Plymouth, Vermont - January 1, 2010
Sandwiched between Killington and Okemo resorts sits a ski area you've probably never heard of. The parking lot is nearly empty, as are the ski racks and even the slopes.
"We don't want to have a line anywhere," owner Dave Yurkerwich said. "We don't want there to be a crowd anywhere."
Welcome to Bear Creek Mountain Ski Club-- the state's only private resort.
"In exchange for the crowd-free skiing, definitely worth every penny," said Sean McMahon of Boston.
Bear Creek first opened its doors in 1997, prior to that it was known as Round Top. The public ski area closed in the mid 1980s and sat dormant for about 12 years until Yurkerwich bought the property with dreams of converting the mountain into a members-only winter paradise.
"The hill was overgrown. It had 12 years of growth, so we actually had to reclaim the trails," he recalled.
Today the exclusive club is home to seven trails. Forty families ski here, all but a handful of them from out of state. A membership costs $25,000 plus annual dues of about $1,600 a person; $500 for a child.
"Actually I think it's comparable to a golf club, a country club," McMahon said.
"I think the fact that we're here and we're open and in existence shows there is a demand for the feeling of exclusivity," said John Lyon of the Bear Creek Mountain Club.
"We came here one day, skied here for two hours with no lift lines, nobody else on the slopes, fresh powder everywhere and we were done. I came down and signed up," McMahon said.
There are perks that come with a private ski club. Inside the clubhouse members sip fine wines on a granite bar.
"You'll get a cheeseburger for lunch. It'll have caramelized onions and it'll be on a china plate," Yurkerwich said.
The bathrooms are elegant and you can leave your skis here at the end of the day. But it's what happens outside the clubhouse that really drives membership. The club typically welcomes two or three new families each year-- many seeking an escape from the crowds. On a day when 10,000 people might be skiing at nearby Killington only 100 people are skiing at Bear Creek.
"It's a lot less lines and people and there's woods skiing. Skiing in the woods is so much fun," said Jack Peterson of Connecticut.
"I think the biggest difference here is the quality of the snow," McMahon said. "When you don't have 10,000 people skiing on the same trail the snow is fresher. The other day I was skiing at 3:30 and was still making fresh tracks."
Members say that's something worth getting excited about; a mountain you can call your own and some of the finest snow around for those willing to pay a little more.
There are plans in the works for another private ski club further south near Mount Snow, but for now, this is the only place to ski without the crowds in Vermont.
Click here for more information on the Bear Creek Mountain Club.
Keagan Harsha - WCAX News
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