Back in 2012, actor Bruce Willis owned this ski resort (Soldier Mountain in Idaho) and generously gave it to a local non-profit organization. Now, the ski resort is willing to sell the place for merely the debt they owe on it just to get the resort back open to the public.
Soldier Mountain Ski Area is selling for only $149,000!!! That’s crazy cheap. You should call up all your old ski buddies and buy a ski resort…
For Only 149,000 You Get:
- A Bar
- A Restaurant
- A Kitchen
- All the Lifts
- All the Buildings
- All the Vehicles
- All the Snow Machines
- The Maintenance Shop
- All the Tools
- All the Inventory
“The price is real. This is all we owe to our bank for the last 3 years of improvements and operations. As a non profit we only sell for the debt owed against the business.
We WERE under contract with Magic Mountain, with a closing end of August, no funds have transferred and WINTER is coming. We need to make public the fact we are still for sale. Any questions about premature selling of passes associated with Magic Mountain, need to be directed to Magic Mountain.
So here is your chance to own a SKI MOUNTAIN! Get your buddies together and make a dream happen. The price is right and the forecast for a wet winter is on the horizon!!” – Soldier Mountain Ski Area, today via Facebook
Soldier Mountain Ski Area Stats:
- 2 Chairlifts
- 1 Magic Carpet
- Top Elevation = 7,177 feet
- Base Elevation = 5,752 feet
- Vertical Drop = 1,425 feet
- Skiable Area: 1,150 acres
- Price = $149,000
Soldier Mountain Ski Area History:
After watching the 1948 Winter Olympic tryouts in nearby Sun Valley, Bob Frostenson and his friend, Harry Durall, decided they couldn’t turn their backs on the sport of skiing. That summer they raised $10,000, began work on a base lodge, and purchased two rope tows, the first powered by a 1938 Chevrolet engine. They cut timber, installed lifts, and built lodges by hand.
The first chairlift was installed in 1971, and the upper chairlift (Bird’s Eye) was added in 1974. Soldier has 1,150 acres (4.7 km2) of variable terrain including a terrain park, glades, bowls, and tree skiing. Soldier maintains snowmaking capabilities, although it has not operated since 1996. Soldier Mountain is open from Thursday through Sunday, except for the Christmas holiday season when it is open daily.
Four miles (6 km) west of Soldier’s summit is Smoky Dome, with an elevation of 10,095 feet (3,077 m). In between there are several peaks well over 9,000 feet (2,740 m): Peak 1 at 9,147 feet (2,788 m) and Peak 2 at 9,529 feet (2,904 m) are used in Soldier’s backcountry skiing operations, served by snow cat. Speculation is that Willis plans lift service to some of these areas.
An early morning fire on Monday, March 30, 2009, destroyed the 61-year-old base lodge. The cause was attributed to electrical wiring, and occurred shortly after the final day of the ski season. A new 4,500-square-foot (420 m2) base lodge was constructed and Soldier Mountain reopened ten months later, on January 28, 2010.
Actor Bruce Willis, a part-time resident of Hailey, bought the ski area in the mid-1990s. After nearly two decades of ownership, he donated it in 2012 to a non-profit organization, Soldier Mountain Ski Area, Inc. Many of its members are from the area and have been skiing/boarding the mountain since childhood. – wikipedia
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If interested in purchasing Soldier Mountain ski area, please contact Soldier Mountain ski area via the email below:
I’m interested and can close in 90 hours.
I bought this place already, so it’s off the market. I moved all the equipment and razed the buildings. I even had the snow moved to northern Michigan………sorry, just had to chime….after I stopped laughing at all the posts.
I’m interested can close anytime
Can you hunt on the property? Can you send me more info
Thanks
Joe
Hello, I found your article online and was interested in purchasing your property. I think it’s a fine endeavor with genuine intentions of giving back to the community. My friends are two such fellows and an example of that is when they discovered they had under tipped a waitress at a new establishment around the corner from where they work. Upon this realization, they went back and gave a full gratuity, and apologized, to which the waitress was quite thankful for. It was an amazing display of character, and I think they would make great partners in carrying on Soldier Mountain’s tradition of values.
Please let me know when you would like to speak next.
Vail Resorts is happy to announce the recent purchase of Soldier Mountain! We look forward to improving on existing infrastructure and complimenting the base area with a modern mountain village. Soldier Mountain will be included in the 2016/2017 epic pass and can be added to this years pass for an additional fee. Welcome to the Vail family Soldier Mountain!
Vail resorts and all of their mountains are a disgrace to skiing, only jerry’s frequent those areas.
You may wanna check elevation it doesnt snow there much these days
I love how the people on here leave comments for Snowbrains.com to contact them like the website is responsible for selling the place…
Interested in buying yes, but as we all know this is a labor and capital intensive program. It’s not the purchase price but the ongoing plan and team. I have, and can put together a world class independent resort ops, F+F and marketing team. Having been a part of the development and operations group at Killington, Telluride, Stratton, Blue Mountain, Squaw and Trembling I know there is always more than meets the eye with Ski Resort development. Please send a package.
