Big Moose Township, Maine — This is a follow-up to our story last month about Big Moose Mountain going on the market.
The initial real estate listing had Big Moose Mountain for sale for $27 Million. However, this offering included thousands of acres around the area. Folsom Realty Group, which is the listing agent, has clarified that they are also listing the ski area individually, with an asking price of roughly $6 million.
Priced at $5.95 million, Big Moose Mountain (formerly known as Big Squaw Mountain) has an impressive 1700-foot vertical drop and two operational lifts. Since the current operators use a snowcat to reach the summit, the future owner would need a new lift to reach the full vertical drop.
The $27 million listing includes 3050 acres of additional land, which consists of Fitzgerald Farm, Louis Peak, and over 4 miles of shoreline access on Mountain View Pond. Ultimately, the 4262-acre offering makes this a four-season destination ski resort if the right developer has the time and money. According to News Center Maine, the ski resort has been on the market for a while, but it’s the first time in many years that the other acreage is being offered. A local group is reportedly considering buying the land and conserving the roughly 3000 acres.
The ski area has had a tumultuous history. First opened back in December 1963, many grew to love Big Moose for its narrow trails and incredible views. Various ownership groups came and went before being purchased by James Canfalone in 1995. He didn’t properly invest in the mountain and refused to change the name of the ski area. The upper mountain chairlift suffered a failure in 2004, resulting in the lift closing for good.
Rather than fixing the issues, Confalone allegedly harvested timber to pay off millions in loans. This illegal timber harvesting and failure to maintain the property caused a lawsuit from the state of Maine, which could see Confalone pay more than $4.5 million in damages. In addition, James Confalone has refused to change the name of the mountain, despite most of the country now deeming the word as offensive. However, the non-profit has begun referring to the ski area as Big Moose.
After being closed for a few years, the non-profit Friends of the Mountain bought a lease to operate the ski area in 2012. In recent years, the Friends of the Mountain have been revitalizing the ski resort, including refurbishing the lower mountain triple chairlift and buying a snowcat to restore access to the summit. Work has continued this offseason on restoring the Upper Mountain trail network. In addition, the Moosehead Outdoor Alliance has been growing a mountain biking network.
For years, developer Perry Wiliams wanted to revitalize the property. However, he officially abandoned his plans earlier this year. This means that the Maine ski area is again being offered for sale by owner James Confalone.
This news doesn’t alter Big Moose Mountain’s operational strategy, as they plan to open for the 2024-25 season. Friends of the Mountain’s contract is active through December 2027. Their most recent project is adding new snowmaking pipe that connects to the snowmaking pond, which was damaged by heavy rain last December.
You can view the listing here. More photos of the property are below.
Image/Video Credits: The Folsom Realty Group, North Woods Aerial, NewsCenter Maine, Friends Of The Mountain
