Blue Mountain Resort to open Friday
Blue Mountain Resort plans to open for the season on Black Friday.
“We are excited to say we are opening on Friday,” said Barb Green, president. “We rarely open this early.”
As if its opening weren’t reason enough for excitement, the locally owned and operated business will celebrate its milestone 40th anniversary on Dec. 22.
Green said, “It’s exciting to be part of a company that’s been here this long.
“The company would not have been able to grow and prosper without the support of our community, the families of our employees and our employees,” Green said.
In an era where the number of ski resorts has dwindled, Blue Mountain has thrived with mission statement: “To give our guests and employees a wonderful experience that lasts a lifetime and keeps them coming back.”
Green isn’t the only member of the team at the resort who is excited for the anniversary.
Jim Dailey, general manager and chief operating officer of the resort, said, “For me, it’s impressive that, for 40 years and without a change of ownership and without lodging, we became a leader in this adventure sport.”
Dailey, who has been with the resort for 29 years, has worked in several departments, including snow-making, risk management, ski patrol and marketing.
He became general manager in September 2009 and has been an instrumental part in helping the resort evolve to what it is today.
When considering expansions to the resort, both Green and Dailey believe in the importance of establishing partnerships with people and groups in the local community.
“We’ve had a great working relationship with the local government and regulating authorities. Our communication has been excellent and they support our mission,” Dailey said.
The resort strives to preserve nature and become as energy-efficient as possible.
“Being a family business, we’re lucky to have two families, the Tuthills and the Eberts, that reinvest their money back into the business, providing for the expansions that we’ve made over the last 40 years,” Green said.
In 1962, Ray Tuthill, the company’s founder and former president, bought 322.5 acres with dreams of one day opening a ski area to solve a family problem — having to travel long distances to do something they loved. Blue Mountain Resort began its operations in 1977 when Tuthill’s dream became a reality, opening the doors to then-named Little Gap Ski Area. The ski area offered four trails and two lifts in its first year of operation and lift tickets were $12.
The ski area expanded, reaching the bottom of the mountain in the 1990s, to the area currently known as “The Valley.” This allowed for a 1,082-foot vertical for skiing, the highest in the state, and the most varied terrain for guests of all ability levels.
When Ray Tuthill died, Green stepped in as president and CEO to continue her father’s legacy.
Green, who has seen three generations of many families work at the resort, said she prides herself on being able to provide job stability by expanding the resort’s operations from skiing and snowboarding in the winter to outdoor adventures and activities in the summer.
“(The green-season activities) fit so well into what we do year-round, offering outdoor adventures in a natural setting,” she said. “I’m looking forward to doing more of that.”
In the 1970s, 40 ski areas existed in Pennsylvania, with 735 nationwide. Today, there are 20 ski resorts in Pennsylvania and 481 nationwide.
“The resorts that have survived are those that have concentrated on their snow-making efficiency, are customer-focused, and provide all-season activities,” Green said.
What started with a 269-foot vertical, four trails, two lifts, and one lodge has since expanded to a 1,082-foot vertical, 39 trails, 16 lifts, 39 tubing lanes, five lodges, and a variety of outdoor activities in the green seasons. The resort is currently working on plans for a six-story hotel built on 1.95 acres near the Summit Lodge. The hotel would consist of 80 condo units.
