Letter from the GM- Show me, don't tell me.

Bringing Black Mountain back to life has been no easy task. While we still have lots of work in front of us, we are crossing an important threshold on Tuesday.

Between now and then we are set up for a remarkable MLK Holiday Weekend and the team is holding nothing back. We will show you that we value your time and the choice to be at Black Mountain, not just tell you that we do.

All 5 lifts will run Friday to Monday. On Saturday and Sunday the Summit Double will spin an extra hour till 5:00 pm, giving you more time on the hill. On Saturday and Sunday at noon we will briefly close Jackson Standard and deploy the groomer for a full midday re-groom of that signature trail, meaning everyone can get a second round of fresh corduroy. We are nowhere near done making snow. The glacier is growing.

We have 100% of our snowmaking terrain open with a deep base and playful routes across all areas of the mountain. Roller Coaster, which has not opened with snowmaking in over 30 years, makes its debut with a ribbon cutting at 10:30 am. Both sides of the historic J-Bar are open, and a new way to ski back to the double makes accessing that area much easier. We have been saving some of our natural trails for this long weekend. Be ready for a few surprise openings.

The Alpine Cabin will be going nonstop, starting with our famous Veuve Mimosas and breakfast burritos. It will then quickly transition to fondue, champagne, and the much-anticipated return of our DJ on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 - 3:30. Those of you who don’t want to do the downhill part can ride the triple chair to the Alpine Cabin with a $10 foot traffic ticket.

Friday Night Lights keeps the party going each night on Friday, AND Saturday, AND Sunday from 5:30-8. We still have a bit of uphill equipment left to rent, but make sure you pre-purchase. We expect to sell out of sizes soon. Anyone else with normal downhill equipment can ski or ride in the evenings by booking a seat on our snowcat. Passengers without gear are welcome to ride both up and down with a single booking. Seats are already 80% sold out.

The base lodge has no less than 14 different acts playing this weekend. With live music playing till late each night expect a great vibe from bands like: Diana’s Bath Salts, Bandwidth, Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers, Carlos Olmeda, and many more. There is no reason to leave the mountain and struggle to find a table for dinner on this busy weekend. We will be serving our full dinner menu late each night. Favorites include: Braised Short Ribs, Lemon Dill Salmon, Fried Chicken and Gravy, Pizza, and our famous Wings.

You might get a parking ticket from me, but make sure you don’t get one from Jackson PD. Please follow all directions from our friendly parking staff and do not park on the highway. Watch your speed when going through town and up Black Mountain Road. I suspect the Chief will have his radar gun out again this weekend.

While we will likely break every visitation record, we will not oversell and ruin the vibe or experience at Black Mountain. We should be busy, but it never should be too busy. Season Passholders and Indy Passholders never need a reservation. However, Day Tickets are limited and will sell out on key days. Please make your purchase early.

Anyone who has been following along has seen firsthand the incredible comeback this little mountain has made. I am going to partly quantify that comeback.

Comparing sales as of today from last season to this current one, Season Passes are up 150%, Day tickets are up 93%, Snowsports School is up 139%, Rentals are up 65%, Retail is up 402%, F&B is up 310%, and Indy Pass visits are up 174%

When we look at those same departments before my purchase of Black Mountain compared to the current season to date, Season Passes are up 487%, Day tickets are up 1,252%, Snowsports School is up 561%, Rentals are up 562%, Retail is up 541%, F&B is up 524%, and Indy Pass visits are up 341%.

Clearly, people have shown me that Black Mountain is worth saving by constantly spending their hard-earned money and, more importantly, their time at this special place. I could not be more thankful.

Back to our milestone. Starting Tuesday, January 20th, Black Mountain will finally return to a 7-day-a-week operating schedule, marking a major victory in the hard-fought comeback story of this historic ski area.

This little mountain just keeps winning big.

Thanks for being here.

Erik Mogensen

President and General Manager

Black Mountain Community Corporation