Beaver, UT - Once envisioned as a private luxury ski resort, the former Elk Meadows ski area in Beaver Canyon will be sold via an Internet auction Nov. 20.


For 25 years, Elk Meadows was a hidden stash in the Tushar Mountains west of Beaver for skiers and snowboarders looking to escape the crowds of Salt Lake City and Park City in northern Utah. However, its location -- nearly four hours south of Salt Lake and a 90-minute drive past Brian Head for Las Vegas skiers -- left the mountain with less than 20,000 skier visits annually in its later years. The ski area ceased operation following the 2001-02 winter season after its then-owner Wayne Case of Portland, Ore. filed for bankruptcy.

Utah's defunct Elk Meadows ski area will be sold via online auction on Nov. 20. (FTO file photo: Marc Guido)

Subsequent efforts by Craig Burton, the president of Holladay, Utah-based CPB Development to transform the defunct 1,138-acre ski area into an ultra-luxury, ultra-exclusive resort modeled on Montana's Yellowstone Club drew the ire of local residents and Elk Meadows homeowners alike.

The ski area has six lifts spanning 1,300 vertical feet. While there is some infrastructure in place, Elk Meadows is a project that requires vision and persistence, say auctioneers LFC Group. This non-operational ski resort needs work, and the low minimum bid of $1,000,000 reflects that reality.

"This is really a special piece of property, one that requires the broad exposure and universal accessibility that only an online auction can deliver," said Shawn Miller, Director of Sales the LFC Group of Companies. "With our Internet-based auction platform, interested bidders can easily conduct due diligence and place bids from wherever they are - an unmatched level of convenience for buyers that has helped spark substantial international interest."