Mad River Glen ski area has purchased more than 1,000 acres of surrounding land that it plans to conserve and maintain for backcountry use.
The cooperatively owned ski area closed the $2.5 million deal Tuesday, according to Matt Lillard, general manager of the resort. Famous for its single person chairlift and skier-only exclusivity, the Fayston ski area is the only cooperatively owned downhill ski resort in the state — and one of few in the country.
Adding onto the resort’s 700 acres, the purchase more than doubles the land owned by the cooperative.
The ski area funded the purchase by crowdsourcing, announcing last month that it raised about $2.8 million. The resort does not plan on developing the land, and will apply the additional funds to stewarding the land, Lillard said.
“We will be putting the land in conservation with a focus on recreation and backcountry skiing. We’re not looking to develop it in any way,” Lillard said.
The resort doesn’t plan on expanding its ski trails on the new plot of land, he said. Instead, it plans on working with other organizations, such as the Green Mountain Club and the Catamount Trail Association, to consider how it might utilize the area.
The 1,100 acres sit adjacent to the current bounds of the ski area. Most of the parcel lies between the resort and Route 17 off to the east, while a small piece sits north of the resort, just across Route 17.
Mad River became a cooperative in 1995 under the guidance of longtime owner Betsy Pratt, a visionary who died in March 2023. Pratt previously owned the 1,100 acre parcel as well. And since selling the resort to the cooperative, the Mad River Corporation — which is mostly run by Pratt’s family — has maintained ownership over the land, Lillard said.
The Lyme Timber Company, which also planned on conserving the parcel, put in a $2.5 million offer to buy the land from the Mad River Corporation. But the cooperative had the right to give a counter offer in response to any bids on the property.
The co-op, which consists of 2,500 shareholders, voted in favor of purchasing the land earlier this month, according to the resort’s website. And with the crowdsourced funds, it was able to close the deal.
