Beartooth Basin, MT North America’s Only Summer-Only Resort Needs Funding to Stay Open

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beartooth basin, fundraiser, gofunme,
Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area needs you! Credit: GoFundMe

Locally owned and operated Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area, near Red Lodge, MT, has turned to GoFundMe to raise funds to help keep the iconic resort open.

With a funding goal of $65,000 (currently $6,205 funded), $35k of that is required for lift maintenance:

LIFT MAINTENANCE:  We are replacing the gearbox on our top lift (Lift #1).  Without this piece of equipment, Beartooth Basin cannot operate.  Doppelmayr manufacturer costs + labor – $35,000 (this is crucial)

beartooth basin, fundraiser, gofunme,
Credit: GoFundMe

Every year from late May to early July the mission of Beartooth Basin is to keep the spirit of skiing alive with two surface lifts atop the iconic 10,000-foot elevation Beartooth Pass, MT-WY. Formerly known as Red Lodge International Summer Racing Camp, Beartooth Basin is one of North America’s oldest alpine ski training areas.

Ownership changed in 2003 when an adventurous group of Red Lodge locals invested in the race camp and opened the door to a younger generation of skiing enthusiasts – freestyle skiers, big mountain riders, terrain park jibbers, and of course, anyone keen for summer skiing.

beartooth basin, fundraiser, gofunme,
Credit: GoFundMe

Beartooth Basin is not your average ski hill. You could describe it as backcountry skiing with a lift. Similar to traditional lift-serve ski facilities, the Basin is staffed with professional ski patrollers and skillful lift attendants. And just like other ski areas, it faces extreme economic challenges – aging infrastructure, high equipment costs, expensive insurance policies, and rigorous engineering inspections. All of these obstacles are made even more difficult with the access issues experienced due to its remote location at the whim of multiple surface owner-operators of US Hwy212.

Whatever the outcome of the fundraising campaign, the resort aims to open for the summer on 26th May 2019.


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