In a world of ski area acquisitions, corporate mega passes, and the eradication of core skiing culture, Mad River Glen loyalists have done what many considered impossible: Donors, shareholders, and supporters of the ski area’s co-op have come together and pooled resources to purchase eleven hundred acres of neighboring land, called the 20th Hole. This expansion dramatically increases MRG’s footprint and secures control over its recreational access and environmental stewardship.

This purchase was triggered by a Right of First Refusal event, when Lyme Mill Brook LLC, an anonymous corporation, offered $2.5 million for the acreage on October 16, 2025. All eleven hundred acres were originally part of the Mad River Glen ski area, and thus MRG was given seventy-five days to raise the necessary funds to match this offer.

On December 12, 2025, the co-op’s purchase and sale agreement was finalized, outlining the terms and conditions of the sale. On January 29, 2026, and with $2.8 million in donor support, the ski area officially announced it had surpassed its funding goal and successfully acquired the land.

THE ROOTS OF EXPANSION

In 1995, Betsy Pratt, the owner of MRG, decided to sell the ski area. Dedicated to preserving the original legacy and character of the mountain, she created a cooperative structure to take over ownership.

Through this structure, the loyal, tight-knit community of skiers who enjoyed the mountain purchased the property. Fifteen hundred individual contributions, made by current shareholders, and the larger ski community, financed the $2.8 million required to comfortably secure the 20th Hole parcel. Upon the sale, Mad River Glen became the first and only co-op ski area in the US, and this still remains true today.

According to Ry Young, Mad River Glen’s marketing and events manager, “This was truly a community effort. The number of donations only tells part of the story—participation spanned far beyond our shareholder base; the entire ski community answered the call.”

 THE PLAN FOR THE LAND

When the eleven-hundred-acre 20th Hole came on the market, the ski area described it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that couldn’t be ignored. The land in question was an original part of Mad River Glen’s land holdings in 1948, separated only when Betsy Pratt took ownership in 1995. The MRG community viewed acquiring the parcel as a chance not only to return the ski area to its former size, but also to ensure its preservation for the long term. In fact, a legally binding agreement that the land be conserved forever was one of the terms of sale. Although the acquisition of the land doesn’t provide more lift-accessed terrain, it does provide more land for sidecountry and backcountry skiing in the winter, and hiking in the summer. Funds left over after closing costs will go towards ongoing conservation.

UP NEXT: STARK'S PUB REHAB

With the 20th Hole land acquisition secured, MRG has turned to its next project of reconstructing Stark’s Pub. Built in the 1960s with modest building materials, the on-site restaurant is an aging structure with serious energy-efficiency issues. That is why the co-op is once again pooling contributions from its community to rebuild Stark’s Pub, the ski area’s central gathering place. Given the success of the land purchase, they’re well on their way.

 SKIERS FUND UPGRADES

The co-op prides itself on healthy financials. The ski area has been owned outright since the 1990s, and all proceeds go directly back into the mountain. Over the years, MRG has made many upgrades to its infrastructure, including the restoration of the legendary single-chair in 2007. This $1.8 million project was made possible by shareholder contributions, community donations, and a grant from The Preservation Trust of Vermont.

When the 20th Hole parcel first became available, the co-op collectively agreed that it could not safely take on the debt needed to finance this substantial purchase. As a result, they relied on what they knew best—grassroots fundraising.

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY

Across the United States, ski areas are becoming increasingly consolidated. The unique personalities of local resorts are being lost to corporate uniformity, swallowed up by large private equity portfolios and multinational brands. Mad River Glen’s exercise in collectivism is an inspiration to the ski industry as a whole and a larger testament to the power of the community. The co-op’s communal purchase of a $2.5 million parcel may be impressive to outsiders, but to Mad River Glen’s devotees, it was just the right thing to do.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MAD RIVER GLEN