Canton, Massachusetts — One of the former owners of Pleasant Mountain is shipping up to Boston’s closest ski area.
Ski Area Management reports that Geoff Homer has acquired the five-year operating lease to operate Blue Hill Ski Area. The previous ownership was LLC Ski Blue Hills Management, which operated Campgaw Mountain in New Jersey. Geoff and his dad, Chet, owned and operated Shawnee Peak (now known as Pleasant Mountain) for 21 years before selling it to Boyne Resorts. Geoff also owns Hirschmann Windows & Doors, a company in Vermont. The General Manager (Molly Gilleece) and Operations Manager (Iwan Fuchs) at Blue Hill Ski Area will stay on board.
“I am humbled and excited to be the next operator of Blue Hills Ski Area,” Homer told Ski Area Management. “A local operator is exactly what this mountain needs to achieve its full potential… Urban ski areas like Blue Hills are vital to the continued success and growth of the industry, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Significant capital improvements are planned for Blue Hills. While unspecified by Homer, they’re aiming to improve the skier experience on and off the piste and expand their year-round activities. Snowmaking will probably be a priority, as they struggled to open last season. A season pass sale will commence in the coming weeks.
Brian Arrigo, who’s the Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner for the State of Massachusetts, described his joy in bringing in this new management team:
“We are excited about this new partnership with Blue Hills Recreation LLC and Geoff Homer. The commitment to enhancing the Blue Hills ski operation, along with the promise of significant capital investments over the next five years, aligns perfectly with our goals of improving and expanding recreational opportunities across Massachusetts. We look forward to this collaboration, which will bring exciting new developments to our community.”
Less than a thirty-minute drive outside of Boston (Google Maps said it was 22 minutes, but I know about Boston traffic, so I’m trying to be as factual as possible), the ski area is situated on the Blue Hills Reservation. This is a Massachusetts state park, so the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation leases the ski area to a private concessionaire. The ski area has fourteen trails, four lifts, a base lodge, and a ski school/rental shop building. The trail names are full of Boston lore, including Fenway, Patriots, Revolution, Tea Party, and The Gah-den. Ultimately, Geoff coming in to operate the ski area sounds like wicked good news for Blue Hills.
Image Credits: Blue Hills Ski Area
