Rangeley, ME – Last winter was certainly a frustrating one for Saddleback regulars. Despite assurances from the Berry family, owners of the ski area in far northwestern Maine, the resort’s lifts never carried a single skier. An oft-touted but secretive buyer never materialized, striking a financial blow to the region’s economy that’s largely tied to tourism.
A local non-profit group has now been formed and has stepped forward with the intention of buying and operating Saddleback Mountain as a co-op, similar to the business model in place at Mad River Glen ski area in Vermont where members purchase shares in the ski area and commit to an annual expenditure. The Saddleback Mountain Foundation estimates that they’ll need to raise $20 million over four years to remain a viable entity, with $3 million to $6 million needed to open the mountain for this coming winter.
“A group of committed Saddlebackers, condo owners, and local business owners in the Rangeley region have developed a viable plan to place Saddleback Mountain under a protective non-profit forever,” the group has explained on a SurveyMonkey page dedicated to measuring skier interest in the proposal. “We will turn the Saddleback ski area into a co-operative where individuals, families and local businesses can buy shares and agree to minimum yearly purchases. In turn, those shareholders become partial owners, get voting rights on mountain operations and development, and get benefits at the ski mountain like discounts on mountain services or yearly dividends that can be used for any mountain purchases.”
After acquiring Saddleback in 2003, the Berry family put the ski area on the market in 2012, but no buyer came forward. In July 2015, they announced that they wouldn’t open Saddleback for the 2015-16 ski season unless funding to replace its primary Rangeley double chairlift could be secured. In January, they asked for patience from season passholders as a sale of the ski area was imminent. Since then, however, Saddleback devotees have been met with nothing but silence.
Members of the Saddleback Mountain Foundation say that should they acquire the ski area, they intend to replace the Rangeley lift with a fixed-grip six pack. They also plan to expand the mountain’s glade skiing and update the resort’s base lodge. As of press time, the group’s closed Facebook Page counts 382 members.