Smugglers Notch Sold

[jamesdeluxe]

This'll bolster Indy Pass's already strong presence in western New England: Jay, Smuggs, Magic, Bolton, Burke, Dartmouth, Middlebury, Berkshire East, and Saskadena, along with Owls Head and Sutton in the Eastern Townships (would be great if they could add Orford)

Owners of Burke, Berkshire East, Catamount Take Ownership Stake in Smugglers’ Notch

Some of New England’s best terrain meets some of New England’s best operators

www.stormskiing.com

 

[MarzNC]

The ownership organization has taken a step further. Bear Den is now the official owner of Berkshire East and Catamount, in addition to Burke and Smuggler's Notch. The Schaefer brothers and the current GMs remain in place. The financial arrangements going forward will make planning for future capital projects different, presumably that's considered an advantage.

March 23, 2026

Berkshire East and Catamount Join Bear Den, New Mountain Alliance Form

SAM Magazine—Charlemont, Mass., March 23, 2026—Berkshire East and Catamount Resorts in Massachusetts have joined Bear Den Partners, formalizing an ownershi

www.saminfo.com

"
Berkshire East and Catamount Resorts in Massachusetts have joined Bear Den Partners, formalizing an ownership transition that brings the Schaefer family’s two ski areas into a growing portfolio alongside Vermont’s Burke Mountain and Smugglers’ Notch.

The move folds Berkshire East and Catamount into the ownership structure of Bear Den, an investment vehicle led by the Ken Graham family, while keeping the Schaefer family actively involved. Brothers Jim and Jon Schaefer, longtime owners of the two mountains, have merged their equity into the new venture. Jon Schaefer will continue to lead operations as the CEO of Bear Den; Jim Schaefer sits on its board.

“This step represents an evolution for my family, not an exit,” Jon Schaefer said in a statement. “This merger is about securing the future of two great, independent mountains by building an enduring structure that allows them to thrive for generations to come.”
. . ."