Jackson, New Hampshire — Black Mountain will likely be again for its ninetieth season and may have a brand new proprietor because it transitions into turning into a co-op.
Right this moment, the Indy Move & Entabeni Methods introduced that they’ve acquired Black Mountain from the Fichera household. The Indy Move will personal and function the ski space for the 2024-25 season, with Erik Mogensen, the Managing Director of the Indy Move, turning into the Common Supervisor of Black Mountain. They plan to transition Black Mountain right into a community-operated (co-op) enterprise by the beginning of the 2025-26 season. Andy Shepard, the Director of Neighborhood Engagement for the Indy Move and former CEO & GM of Saddleback, will assist Mogensen transition the ski space right into a co-op.
“Because of the Fichera Household, Indy Move is taking on the stewardship of Black Mountain and intends to show it into an impactful community-run co-op. This sustainable mannequin will maintain this historic mountain viable for generations,” stated Erik Mogensen. “There are dozens of small ski areas throughout the nation struggling to remain afloat, and we imagine this monetary mannequin is a viable choice for a lot of. For-profit, non-profit, and co-ops – all unbiased mountains matter. They’re the previous and the way forward for our sport.”
When Black Mountain turns into a co-op, anyone should buy a share and turn into a part of its possession. That is the possession mannequin used at Mad River Glen in Vermont. Those that buy a 2024-25 Black Mountain season move may have first dibs on shopping for shares within the forthcoming co-op.
First opened in 1936, Black Mountain is New Hampshire’s oldest ski space. Its slender trails, rustic base lodge, fixed-grip lifts, and lack of crowds make it a blast from the previous. Its J-Bar is the oldest overhead cable elevate in the US.
Since 1995, Black Mountain has been owned by the Fichera household. John Fichera and his household saved this unbiased gem open for almost thirty years. Nevertheless, as Fichera famous in an Indy Move documentary, “In Pursuit of Soul,” working a small unbiased ski space is troublesome. On October eleventh, 2023, Black Mountain introduced that resulting from numerous components, it wouldn’t function throughout the 2023-24 season. The Indy Move got here to the rescue, offering assets to assist them open for the 2023-24 season.
“This mountain has been central to our household’s life for 30 years. There is no such thing as a higher associate for a challenge like this than the Indy Move,” stated John Fichera, former proprietor of Black Mountain. “Erik and the crew he has constructed is 100% in. I’ve all the time been a giant believer within the significance of unbiased mountains, and I’m proud that Black Mountain will turn into a group asset for generations to return.”
The Fichera household plans to help the mountain by way of this acquisition and its transition into the co-op mannequin. As well as, Doug Fichera has been named Black’s Director of Mountain Operations.
Black Mountain’s projected opening date is December twentieth.
Picture Credit: Black Mountain
