By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
JACKSON – As the state’s ski industry gears up for the upcoming winter season, the focus is on snowmaking investment after a rainy past season and an effort to find a new path forward for its oldest ski area.
News came this weekend that Black Mountain is on a trail to become the state’s first community-based, cooperatively owned ski area and is being given a transition season, its 90th, by the operators of the Indy Pass.
It could become among 14 mostly small ski areas in North America whose ownership is held among its skiers, riders and devotees.
The longest and best known example of this co-op approach regionally is Mad River Glen in Vermont, founded in 1995 whose 1,800 individual shareholders pay in $2,000 a share, which represents up to 40 percent of the revenue to operate the small ski area.
One thing that cooperative ownership resorts seem to share is a community-oriented and family-friendly focus, low density on the trails, few frills and few lift lines and some have access to Nordic and backcountry terrain.
Nestled in the Mount Washington Valley, with historic roots to the sport and lots of devoted skiers and riders filling up chalets and condominiums, Black Mountain has had its financial struggles in recent years.
Last fall, the Fichera family, which has operated it the past 30 years, announced the ski area would not open for the 2023-24 season. It was followed quickly by another announcement that Entabeni Systems founder Erik Mogensen, which owns the popular national Indy Pass program which provides pass products for over 200 resorts on three continents, https://www.indyskipass.com/ would operate it for the 2023-24 season.
A community meeting was held on Saturday where the news of the future of the resort for this coming season and beyond was described by members of the Fichera family and Morgensen.
They learned Indy and Entabeni (the Zulu word for “mountain”) Systems have purchased the ski area, the state’s oldest, from the Fichera family.
The plan now is to ensure the ski area is open for the winter beginning in late December and help transition it to a community-operated business model by the start of the 2025/26 season.
Mogensen said small, independent mountains across the country are the past and the future of the sport.
“There are dozens of small ski areas across the country struggling to stay afloat, and we believe this financial model is a viable option for many. For-profit, non-profit, and co-ops – all independent mountains matter,” he said in a statement that was issued following the community meeting, with questions and answers taken Saturday afternoon at the ski area.
He added he will be moving to Jackson this winter to lead the resort’s operation as the general manager throughout the season.
Andy Shepard, recently retired chief executive officer and general manager at Saddleback Mountain in Maine and newly named director of community engagement for the Indy Pass, will assist Mogensen in transitioning the mountain to the co-op model.
Doug Fichera has been named the Director of Mountain Operations.
The resort is scheduled to open to the public on December 20.
It comes at a time when ski areas are beginning to move toward operations again and there has been significant change in leadership and investment in a number of areas.
There are new leaders at Gunstock in Gilford and Cannon Mountain in Franconia Notch and investment mostly in snowmaking in many areas. Robert Drake is taking over at Gunstock for retiring Tom Day and came from work at Middlebury Snowbowl on Aug. 5 and Jace Wirth takes over the helm for John DeVivo at Cannon for this first full winter. Greg Keeler served as an interim general manager at Cannon last winter.
That season was not particularly cold or snowy but the industry made it through using a lot of advanced technology which allows them to make more snow at higher, more marginal temperatures and is more energy efficient.
Ski New Hampshire, the organization that represents most of the state’s ski industry, said there were a total of 2.1 million skier visits last season making it the 14th of 40 years of records.
In a statement issued this week the organization representing over 30 alpine and cross-country resorts said enhancements for this season will include new and renovated buildings; expanded snow making capabilities; new technology, lifts, and equipment; and more.
“Millions of dollars have been invested into New Hampshire ski areas this year. Each investment reflects the resorts’ commitments to provide the best possible conditions and services for their guests and to foster a vibrant skiing culture,” said Jessyca Keeler, president of Ski New Hampshire.
Major capital investments include Gunstock Mountain Resort’s snowmaking expansion on the mountain, widening one trail, and extending and reconfiguring another. Additional plans include expanding a deck for outdoor dining at the Stockade Lodge, and a new Campground and Nordic Skiing Welcome Center, which is currently under construction.
Cranmore Mountain Resort is finishing construction of The Lookout building which now sits parallel to Cranmore’s new Fairbank Lodge at the base of the mountain and has added more snowmaking capacity.
Cranmore’s ski patrol team is getting its own spacious, state-of-the-art facility, more than twice the size of its old one which will feature a small urgent care room with two emergency treatment beds donated by Memorial Hospital.
Like most years, a major portion of this year’s ski area capital investments is going into snowmaking, according to Keeler.
“Newer, more efficient equipment has made a dramatic difference at ski areas, improving snow production and snow quality, particularly in the early season, and at the same time increasing sustainability and reducing energy impact,” said Keeler. “It enables ski areas to open earlier and to stay open even when Mother Nature isn’t producing as much snow as we’d like.”
Those investments are being made at Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln with over 100 new semi-automated snowmaking hydrants being installed on Loon Peak and North Peak and South Peak trails.
With a $100,000 Northern Border Regional Commission grant and matching funds, Whaleback Mountain in Enfield has also purchased and is installing additional snowmaking guns, a water pump and an upgraded electrical supply, effectively doubling its snowmaking capacity.
In Henniker, Pats Peak purchased and installed four new semi-automatic fan guns.
An additional 12 new HKD Impulse snow guns on Downdraft trail will enhance the capability to produce snow even at marginal temperatures.
Mount Sunapee upgraded 20 snow guns with low-e snow guns that will improve snow production, snow quality, and energy efficiency.
At the base of the Mount Washington Auto Road, the Nordic terrain at Great Glen Trails will also get energy-efficient snowmaking, adding power to the top of the tubing hill so that the snow guns will be electric-powered.
Jackson XC has been working to improve its pumping capacity and will be extending its snowmaking to include additional distance on the Wentworth Resort Loops.
This summer, Jackson XC has been rebuilding the Kellogg Trail to make it more weather-resistant and easier to ski by moving it away from an eroding river bank while recontouring it to make it more skier-friendly.
Terrain adjustments on the Ellis River Trail were also made to reduce the amount of climbing and ease some previously challenging curves. Other trailwork was done to improve conditions for the Riverbank Trail, a beginner trail that includes the popular Storybook Path.
The purchase of Black Mountain as it transitions to the co-op model came as welcome news to those who love the ski area.
Few details on the model of the share system, its costs and plan were detailed, but a spokesman said that information will follow.
Mogensen said he aims to shift the resort’s ownership to the community, where anyone can purchase shares, allowing an already passionate community to be a part of the future of this special mountain.
“Thanks to the Fichera Family, Indy Pass is taking over the stewardship of Black Mountain and intends to turn it into an impactful community-run co-op. This sustainable model will keep this historic mountain viable for generations,” said Mogensen.
Black Mountain’s season passes are now on sale at blackmt.com. Purchasers of this year’s season passes will retain the first option to buy shares in the forthcoming co-op.