Also; I am interested in hearing from others that might want to join in making this happen.
Idaho . . . . I dunno
I’m a “little” guy. I’d love to own a little piece of that rock. The more co-owners the better.
Vultures everywhere !
The only investment you want in a ski area is a lift ticket.
Can close immediately if you can answer my questions appropriately.
Please contact me ASAP.
Thanks
Just give me and my best friends a shot at our dream. I’ll convince you in person.
There’s pretty much no way this is real. What’s the appraised value?
I am a very experienced Electrical Instrumentation Master Journeyman and mechanic. I would like to maintain it and run it. If someone out there wants to make a deal as a partner email me. Thanks
“Fire destroyed the lodge a few days after the end of the ski season…believed to be electrical….?” hahahahahah. RIGHT! If you believe that….the Tooth Fairy is on line #2 and will swap you straight up for some oceanfront property in North Dakota….hahahahahahahah!
I am 100% interested and can close a deal like this in under 30 days. I’ll pay in cash. We are a group with ski industry experience in Europe. Please contact me . Thank you. Petr Kuchta
Hey guys, I’m interested in this property. Not to make a million bucks, or to develop the land or anything. I love snowboarding. I currently live in salt lake city, and ride about 50 days a year. I have a small amount of money to invest, and between my buddies and I, we could cover the cost of the resort. I’d have to take a loan out for the first year of operating expenses, and after that we’d basically be trying each year to make enough money to pay for the next. But the mountain would belong to the people that ride it, and it would be respected accordingly. I grew up hunting not far from there (Mackay, ID, Custer county, area 52A), and fell in love with the Idaho wilderness years ago. From a business standpoint, I’m probably not the best one to sell the mountain to. However, there has to be someone there who is concerned about how the resort and surrounding areas will be cared for from here on out, and so to that person (or people), I’m reaching out. I sent an email to the info@soldiermountain address with my contact info, and I would be ecstatic if you got in touch with me. Thanks, David Simon.
I have yet to hear back from the seller. I am 100% interested and can close a deal like this in under 30 days.
Brendan Byrne
Hamptons Financial
Hello,
We area group with ski industry experience in Colorado and can close on this property right away. We can make it into something great. Please email me at manoloanderson1980@gmail.com to discuss.
Thank you
Free advise is cheap, but you should read this before you invest.
There is an old saying among ski area owners, “If you want to make a small fortune in skiing, start with a large one!” Ski Areas are REALLY difficult businesses to operate. Here are three reasons why:
1. Most of your infrastructure sits around outside, and is not in use. So ‘profit’ constantly has to be reinvested in upkeep. …Every 20 years chairlifts need to be replaced & Every 10 years all other equipment needs to be replaced.
2. Its one of the few businesses that when your costs are at their highest your revenue are almost certainly at its lowest. This means your season has gone to shit, no natural snow, and you are completely dependent on making it (costs ski rocket!). Its at this time when you need ‘your’ customers the most, chances are they either have gone further north, or are not skiing b/c a majority of skiers appreciate the conditions and atmosphere that only mother nature can bring.
3. “Nostalgia only sells clothes & cars!” Ski areas that try and market themselves and create a vibe as throw backs to an era gone by don’t work. Modern facilities (and offerings), paved parking lots, heated patios, lifts, and snow making are essential.
Any investor in this mountain needs to be ready to dump at least $3m into it in order to: (A) Upgrade old double chair lifts; (B) Upgrade snow making capacity (what are the water rights to the mountain?); (C) Upgrade facilities; and (D) turn it into a year round operation.
Truly, I am very sorry to hear about another local ski area on the edge — I know how much they mean to dedicated local communities. …I grew up in a ski family (40+ years), and today we are one of the last family owned and operated ski areas in the country. When my dad took over Berkshire East in 1976 there were over 700 ski areas in New England, today there are less than 75. The West has been able to hold on to a lot of their local ski areas over the years because (I believe?) of natural snow, but as Global Warming takes hold those local spots will have to upgrade big time (How many years has it been since this ski area has had a great natural snow year?) Today, we aim to open trails with less than 48 hours of ‘good snow making conditions.’ …that is a really expensive proposition, that takes a ton of infrastructure, access to a lot of water (think storage ponds and other very expensive systems), and CHEAP energy (what are the local energy rates?)
The reason I am putting this out there, is to make sure that not only any investor prepared, but also the ski area is prepared to find a good investor…the current debt is ONLY the tip of the iceberg.
Keep it Real & Good Luck!
Global warming is a myth. (A very expensive one.) Good and bad snow years are cyclical.
Who brought the republican to the forum?
Pretty sure the guy who owns the ski resort knows more about the “cycle” of snow than you do.
