In the early months of 2022, Pottawattamie Conservation of Pottawattamie County, Iowa spent $3.5 million to acquire the Mt. Crescent Ski Area in Honey Creek, according to 6 News, with $2 million of the acquisition coming from the American Rescue Plan Act. Originally, there was some speculation as to whether or not the land purchased would continue to operate as a ski area, but Pottawattamie Conservation announced on September 6th that the mountain will be operational for the 2022-23 ski season.
“After conducting a marketing analysis and determining what immediate improvements needed to be made, we are happy to announce that Mt. Crescent Ski Area will once again be serving our community as it has since 1960. We know how important this area is to Pottawattamie County and to our neighboring communities and we’re excited to make improvements that residents are asking for and to develop attractive and affordable four-season recreation opportunities.” – Pottawattamie Conservation executive director Mark Shoemaker
With the new ownership of the area comes several improvements, both for the upcoming season and over a more long term period. The ski area will remain open through the afternoon and evenings of certain weekdays, allowing better access for families and working individuals. The mountain will also focus on improving snowmaking and grooming capabilities and while updating front-of-house operations to improve the customer experience.
Long-term improvements will see a new trail system connecting the Mt. Crescent Ski Area to the Hitchcock Nature Center, improvements to the existing ski trails, and a push for four-season recreation on the hill.
Residents of Pottawattamie County will also receive a 25% discount on lift tickets and season passes, making this ski area incredible accessible for locals to the region. Ticket prices are currently yet to be announced, but will be available for purchase on October 1st.
I’ve said this hundreds of times before and I’ll probably say it hundreds of times in the future. Small local ski areas are awesome. They provide some awesome opportunities for accessible recreation, a great place for individuals to give skiing a try without having to spend hundreds of dollars for just a few hours of falling down a mountain, and some overall incredible memories. Good for you Pottawattamie County, keep doing the good work.
Image Credit: Mt. Crescent Ski Area on Instagram