💰 Eldora Ski Resort Sells for 120 Million

Good morning, Stoke Crew. Whether you're living the dream or just dreaming about living the dream, we've got the outdoor updates to fuel your delusions of grandeur.

In today's report

• 120 million dollar ski resort acquisition
• More ski resorts to open!
• Presidential pardon for trail runner
• Skiing event returns to Natural Selection Tour

Local Stokelight

⛷️ Ski Resort News!

The Town of Nederland is in the final stages of completing its historic purchase of Eldora Mountain Resort from POWDR, with the deal expected to close by the end of the year after a comprehensive due diligence review determined the ski operation is "in good overall condition" and the purchase is "viable, financially sound, and consistent with the Town's goals for long-term community benefit!" The purchase price sits between $115-$120 million for the entire 680-acre ski operation.

The town has already signed a confidential term sheet back in July that prevents competing offers and includes POWDR's commitment to support Nederland through the transition period, while all 700 Eldora employees will transition onto the town payroll at closing. Nederland has addressed key concerns by establishing a $10 million reserve fund to cover debt payments during bad snow years, while future profits after debt retirement could be allocated toward town priorities like affordable housing, streets, and childcare.

• Why It Matters: This represents a unique municipal ski resort acquisition, with Nederland becoming one of the few towns in America to own and operate a ski area. The move gives the community direct control over Eldora's future while potentially generating revenue for local priorities once the debt is paid down. For Front Range skiers, the acquisition could mean long-term stability for their closest ski area and potential expansion of summer operations including concerts, races, and outdoor competitions.

Despite Colorado's high country looking more brown than white, three more ski resorts are opening this weekend thanks to aggressive snowmaking operations, bringing the total to six resorts spinning lifts! Breckenridge and Copper Mountain kick things off Friday with limited terrain, followed by Loveland on Saturday, joining Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, and Winter Park that opened in late October. The reality check is harsh though, snow depths across Colorado sit at less than 30% of the November 6 average.

Mountain Briefing

🏃🏻 Trail Runner Gets Pardon

In a wild turn of events, President Donald Trump just pardoned trail runner Michelino Sunseri, who was convicted of a misdemeanor for cutting a closed switchback during his 2024 Grand Teton FKT attempt! Sunseri set what appeared to be a new record of 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 50 seconds on the demanding 13.2-mile, 7,000-foot vertical route in September 2024, beating Andy Anderson's 2012 time of roughly 2:52. However, after it was confirmed he cut a closed half-mile switchback, his record was disqualified by the FKT governing body and he was later found guilty of leaving the designated trail in September 2025. The presidential pardon on Friday, November 7 ends a year-long legal nightmare that could have resulted in jail time for the 33-year-old runner, though his attorney emphasized this case never should have gone to trial in the first place. I wonder if the FKT will stand now.

The freeride competition that completely changed the game is coming back to Alaska in late March 2026, with Natural Selection Tour announcing the return of the ski event after last year's inaugural ski competition! Travis Rice's visionary competition expanded beyond its snowboarding roots in 2024 to include skiing for the first time, creating a radically different format that pits riders against each other in bracket-style battles on natural Alaskan faces with virtually no boundaries. Unlike traditional contests, Natural Selection Tour judges athletes on creativity, risk, execution, difficulty, and overall impression while competing on remote, untamed terrain that demands both world class skills and serious commitment.

The 2026 field already includes six pre-qualified heavy hitters: Michelle Parker, Sam Kuch, Marcus Eder, Colby Stevenson, and reigning champions Craig Murray and Manon Loschi! With additional spots opening through upcoming qualifiers and wildcard selections designed to bring the most skilled and exciting skiers in the world to the event. This is actually one of my favorite winter events to watch. The big backcountry competition features some of the best riders in the world, and they blow my mind!

What else is going on

• Moose attack in Boulder County
• Free avalanche class in Colorado from CAIC
• X Games expands partnership with Monster Energy ahead of league debut
• Early season lack of snow in Colorado

Trailhead Trivia

What was the first year Aspen hosted the X Games?

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