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North Dakota Ski Area Backtracks Closure Announcement
By Ian Greenwood,
4 days ago
Earlier this year, Huff Hills, a small but well-loved ski area in North Dakota, announced that the 2023-2024 ski season would be its last. However, according to a press release received by POWDER today, September 27, 2024, Huff Hills has changed course and now plans to continue operating next winter.
Aerial view of Huff Hills Ski Area.
Courtesy Huff Hills Ski Area
Season pass sales are scheduled to begin this weekend and previous passholders will be contacted about renewals. Season passes will also be available in local ski and snowboard shops.
The pivot may surprise local skiers. In April, Huff Hills announced that it was closing its doors after 33 years of operation. The closure stemmed from lease complications involving the ski area’s operators and the party that owns the land on which Huff Hills resides.
The landowners were reportedly unwilling to offer multi-year leases, forcing Huff Hills to secure year-to-year leases.
Huff Hills provides vertical fun in a region where downhill skiing opportunities are sparse.
Photo&colon Huff Hulls
Andrew Beck, Huff Hills’ mountain operations manager, told POWDER in May that continuing to renew these year-to-year leases wasn’t a sustainable business practice (in the past, Huff Hills operated with 20- and 10-year leases). Huff Hills has made at least two offers to outright purchase the land.
“We are still hopeful that a solution can be reached to allow us to continue to provide outdoor recreation at our current location for years to come,” said Beck. “In the meantime, we owe it to our local community to operate if it's possible to do so.”
Beck noted via email that he has no further comments on Huff Hills’ current status.
“We are still hopeful that a solution can be reached to allow us to continue to provide outdoor recreation at our current location for years to come,” said Beck
Courtesy Huff Hills Ski Area
Huff Hills is one of four downhill ski areas in North Dakota. It's also the largest in the state, meaning skiers travel from far and wide to ski its pistes.
In 2023, Huff Hills was awarded $650,000 through the Destination Development grant program, a statewide initiative designed to grow and expand tourism opportunities in North Dakota.
The funds covered 49% of a proposed expansion project at Huff Hills that would include a new welcome center, an expanded snowmaking system, an upgraded electrical system to add night skiing, and an expanded alpine racecourse area.
The ski area planned to finance the rest of the money for the expansion project through investors and loans. However, as with the continued survival of Huff Hills, year-to-year lease agreements complicated these plans.
While Huff Hills’ future remains uncertain, local skiers do have a guarantee—next winter, they’ll be able to hit the slopes at their favorite haunt. For now, that’s worth celebrating.
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This is where I learned to snowboard. I’ve experienced bigger and better thrills in Alaska and Montana so huff hills doesn’t cut it anymore. Glad they ain’t shutting down it’s a good spot for beginners.
Ryan Lippert
3d ago
the property owners wanted a better deal to keep the Hills open and management didn't want to spend the money but knew that shuttling down the slopes would bring them to a better deal because without Huff the property owners don't make any money. What Huff Hills did was essentially go on strike to force a better deal. and with no one looking to buy the property (not even Huff Hills) the property owners didn't have a choice if they wanted continued income
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