The brand new house owners of Burke Mountain immediately acquired a majority stake in Smugglers’ Notch, one other of Vermont’s largest impartial mountains. Below the deal, prior proprietor Invoice Stritzler and his household retain a minority possession stake whereas Bear Den Companions turns into the first proprietor and operator. Bear Den’s chairman, Ken Graham, is a lifelong skier and investor with native ties. Jon Schaefer leads the corporate as CEO. Schaefer additionally runs Berkshire East and Catamount in Western Massachusetts and helped rebuild Hermitage Membership at Haystack Mountain and Bousquet in recent times. “We had been intentional about discovering an operator who actually understands what makes Smuggs particular,” stated Stritzler, who stewarded the mountain for 29 years. “We sought out Bear Den Companions as an fairness associate as a result of they share our perception that this resort is about households, staff, and group, not tendencies or shortcuts. This transition is about continuity and stewardship, and we’re assured Smuggs is in the appropriate fingers.”
Smuggs options unbelievable terrain and a family-friendly vibe but in addition ageing infrastructure. The mountain’s seven Corridor lifts date again to the Nineteen Sixties and ’70s. A number of had been relocated to Smuggs within the ’90s from different mountains as the remainder of the trade modernized. The most important top-to-bottom elevate, Madonna, dates again to 1963 and takes some quarter-hour to trip. In 2023, Stritzler floated a gondola reference to Vail-owned Stowe, a proposal that garnered important environmental opposition. Below this new possession mannequin, much less flashy investments are seemingly. “Smugglers’ Notch will proceed to function with its present tradition, values, and dedication to visitors, staff, and the encircling group,” the brand new house owners famous. “Future investments will probably be focused and collaborative, specializing in core infrastructure, visitor expertise, worker help, and long-term stewardship of the resort.” They particularly cited snowmaking, path and elevate enhancements as near-term priorities. “Longer-term, Bear Den will provoke a full grasp planning course of for elevate, lodging, and base-area modernization whereas preserving the Smuggs identification: genuine, family-focused, and proudly impartial.”
Cross adjustments are additionally seemingly. Berkshire East, Bousquet, Burke and Catamount all take part within the Indy Cross however Smuggs shuns multi-mountain passes fully. No adjustments are deliberate for the present season apart from lodging reductions for passholders of different Bear Den and Schaefer mountains. “Bear Den is evaluating future season cross reciprocity amongst Burke Mountain and now Smuggs to offer added worth with out compromising every mountain’s independence or threatening its comfy carrying capability with unanticipated crowds,” the corporate stated. Future passes may embody Berkshire East and Catamount.
