First, a declaration of bias from this journalist: I have a soft spot in my heart for Black Mountain
in Jackson, N.H.

I looked down on the snowy white tree-lined trails every day from the peak of the nearby ski area I grew up at – now defunct Tyrol Mountain. I headed over to Black often; usually with some of my great local friends who knew the mountain well. I competed in freestyle jumping there and every time I ski that trail now, I harken back to those glory days.

It was one of my very favorite apres spots when I came to that age, and is to this day, I like to get back there and experience it all: the lovely, narrow, woodlined classic eastern trails, the fun albeit aged base lodge and pub, the upscale but kicked back dinners at The Shovel Handle and, yes, even the semi-slow ride on the lovely, classic red double chair.

It’s the first place I ever skied with my now husband of 40 years.

I still cherish my now very old and priceless-to-me season passes from the place. So when I heard it was closing this winter, I ached. It felt like a part of not just my history but the history of all of skiing was being erased.

And then the seemingly impossible happened: The folks at IndySkiPass stepped in to help the current owners open again this winter, with a goal of finding a new and passionate owner for the historic spot.

How it happened says much about the people in the ski world; always, to me, a family standing ready to help one another.

Why is Black Mountain, only minutes from three other robust ski areas, worth saving? Just for me might sound silly, until you realize there are so many “me’s” who love Black – for its simple and lovely experience, its pretty setting and, yes, its affordability; a word seldom seen in ski context nowadays.

Erik Mogensen, new owner of IndySkiPass – of which Black has been and is still a member resort – and owner of Entabeni Systems, a company that provides software and hardware system engineering that help smaller ski areas run with more efficiency, found out about Black’s closing serendipitously, and almost immediately, knew he had to take action.

Black Mountain’s slopes will remain open this winter thanks to some behind-the-scenes help. The mountain is located in Jackson, N.H. (Dan House/Wiseguy Creative)

Mogensen dialed up John Fichera, owner of Black since 1995, to touch base on the season ahead.

“It was 20 minutes after he’d (announced) he was closing,” Mogensen said. “I was like … what? I told him, ‘I wish you would have called me first.’ ”

The news shook Mogensen – not because he has a lifetime history with Black, but because he has a lifetime history with skiing and works to bolster and improve the success of smaller, independent ski areas as a career now.

“Black is in a valley of giants,” he said, pointing out its proximity to Attitash, Wildcat and Cranmore mountains. “There is a little bit of a ‘last stand of an independent’ in this story.”

He chewed the situation over with Doug Fish, whom he purchased IndyPass from a year ago. They decided to step in – not to buy Black, but to provide the resources it needs (connections, creative input and cold hard cash) to keep it open this year and work to secure a buyer.

In less than a two-night ski trip’s time, he was back on the phone with Fichera, this time calling from a pull-off area of 1-70 in his home state of Colorado.

“I wanted to focus only on this conversation,” he said.

Fichera agreed to what was offered.

That means Black will be fully operational this winter, good news to loyalists. Mogensen, who said he has no desire to own a ski area and believes it’s outside the mission of either of his companies, wants to be clear that the goal is for people to still enjoy Black this winter as they work to attract new ownership.

They’re already at it. Using the wide berth of connection the companies have, they found leadership: Gareth Slattery, formerly of Cannon Mountain and the nearby Cog Railway, came back from the posh Yellowstone Club to be general manager, and Andy Shepherd, known for helping save other independent resorts like Saddleback, Maine, has signed on to help.

A Skiing History cover of historic Black Mountain in Jackson, N.H. (Courtesy photo)

They’re also working to get the word out that Black is open, active and fun.

“I’m confident we can get a lot of people to ski Black,” Mogensen said. “We have the data, and
we believe Black is sustainable.”

“Jackson is a legendary town and Black is a legendary ski area,” he added.

It also, he hopes, could set up a framework for a system to help other struggling independent ski
areas.

“We (at IndyPass) would like to be more than just some marketing and multi-resort pass,” he said. “This may be just how we will do that.”

Black Mountain (https://www.blackmt.com/) is located just uphill from the quaint village of Jackson, N.H. Tucked into mountain sides and farmland, it feels by itself while sitting just minutes not just from Jackson, but from the smorgasbord of food, shopping, outdoor sports and other activities in the greater Mount Washington Valley region.

When to go: The Valley’s ski season runs pretty strongly from mid December through the first week of April. Black Mountain is south-facing, which means on super cold days you often find more warmth there. Weekdays are, of course, quieter, but even on weekends, Black can offer a nice respite from big crowds.

Where to stay: With North Conway right down the road, there are countless lodging choices. Up close, The Inn at Whitney Farm (https://www.whitneysinn.com/) sits at the base of Black and
has suites, cottages and classic rooms – some pet friendly – steps from the trails. A mile downhill, the Christmas Farm Inn (https://christmasfarminn.com/), nearly as historic as Black, offers rooms, suites and cottages in a cozy and unique setting, along with a fantastic dining room.

For a more posh stay, The Inn at Thorn Hill (https://www.innatthornhill.com/) offers upscale dining, an elegant yet cozy setting, a spa and wine room and sweeping views.

What to eat: Black’s Lostbo Pub is fun and friendly for apres. For an old-school local apres ski vibe, amazing pizza and a perfectly poured Guinness, head to the Shannon Door Pub (https://shannondoor.com/) in Jackson. For a cool factor, call it The Oakley, it’s name back in the 70’s.
For a quick bite, coffee or sandwiches and other goodies to go, pop into the J-Town Deli in Jackson center.

For a breakfast that’s been a valley staple for 40 plus years, Yesterdays in Jackson is your choice.
And for a great meal and often live music, The Shovel Handle at the base of Black is a great choice – but do get reservations. There are countless other choices across the valley.

What else to do: Learn to Nordic ski at Jackson XC, one of the world’s top spots right in the heart of Jackson. Take a drive up Route 16 to see Mount Washington up close. Grab a drink or meal at The Glen House for a breathtaking view. Ski some of the other resorts – it’s part of what makes the Valley great – but do book ahead to save on tickets. (You’ll spot the entirety of Attitash from the slopes of Black – cool!)  Shop in North Conway, snowshoe at Great Glen Trails. Black sits in the middle of it all.

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