Cody, Wyoming — One of Wyoming’s most historic ski areas hasn’t operated for the past three winters. However, a new partner could be coming to save it.
Sleeping Giant Ski Area & Zipline won’t open this winter, as it’s been on the market for the past few years. Nick Piazza, who has been the owner since 2020, stated that they need to be open by Christmas to make a profit. That hasn’t been possible the past few years due to a lack of snow and warm temperatures.
In an interview with the Cody Enterprise in December, Piazza noted that talks are underway with a company that runs similar businesses in Colorado and New Mexico. Reportedly, 45-50 parties were interested, but the number was narrowed to three to engage in serious talks. This one party checked the boxes for success there.
“The group is well-financed…The company has visited the mountain three times and is excited about it,” said Piazza.
Nick Piazza’s Tenure
Opened back in 1936, the Giant features 49 trails, 3 lifts, and a vertical drop of around 800 feet. Piazza’s tenure as owner brought various changes to the ski area, many of which were necessary and will be valued by the potential new ownership. This included new ski trails, snow tubing, a yurt, and the installation of lights for night skiing. Piazza also offered work to Ukrainians who were impacted by the country’s war.
Ultimately, he pointed to increased expenses (inflation), subpar business efficiency, and a lack of summer activities outside of ziplining as the main reasons it shut down in 2023. A 2024 flood also didn’t help.
Forest Service Meeting
The latest update comes from the Billings Gazette, which reports that the U.S. Forest Service plans to hold a meeting on February 9th at the local Wyoming Game and Fish office. The prospective buyers were mentioned again, but not specifically named.
We did end up reaching out to the owner of Sleeping Giant, who informed us that they still can’t disclose the potential buyer’s identity. Work continues to finalize the deal, which also requires approval from the Forest Service.
Image/Video Credits: Sleeping Giant Ski Area & Zipline
