Owners opt to sell storied property sans realtor
By Hayden Seder
A childhood dream, four years of sweat equity, and close ties with the U.S Forest Service won’t be enough for Soldier Mountain’s current owners to hang on to their beloved property. More capital investment—primarily for a snowmaking machine, trail enhancement and ski shop improvements—is what Matt and Diane McFerran say the ski getaway needs to be profitable year after year.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have the ability to fund those things and we believe Soldier Mountain needs someone with deeper pockets to truly realize this area’s potential,” Diane McFerran said.
In the four years the McFerrans have owned the mountain, the couple has made a number of key expenditures. Snowcats, lodge renovations and working closely with the Forest Service to put plans in place for year-round recreation are among the most notable. The McFerrans said recreational items, such as lift-assisted mountain biking, a maintenance shop and year-round yurt use, would increase profitability.
And then there are the promotions and packages the McFerrans put together. Over the years, they added several options to enhance guest experiences, such as the “Ride or Ski in 3” program, which allows first-timers to buy three lift tickets, three lessons and three days of rentals for $299. It includes a free season pass for the remainder of the season after the completion of all lessons.
In addition, the McFerrans also partnered with five other ski areas to provide season passholders with additional benefits. Adding more events like the Fox Den Mug Club and the annual Pray for Snow party and archery shoot in the summer helped position the resort for success, they said.
“We’ve laid the groundwork for improvement and year-round operation,” Diane McFerran said. “An ideal buyer would see the potential this mountain has and be able to invest in it.”
“A new owner could be as involved as they want to be,” Matt McFerran said. “This is a turnkey operation. We want to see Soldier Mountain thrive, and we’re willing to help to make that happen.”
Soldier Mountain has seen many changes over the years, including ownership. The McFerrans purchased the ski area in November 2015. The first owners were Bob Frostenson and Harry Durall, who were visiting Sun Valley in 1947 to watch the Olympic team tryouts. When they found Soldier Mountain nearby in Fairfield, they raised $10,000 and built a base lodge by hand, investing in two rope tows to get skiers up the hill. The first chairlift on the mountain was installed in 1971 with a second getting added in 1974. In the late 1990s, actor Bruce Willis purchased the ski lift, and in spring 2012, he donated the mountain to a nonprofit.
The McFerrans entered the picture when they began to pursue Matt’s childhood dream of owning a ski area. After skiing on a team in high school and falling in love with the sport, the McFerrans thought owning a ski resort might be the perfect retirement career. Looking for a change of pace from their previous lifestyle, they plunged headfirst into owning what they knew to be a family-friendly area for backcountry snowcat skiing and boarding and overnight yurt stays.
Today, the ski area features 1,150 skiable acres, two chairlifts reaching up to 7,177 feet, backcountry bowls, a magic carpet for young ones to learn, a lodge and a pub. Unique to the mountain are two things in particular: its 2,000-acre snowcat skiing area where one can reach 10,095 feet on Smoky Dome and all of its private powder, where only 12 skiers at a time can ski the cat skiing area.
The beauty of the area and Soldier Mountain’s storied history are only part of the reason the Wood River Valley would benefit for its legacy to continue. The other reason is economic. Many Blaine County residents are employed at Soldier Mountain, and other community establishments—like restaurants, stores and lodging—are patronized by visiting skiers.
“This community has a sense of ownership and pride in the mountain and many generations of local families have learned how to ski here,” Diane McFerran said.