“A lot of resorts bill themselves as four seasons, but there isn’t a whole lot to do during the spring and summers. With Tamarack, it really is,” says Tamarack Resort Managing Partner Gabriel Navarro.
Promoting itself as America’s only ski, golf and lake resort, Tamarack has undergone a renaissance since Garbriel, his brother Marcel Navarro and brother-in-law Martin Pico took full control in 2021 under their company, MMG Equity Partners.
Located north of Boise, the resort now offers a private Club at Tamarack, ski-in/ski-out condominiums, seven spots for food and drinks plus a hearty schedule of programming and events.
Renowned as a top-tier ski resort, it features 2,800 vertical feet of skiable terrain spread over 1,530 acres, with runs and trails suitable for beginners and seasoned pros alike. In warmer months, Tamarack Resort transforms into a haven for outdoor enthusiasts with mountain biking trails, hiking paths, ziplining, whitewater rafting, marina with boat and watercraft rentals and a 19-hole championship golf course that showcases expansive views of Lake Cascade, breathtaking mountains and lush meadows.
The resort offers an array of vacation rentals, including luxury estate homes, alpine chalets, Village or Lodge condominiums and mountainside cabins. Beyond outdoor adventures, Tamarack delights guests with fine dining options featuring locally inspired cuisine, relaxing spa services and a variety of lake activities such as kayaking, paddle-boarding, wake surfing, e-foiling and fishing.
But while Tamarack is thriving now, it previously was vacated when previous owners went bankrupt in 2008.
Gabriel says, “Although the resort had been sealed off for 10 years, it looked as if the construction workers had walked off the job just yesterday. Hammers, screwdrivers, the plans on the tables. So, the first visit was an interesting one.”
The Florida-based MMG had become a player in the ski resort space after acquiring a portfolio of commercial properties (Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Mammoth in California, Copper in Colorado, Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia, and Stratton Mountain Resort in Vermont). When the Tamarack opportunity came around, MMG partnered with other firms and created Tamarack Resort Holdings to acquire the resort.
“The first few years were challenging, having been a failed ski resort,” Gabriel says. “Many wondered, ‘Was this new owner going to do what they say they are going to do?’”
“Eighteen months later, we had worked through all of the pieces to be able to put Humpty Dumpty back together,” he adds. “My second trip out there, the family went out with me. It was neat, just walking them through the Village and laying out the vision, and then for them to go back two years later and see it complete. But again, we had the confidence, with the right partners and with the original general contractor on board, to finish what was the original master plan.”
Recovery steps included aspects such as reinstalling the Wildwood Lift in 2019, which had been repossessed and removed in 2012.
“We're now focused on delivering a new meaningful amenity each year, which further elevates the resort. Six years later, having invested over $200 million in the resort, that skepticism is no longer there. Tamarack 2.0 is thriving," he vows.
Construction started on a 100-slip marina on Lake Cascade in August, plans are underway for a hotel and clubhouse over the next few years and new real estate and communities are coming online each year. Gabriel states, "Every year, we'll continue to deliver a transformational addition to the resort. We've accomplished a lot in the last five years, but I'm equally excited as to what we'll do in the next 10.”