New Hampshire’s Black Mountain will become a community co-op

New Hampshire’s Black Mountain will open for its 90th season in December with several upgrades and a new plan for the future.

This is in sharp contrast to last October, when the Fisheras, owners since 1995, announced that the historic ski area would close due to staffing shortages and soaring costs. But last season was saved when Indy Pass, which sells ski passes to independently owned and operated ski areas at locations worldwide, stepped in shortly after with resources to keep the mountain open for another year until a buyer could be found.

At a standing-room-only community meeting on Saturday streamed live from Black Mountain’s baselodge, Erik Mogensen, managing director of Indy Pass and CEO of Entabeni Systems, announced that his company will take over ownership with the intention of transitioning the ski area to a community co-op by the 2025/2026 season.

“This place needs to be owned by the people that are in this room. Period,” said Mogensen, to applause.

The mountain, which has a summit elevation of 2,350 feet, offers skiing for all abilities across 140 acres, with 45 trails and five lifts. It has a vertical drop of 1,100 feet and “amazing views of Mount Washington and the valley below,” according to the mountain’s website.

“We want this place to be the soul of skiing,” Mogensen said. “We want to be the best little ski area that’s ever been. And I think we’ve got the team to do that.”

“This is so exciting for us. We are so so thankful and grateful to Erik and his team,” said Allison Fishera, marketing manager. “This has been my father’s life and he has truly put his heart and soul into this establishment and it has meant everything to us.”

Mogensen said the mountain will strive to do its best in every aspect of the business, from snow making to grooming to teaching.

“Just because you’re small doesn’t mean you can’t be great,” Morgensen said.

The mountain will open a new learning area led by a ski school director. There will be ski events, clinics, and new rentals. The bar and restaurant will open later and longer, he said. There will be new technology, more grooming, and more snow making.

“We’re going to make a lot of snow,” he said. “We’re essentially going to double the amount of snow that we made last year.”

Black Mountain will also have a “really strong” uphill culture, he said.

Mogensen said he’s going to preserve what makes the mountain different and unique.

“There’s a lot of people that care about this place,” Mogensen said. “And those are the people who should own it. And those are the people that should be entrusted with its future.”

He pointed out the success of another regional ski area owned by the community: Mad River Glen in Vermont.

Morgensen said he taught skiing since he was 14 years old and grew up on a small mountain like Black Mountain and appreciates its “deep history.”

“This is going into its 90th season. Not a lot of ski areas can say that,” he said.

“We have a responsibility to support these small places and the competition hasn’t always made that easy,” Mogensen said.

It’s difficult to sell a community ski area, said Andy Shepard, a 25-year industry veteran who served as Saddleback Mountain’s CEO and general manager and is now the director of community engagement for Indy Pass.

“If we can do this the way I think we can, this will continue to have Jackson and Black Mountain at the center of the future of the ski industry as well. And that’s really exciting to think about,” Shepard said, to applause.

Mogensen said he’s moving to New Hampshire and will serve as Black Mountain’s general manager for the 2024/2025 season. He announced that Doug Fichera, the owner’s son, will serve as the director of mountain operations.

Black Mountain will open for the season on Dec. 20 and and operate Thursday through Monday until April 6, 2025.