Says random guy on internet named Kevin, who is clearly an expert on all matters relating to things “cyclical”. Don’t let your guard down Kev, as agenda 21 is coming for you and your family.
So, you just thought you’d add your thorough expertise on all things “cyclical” Kev?
What ski resorts is Soldier competing with for business?
Could I please get a info packet including land details, number of skier day for last 5 or so years – Raymond James Financial, East M. Placita Baja, TUCSON, AZ 85718
Please have someone give me a call – 520-777-5005. Thank you: Tom Winters
Please send complete info packet including land usage/ownership info. and number of skier days over the last 5 or so years to F. Thomas Winters, Sr. Vice President, Raymond James Financial, 4250 East Placita Baja, TUCSON, AZ 85711. Please call: 520-777-5005 Fax: 520-777-3894
Does this sale include the land the resort sits on? You list everything on the land but make no mention of it…
We aren’t sure about the land, Arin. We see the National Forest Service emblem on the trail map and assume it’s a National Forest Service lease situation. We aren’t sure, though. Feel free to contact Soldier Mountain via the email in the article above. Thanks.
Can close in cash immediately – kindly contact
I’d like to built a new hotel and tower on the site.
However I would require tax and other concessions to make it happen.
Let me know or you’re fired!
Donald Please put a 60-story iconic hotel tower (crowned with the letters TRUMP in massive scale) in the center of beautiful downtown Bellingham Washington. We will roll out the welcome mat for you, and will declare you honorary king of Bellingham. We can hardly wait to fill those minimum wage jobs your development would create, while gentrifying and skyrocketing the cost of living in the area. Yes, we will provide all the tax concessions you deem necessary to enable your vision of expensive glitz and glam for the few that can afford it. The future is bright in a world where Donald Trump is in charge.
Donald,
Please provide the expected date of when you will file for bankruptcy again so we can plan properly.
Hey Man ,, My Great Grandfather worked in the Coal Mines in Sun Valley Idaho so this Peaks my Intrest that’s for sure ,,, Maybe Send me the Total Price of the Place and I will Go to my Bank tomorrow and see what he can do
Cheers ,, Hugh McCormack
President
Columbia Landscaping inc
905 965 1242
There are and never were any coal mines in sun valley Hugh. Your post is a Complete fabrication and lack of knowledge of the area is obvious. You and your landscapers should buy the place immediately, since you’ve never even been to Idaho you phony.
Ha ha ha
I live in sun valley and guess what it was a mining town when it was founded if youre going to talk shit get it right
I would like an information packet on this property.
Bruce gave up the reins a long time ago, people. A little more research before writing would benefit you.
Hey Steven, you’re right. He gave it away in 2012. We made sure to put that in the first line of the article. Thanks.
Hahaha. “A little more research…” like, reading more then just the headline? Hahaha. That one got me…
Yeah, got that. Curious why the title reads Bruce’s Resort. It isn’t, hasn’t been for a while, and Bruce didn’t do Soldier Mtn or the community of Fairfield any favors by buying it in the first place. Same story with the Mint Bar in Hailey which he used to own and is now closed indefinitely for lack of upkeep and repairs. It sure is cool to own a ski resort and a bar.
Hey Steven, Yeah, he hasn’t owned it for 3 seasons. What did he do poorly at Soldier? We’d love to learn more about his time there. Sounds like he owned it for about 20 years. Thanks.
It’s what he didn’t do that hurt the place. Few to none improvements in 20 years, little maintenance, no contact with the community. He was never there. Does he even ski? Who knows? The only reason the lodge was replaced in 2009 was because the old one burned to the ground–old, faulty wiring that needed upgrades years before.
The Mint Bar in Hailey is a similar story though when he first bought the place he dumped a lot of money into it. In its heyday it was the place to be but this was when Bruce was young and married and would often jump on stage to play music. This quickly faded, though (along with his marriage?), and the place went into a long, slow decline. It’s now closed, a dump, with a laundry list of necessary improvements.
He had no real interest in Soldier and his interest in the Mint lasted only as long as he was deemed cool by Hollywood and the kids. Those places, especially Soldier, were, at best, convenient tax shelters. I could go on and on about Bruce and his outsider value system: he was fined for bulldozing a spring-fed tributary wetlands of the Wood River; stealing river water to fill personal property ponds; planning to straighten a section of the Wood River because his house was in the flood plain, etc, etc.
It’s all documented. I just don’t like to see him get any credit where none is due. Again, he did nothing for the mountain and even less for the community at large. He has no legacy there and his 20-year ownership is in name only and not what should be remembered or mentioned when discussing the wonderful history and community of Soldier Mountain.
Great info, Steven. thanks much for this.
oh snap
What is the current snow making equipment state/ capacity. Current temperature log – seasonal. Deferred maintenance projections, Would appreciate a response to items
I am interested and can close in less than 30 days.
Please contact me.
Brendan Byrne, Hamptons Financial
info@HamptonsFinancial.com