A New York ski area that has been closed for five years after being purchased by a competing resort operator has been sold to a local businessman who plans to bring skiing back to the mountain.
Toggenburg Mountain in Fabius, New York, has been purchased by Douglas Wheeler from Intermountain Management as part of a settlement with the New York Attorney General’s Office. According to the settlement announcement Friday, October 16, Wheeler plans to rebuild the shuttered ski area and reopen it for the 2027-28 winter season.
Intermountain, which also owns nearby Song Mountain and Labrador Mountain, purchased Toggenburg in 2021 and immediately shut it down. The closure eliminated a competing ski area in the Syracuse market, prompting New York Attorney General Letitia James to file an antitrust lawsuit in 2022.
“Competition among Syracuse ski areas means more choices and better prices and services for New York skiers. We’re putting an end to Intermountain’s illegal monopoly that allowed it to raise prices and take advantage of skiers. I am thrilled that New Yorkers will once again have access to Toggenburg Mountain, and I will always fight to protect consumers and workers from illegal monopolies that try to profit at their expense.” –Attorney General James
Antitrust Lawsuit Leads To Sale
In March 2025, a New York judge ruled that Intermountain had violated state antitrust law by purchasing Toggenburg, eliminating competition and establishing an agreement that restricted employee recruitment.
The Attorney General’s Office subsequently pushed for the property to be sold to someone willing to reopen the ski area. Intermountain instead sought approval to sell the property for residential development.
Under the new settlement, Intermountain must sell Toggenburg to Wheeler, pay $30,000 to New York state and refrain from attempting to reacquire the property or enforcing the disputed employee-recruitment agreement for four years.
A Family Connection Dating Back 73 Years
Wheeler has a personal connection to Toggenburg. His family once owned the land that became the ski area, selling it 73 years ago, around the time the mountain first opened in 1953. Wheeler also worked at Toggenburg when he was younger.
Before closing in 2021, Toggenburg operated for 68 years and featured approximately 21 trails, 760 feet of vertical drop, five lifts and night skiing. Reopening will require substantial work after years of inactivity and the removal of some of the mountain’s infrastructure. Specific renovation plans and costs have not yet been announced.
For Central New York skiers, the completed sale represents the most significant progress toward restoring Toggenburg since its closure. If Wheeler’s plans proceed as expected, the mountain could welcome skiers and snowboarders back for the 2027-28 season.
