Black Mountain Reaches Settlement with Town of Jackson, offers Free Ski Day

black Mountain, the historic New Hampshire ski area now operated by the Black Mountain Community Corporation, has reached a sweeping settlement with the Town of Jackson after months of escalating tensions over snowmaking, permits, and mountain operations. The agreement clears the way for a stable season ahead and the mountain is celebrating instantly with a powder day opening and free skiing on Tuesday, december 2. The news marks a major turning point in what had become the final unresolved hurdle in Black Mountain’s year-long change under new cooperative ownership.

As indy Pass and its parent company, Entabeni Systems, bought the ski resort together with the Black Mountain Community Corporation in October 2024, the mountain has undergone rapid changes. The co-op later finalized its acquisition of the three summit-to-base parcels that make up the ski area, along with the communications-tower agreement needed to fully control the upper mountain. The goal,Mogensen has emphasized,is to create a stable,community-supported model for one of New Hampshire’s oldest ski hills-a mountain famous for its local character,vintage lifts,and last spring’s headline-grabbing run into May.

But that rapid modernization created friction with the Town of Jackson, culminating the week before Thanksgiving when police arrived at Black Mountain in the middle of the night and attempted to shut down the snowmaking system over an anonymous noise complaint. Black Mountain has made snow since 195, long before current zoning existed, Erik Mogensen, General Manager of Black Mountain and Indy Pass Managing Director pointed out and refused to shut down snowmaking, setting the stage for a legal dispute.

Black Mountain Ski Area Celebrates Reopening

Black Mountain ski area will officially reopen to the public tomorrow, December 2nd, after resolving a series of legal disputes. Skiing will be free for all, but requires pre-registration online.

• Opening Day: 1 p.m.

Anyone skiing for free must register online in advance.

This settlement marks the end of a challenging period for black Mountain Community Corporation. the co-op purchased the operations in 2024 and completed the land acquisition this fall. They are now preparing to file an SEC Regulation, which will allow community members to buy shares and have a formal voice in the mountain’s future.

President and CEO, John Mogensen, consistently emphasizes the goal of combining community ownership with strong, professional management. With legal issues resolved and excellent snow conditions, black Mountain is ready to move forward. “Being open matters, especially on powder days,” Mogensen stated.

For a mountain that faced potential closure before the co-op stepped in,tomorrow’s reopening isn’t just a day for skiing-it represents the resilience of New England ski culture. It proves that these traditions can adapt and thrive when communities unite.