Industry News
After nearly a decade in federal receivership, Burke Mountain Resort in Vermont officially has new owners. On Friday, May 2, 2025, the Bear Den Partners ownership group closed on the purchase of the 72-year-old ski area in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, setting the stage for a new era of independent ownership and mountain investment.
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Bear Den Partners is composed of skiers, snowboarders, bikers, and longtime Burke loyalists, including the Graham and Schaefer families and Burke Mountain Academy. The group brings both deep personal ties to the mountain and decades of resort operations experience.
Their first major initiative? A dramatic expansion of snowmaking capacity.
“Our first focus in the capital improvement plan is to nearly triple our snowmaking capacity in time for the 2025–26 ski season,” Ken Graham of Bear Den Partners said in a press release shared by a spokesperson. “Now together, we can combine our mutual passions and industry knowledge and get to work.”
The investment signals a renewed commitment to the resort’s long-term future, with enhanced snowmaking aimed at improving early-season reliability, terrain coverage, and the guest experience. Burke Mountain Academy, the premier ski racing school located on site which counts Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin among its alumni, will continue to operate independently but plays a key role in the new ownership structure. Head of School Willy Booker called the outcome “a happy ending” and a “new beginning” for the mountain and community.
Burke Mountain has been in continuous operation since 1953 and is known for its fall-line skiing, glades, and local atmosphere. The mountain remained operational under receivership following a high-profile federal fraud case involving its former owner.
“This is no corporate monster takeover of a small town,” Jon Schaefer said, who will oversee operations. “This is an ownership group made of active users of the mountain. There’s no paid parking, no cookie cutter anything. Just us making sure that it keeps being a great place to ski, snowboard, bike, snowshoe, and enjoy a true North Country experience with family and friends.”
With new leadership in place and an aggressive plan to invest in infrastructure, Burke Mountain is poised for a strong return to the ski world.
