Golf course communities usually bring to mind places like Palm Springs, California, or Scottsdale, Arizona, where the desert plays a starring role. Gray’s Crossing in California’s Lake Tahoe area trades the desert for the Sierra Nevada mountain range, adding more than just golf to the lifestyle mix.
The neighborhood is made up of mountain homes in private, woodsy settings with easy access to the outdoors and a downtown area. For example, the home at 11478 Hennessy Road in Truckee, offers views of pine trees and slopes as well as the 10th and 11th greens of the 18-hole golf course designed by Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy.
The 4,009-square-foot home with a natural wood facade sits on almost one acre, the largest lot size in Gray’s Crossing. “It’s as secluded as it looks,” listing agent Fancy Rutherford says. It was built in 2016 and has four bedrooms, five bathrooms and an open-plan design.
The vaulted ceiling and stone fireplace in the living room create a spacious yet intimate place to gather and check out the mountain scenery. The room is adjacent to the dining area and kitchen, designed with custom cabinets, Monogram appliances and a center island with seating for casual dining.
Two bedrooms on the main level and two bedrooms on the upper floor feature vaulted ceilings that bring in natural light. Other rooms include a media room, office space, bar and walk-in wine closet.
The home’s outdoor spaces capitalize on the mountain setting, with patios and a backyard designed for indoor/outdoor entertaining. There’s an outdoor kitchen, TV, gas fireplace, firepit and eight-person hot tub sunken into the patio level. “The patio spans the entire back side of the house,” Rutherford says.
In addition to the golf course, Gray’s Crossing residents have access to a fitness center, swimming pool and the local hangout, PJ’s, an outdoor restaurant known for great sunset views. The house also is close to downtown Truckee, a town of less than 20,000 residents and known as the “gateway to the Sierra Nevadas.”
Rutherford, an accomplished snowboarder who leads boarding trips around the world, points to popular winter and summer activities available nearby. In winter, residents can ski and snowboard at Northstar and Palisades Tahoe resorts, about 15 minutes away. In summer, there’s hiking and mountain biking on local trails as well as nearby Donner Memorial State Park and kayaking at Prosser Creek Reservoir and Lake Tahoe.
Who would this home suit? “I personally think the house is designed for full-time family residency,” Rutherford says, noting the home is located in the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District. There’s also a private academy nearby.
The home is on the market for $3.595 million. The listing agent is Fancy Rutherford of Tahoe Mountain Realty.