Mars Hill, North Carolina — Rejuvenating a nearly defunct ski resort isn’t easy. Just ask the Hatley Pointe team, who have practically created a new guest experience on the grounds of what used to be known as Wolf Ridge ski resort. Over the span of three years, they had to deal with run-down facilities, the remnants of a hurricane, and traditional ski industry challenges. However, one of the toughest breaks came this past weekend.
Last Friday, Hatley Pointe experienced a mechanical issue with its Quad Chairlift. The bearings to the top bullwheel are broken. This will require a replacement, with Doppelmayr and other lift specialists scheduled to be on site on Friday to conduct the repair. The current prediction is that the lift will remain closed through this upcoming Sunday. This means the majority of the terrain on the mountain will be closed for the next several days.
Seeing that MLK Weekend is one of the most pivotal periods for U.S. ski resorts, this was a tough break for the ski resort.
Potential Replacement
With this is an old lift, a replacement could be on the way. In an episode of the Storm Skiing Podcast from November, Hatley Pointe co-owner Deborah Hatley explained that they’re in discussions with Doppelmayr to add a new high-speed six-pack chairlift. Deb stated in the podcast that they would move the quad to another location to support operations.
The situation does show why ski areas do have redundant lifts. Hatley Pointe did have a redundant lift that served the upper mountain, as a double chairlift had been there since the 1970s. However, the lift hadn’t operated in years before its removal in 2025, and Doppelmayr stated it was toast when the Hatley family bought the place in 2023.
While this is another hurdle for Hatley Pointe, they’ve become pretty good at bouncing back from adversity.
Image/Video Credits: Hatley Pointe, Storm Skiing Journal & Podcast
