Mom-and-pop ski areas.
Mom-and-pop ski areas.

Independent and family-owned ski areas tend to come with their own unique charm, whether it be a crowd of locals where everyone knows each others names, owners or CEOs that are frequently seen around the mountain, or just a general welcoming vibe.

But ski resorts, especially independent resorts, are becoming harder and harder to open, and it’s next to impossible to open a mom-and-pop mountain today. PeakRankings explored the different aspects that have made it so difficult.

@peakrankings

 Families can exit the ski industry, but in today’s world, they can’t really enter. In the mid-20th century, family ownership was self-regenerating. Families sold resorts, but new families founded others. Big Sky, Solitude, and countless smaller areas emerged from entrepreneurial initiatives. That cycle allowed family ownership to persist despite consolidation. Today, that regeneration loop is broken. And the regulatory, financial, and environmental barriers to building a new ski resort are effectively insurmountable. #peakrankings #werankpeaks #skieurope #skivacation #mountains #winter #skitrip #travel #landscape #snowboarding #wintertrip #skiusa #skiingisfun #powder

♬ original sound – PeakRankings

A trend of ski areas growing out of entrepreneurial initiatives, allowing family ownership to grow and persist in the ski world, has since been broken. Regulatory, financial, and environmental barriers that now exist make it near impossible to open a new ski area, especially for smaller organizations.

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Nolan Deck is a writer for Unofficial Networks, covering skiing and outdoor adventure. After growing up and skiing in Maine, he moved to the Denver area for college where he continues to live and work...