When you think of private ski clubs, sprawling resorts in the Rocky Mountains might come to mind, but North America’s largest private ski club is actually located in western New York. HoliMont, situated just outside the village of Ellicottville, has been operating for more than six decades and now boasts a membership of more than 4,000 people.
The club features 55 trails, eight lifts, approximately 135 skiable acres and 700 feet of vertical drop. HoliMont receives an average of 180 inches of natural snowfall annually and has snowmaking coverage across its entire trail network.
Despite its private status, HoliMont has an interesting arrangement that separates it from many other members-only ski areas. While weekends and designated holidays are reserved for members and their guests, the mountain opens to the general public on weekdays, meaning anyone can purchase a lift ticket and experience North America’s largest private ski club without becoming a member.
More Than 60 Years of Private Skiing
HoliMont’s history dates back to the early 1960s, when local skier William Merk decided to establish a private ski club in the hills surrounding Ellicottville.
Inspired by the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, Merk had spent years skiing throughout the region before securing options on property along Route 242 in 1961. The first trail was cut that year, followed by seven additional trails in 1962, which marked the club’s inaugural season.
In those early days, skiers were transported uphill on a makeshift sled pulled by a Tucker Sno-Cat. Chairlifts and additional terrain were gradually introduced as membership grew, particularly during the 1970s and 1980s.
Today, HoliMont operates as a year-round recreational club, with skiing and snowboarding in winter and activities including lift-served mountain biking, hiking and disc golf during the warmer months.
The resort’s private membership model is built around providing a family-oriented skiing experience with relatively short lift lines, extensive snowmaking and access to a close-knit mountain community.
You Don’t Need a Membership to Ski HoliMont
One of the most interesting aspects of HoliMont is that the mountain isn’t completely closed to outsiders.
According to the resort’s public access policy, nonmembers can ski and snowboard Monday through Friday, excluding Christmas week, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day. During those days, visitors have access to the same open slopes and lifts used by club members, along with rental equipment, lessons and dining facilities.
For the 2026-27 season, regular adult weekday lift tickets cost $103, while junior tickets for ages 7 to 11 cost $82. Children 6 and younger ski free.
HoliMont also offers discounted Weekday Experience Packs for visitors who want to return multiple times during the season.
A five-day package costs $420, equivalent to $84 per day, while a 10-day package costs $650, bringing the daily rate down to $65. The packages allow visitors to spread their ski days across eligible weekdays rather than requiring consecutive visits.
The arrangement gives nonmembers access to the mountain without paying the initiation fees and annual dues associated with private membership.
What Does Membership Cost?
Joining HoliMont is a considerably larger financial commitment than purchasing weekday lift tickets.
The club’s published membership information lists one-time full membership initiation fees of $27,500 for those ages 40 and older, $22,000 for ages 21 to 39 and $13,000 for those ages 60 and older. Those figures come from the club’s posted 2025-26 membership schedule, so prospective members should confirm current pricing directly with HoliMont.
Trial memberships are also available for families interested in experiencing the club before committing to full membership.
Members receive access throughout the winter, including exclusive weekend and holiday skiing, as well as summer recreational activities, special events and other club benefits.
The club’s location also plays an important role in its appeal. Ellicottville is approximately 50 miles south of Buffalo and attracts skiers from western New York, Pennsylvania and southern Ontario.
Preparing for Another Winter
HoliMont has been investing in its mountain infrastructure ahead of the 2026-27 season, including approximately $750,000 in resort improvements involving snowmaking equipment and mountain bike trails.
Recent work includes new snowmaking pipelines, electrical infrastructure and improvements intended to increase pumping capacity. The upgrades should help the resort take better advantage of cold temperatures when snowmaking conditions arrive.
While HoliMont doesn’t have the acreage or vertical drop of North America’s biggest destination resorts, its combination of private-club skiing, extensive snowmaking and weekday public access has helped it remain a fixture of the western New York skiing community for more than 60 years.
And for anyone curious about experiencing North America’s largest private ski club, there’s no need to commit to a membership. Just plan your visit for a weekday.
