Lee, Maine — It wasn’t the most surprising news when Mt. Jefferson Ski Area was listed for sale last month.
The ski area’s owner said before the start of the 2025-26 season that if they didn’t have the money, they would shut it down. While they originally claimed that they did well enough to keep going, putting it on the market proved otherwise. The owner, Kevin Zimmerman, told WABI 5 that the ski area isn’t currently financially sustainable.
If it doesn’t sell by the end of the year, they still plan to operate for the winter of 2026-27. From there, the goal would be to convert the mountain into a non-profit, which would allow them to pursue grants to add snowmaking and a chairlift.
The Property
Opened in 1964, Mt. Jefferson Ski Area has served families in Lee and surrounding towns for generations. In 2016, new ownership took over, partly to begin hosting music festivals there. However, those ambitions didn’t work out. The ski area has continued to operate, but has reportedly struggled financially.
Before the last ski season, the owner admitted that if they didn’t make enough money, they would likely shut down the ski operation. However, Mt. Jefferson had a busy season and said it would keep operating. They also said they were in talks to acquire a used chairlift. Recent headlines indicate that the sale process signaled a strategic shift.
The ski area features 10 trails, 3 lifts, and a snow tubing park. Lift tickets are among the most affordable in the region, costing only $30 last season. Its major weakness is the lack of snowmaking, which many New England ski areas rely on to operate. I do wonder whether the fix is the next-door Merrill Pond or the relatively close-by Silver Lake. A small base lodge keeps guests warm during those colder days.
For offseason activities, there’s a nine-hole disc golf course and mountain biking trails. A new owner could add hiking trails, ATV trails, and lodging options.
The owner also runs firewood and lumber kiln businesses on site, creating potential additional cash streams outside of skiing and riding.
Potential For Ski Real Estate
Also worth noting is the potential for slopeside homes on the property. The property has ten ready-to-build slopeside lots, with driveways and cleared areas. Three separate lots have already been sold for housing, with one of the homes being available for purchase. Two additional commercial lots along Lee Road are also part of the sale, providing potential for expansion. If you have the money and the time, this place could make you some money. Not a lot of money, because this is the ski industry, after all.
You can view the listing here. More photos of the property are below.
Stats
- Acres: 152 +/-
- Businesses: Ski area, tubing facility, firewood businesses, lumber kiln operation, and real estate subdivisions.
- Listing Price: $3.499 Million
Image/Video Credits: NextHome Experience, WABI, Mt. Jefferson Ski Area, Google Maps
