concerned about the possibility of change, but Stoddart said she's open to what may come.

"I think people just have to embrace the future," Stoddart said. "It could be even better."