Brownsville, VT – Various news outlets are reporting that there won’t be any skiing or snowboarding at Ascutney Mountain Resort in Brownsville this winter.nWhile details remain sketchy, ski area owner Dan Purjes, who bought out the interest of his partners Steve and Susan Plausteiner last year, reportedly attempted to sell the mountain’s lifts and other equipment this summer to other Vermont ski resorts. When this proved unsuccessful, Purjes advised Orange Lake Resorts, the Florida company that operates the timeshare units at Ascutney, that the ski area will not operate this winter, and may not operate again unless a buyer is found for the resort, according to a report published last month in the Rutland Herald.

The ski area’s own website gave no hint today of a planned closure, indicating that pass prices for 2010-11 would be announced soon. Resort officials could not be reached for comment.

In an odd twist of events, the Herald reported this week that the Plausteiners have filed a lawsuit against Orange Lake Resorts for invasion of privacy over an incident in which company representatives reportedly photographed their residential property in West Windsor, Vt., on which Orange Lake’s attorneys contend resort property — specifically grooming equipment — is being stored.

Various other ski resorts in southern and central Vermont and New Hampshire are said to have offered Ascutney property owners discounted skiing privileges this winter.