Pearblossom, California — The closest ski resort to Los Angeles has a couple of operational challenges. No snowmaking, a lack of natural snowfall at times, and a road (Angeles Crest Highway) that’s frequently closed when it snows have led to rare openings of Mt. Waterman. This past winter, the ski area operated its lifts for the first time since 2020. After being listed for sale earlier this year, a new group led by Joshua Shelton has stepped up with big plans for the land. However, these ambitions face challenges.
Over the past few weeks, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times have covered the history of Mt. Waterman and the efforts of this new group to make it a successful business. Both are worth reading, but I’ll summarize. The New York Times article detailed the climate challenges Mt. Waterman has faced recently, while the Los Angeles Times piece covered the reaction to the Waterman100, a proposal that would offer a group of members exclusive benefits, including helicopter rides to the mountain when the Angeles Crest Highway is closed due to snow.
Angeles Mountain Partners has big plans to modernize this hidden gem. Some of these projects have already been approved and can be implemented as soon as possible, like adding a tubing hill and mountain biking park, hosting special events, and improving the warming hut and clubhouse. Other projects (snowmaking, glamping, ropes course, and ziplines) have received preliminary approval but need secondary approvals. Long-term projects like an amphitheater, hotel/lodge, and new lifts must go through the U.S. Forest Service approval process.
However, the Waterman100 could face approval challenges. Here’s what Justin Seastrand, who’s the Forest Recreation Manager of Angeles National Forest, said to the Los Angeles Times about the exclusivity plan:
I’m pretty confident we would not allow … any kind of exclusive use.
However, the new operators of Mt. Waterman believe that Seastrand misunderstood their intentions and have been insistent that the public will be able to visit and experience Mt. Waterman year-round, as they say that the club members would help fund needed improvements at the mountain. Angeles Mountain Partners intends to work with the Forest Service to figure out the feasibility of the Waterman 100.
The other challenge regards its climate. Forest fires have nearly reached the ski resort in recent years. As a California ski resort like Sierra-at-Tahoe can tell you, a wildfire can derail mountain operations for a couple of seasons. While I get this level of concern, it’s not like any ski resorts in California are immune from this risk at this point. In addition, the installation of snowmaking equipment would help battle potential forest fires.
Natural snowfall is another challenge. While it does snow at Mt. Waterman, it doesn’t get as much as major California destinations like Mammoth and Palisades Tahoe. The ski resorts of LA did have a great winter two seasons ago, which shows that the crowds can come.
We ended up reaching out to Joshua Shelton for comment regarding their intentions for the mountain. Here was his answer:
We’ve received an unbelievable outpouring of support from the local community – expressing their love for this place, and their excitement about it being available for their families to enjoy year-round. Mt. Waterman is a little bit like the ‘Willy Wonka Factory’ of the CA ski industry – it’s had an incredible past, but its been almost 20 years since most of the general public has experienced it, and they’re excited to open those gates again! While other resorts can support tens of thousands of people on their sites, the current available infrastructure at Mt. Waterman can support hundreds of people daily, not thousands. We like this fact. We like the old community ski hill, and the idea of creating special memories with special friends in a special place. The result by its very nature is a smaller, more intimate experience focused on family & friends, and the pure happiness that comes from simply being in the forest. This is one of the aspects that attracted us to this project, and the opportunity to preserve the small-scale family experience that Mt. Waterman offers it to the public.
The Angeles Mountain Partners are under contract to purchase Mt. Waterman and are currently working on finalizing the deal. They anticipate completing the real estate purchase process, which includes negotiations with the U.S. Forest Service, in the near future. Mt. Waterman hopes to operate this season, but this will be weather dependent, as was the case in winters before. A more full-fledged opening is planned for the 2025-26 season.
Image/Video Credits: Pacific West Business Properties, Inc., Angeles Mountain Partners
