Black Mountain Acquired By Indy Pass And Entabeni
The Indy Pass and Entabeni Systems have purchased Black Mountain, New Hampshire’s oldest ski area, from the Fichera family. For the past 30 years, the Fichera family has worked tirelessly to keep the mountain open for the community to enjoy. Indy Pass will own and operate the resort for this coming season and will transfer the ownership to a community co-op by the 2025/26 season. The family will continue to support the mountain as it transitions to the co-op model.
Black Mountain, established in the 1930s, is the oldest continuously operating ski resort in New Hampshire. The mountain plays a vital role in the Mount Washington Valley community, contributing significantly to the local culture and economy while providing generations of families with an authentic New England skiing experience. Since purchasing the mountain in 1995, the Fichera family has successfully operated the ski area, preserving its legacy of independent, family-friendly ownership and strengthening its ties to the community.
Indy Pass’s Managing Director, Erik Mogensen, will relocate to Jackson, NH, and lead the resort's operation as the general manager throughout the 24/25 season. Andy Shepard, recently retired CEO and GM at Saddleback Mountain and newly named Director of Community Engagement for the Indy Pass, will assist Mogensen in transitioning the mountain to the co-op model. Doug Fichera has been named the Director of Mountain Operations. The resort is scheduled to open to the public on December 20th, 2024.
Mogensen aims to shift the resort's ownership to the community, where anyone can purchase shares, allowing an already passionate community to be a part of the future of this special mountain.
“Thanks to the Fichera Family, Indy Pass is taking over the stewardship of Black Mountain and intends to turn it into an impactful community-run co-op. This sustainable model will keep this historic mountain viable for generations,” said Mogensen. “There are dozens of small ski areas across the country struggling to stay afloat, and we believe this financial model is a viable option for many. For-profit, non-profit, and co-ops - all independent mountains matter. They are the past and the future of our sport.”
“This mountain has been central to our family’s life for 30 years. There is no better partner for a project like this than the Indy Pass,” said John, Fichera, former owner of Black Mountain. “Erik and the team he has built is 100% in. I have always been a big believer in the importance of independent mountains, and I am proud that Black Mountain will become a community asset for generations to come.”
Black Mountain’s season passes are now on sale at blackmt.com. Purchasers of this year's season passes will retain the first option to buy shares in the forthcoming co-op.
The Indy Pass is the fastest-growing multi-mountain pass in the world. It offers 200+ Alpine and Nordic resorts across the US, Canada, Europe, and Japan, each providing two days of skiing or riding. Indy resorts are independent of any significant corporate ownership, and many are owned and operated by multi-generational families, providing a uniquely authentic and affordable skiing experience.
Entabeni Systems provides solutions for independent ski areas and resorts with the main goal of improving the skier’s overall experience. Entabeni provides the technical and financial services independent ski areas need to compete with larger consolidated mountain organizations. With the sole focus on independent mountains, Entabeni designs and builds its software and hardware to best serve its clients and consumers. The company name means "the mountain" in Zulu and reflects the company's true passion for the mountains and skiing. Based in beautiful Grand County, Colorado the company serves ski areas across North America.
