New Owner Of Wyoming Ski Resort Details Future Vision
Wyoming — Local skiers were a little worried after the sale of Meadowlark Ski Lodge from its longtime owner to a Florida-based investment and hospitality company. However, as more details have emerged, it’s clear that the new owner is passionate about the ski resort and is intent on growing upon the existing experience.
Over the past few weeks, MAS Tierra has been discussing their plans for Meadowlark, which it acquired earlier this month. They’ve chatted with the Buffalo Bulletin and Cowboy State Daily about the investment firm’s background and what they’re thinking of doing.
Jose Mas is the head of MAS Tierra. Although he began his life in Florida, he ended up attending UC Boulder. During his time there, he fell in love with the Mountain West.
“I just fell in love with skiing, snowboarding, that whole culture,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “I would always go up to Arapahoe Basin and Vail and Beaver Creek, and it just made me fall more and more in love every time. The peace, the people — it’s like there’s a certain vibe of people who come out here in groups to go ski. So I fell in love with that.”
While he moved back to Florida, his love for the outdoors remained. He came up with the idea of starting a base camp business after a fragmented experience visiting a national park with his buddies. After some visits to Meadowlark, they saw a great mountain that could add a few more activities, making it a true base camp for outdoorsy people.
In discussions with local media and other locals, he’s come off less as a businessman and more as a ski bum. That was demonstrated in a Facebook video where he introduced himself to the Meadowlark faithful.
Future Plans
In terms of the skiing experience, it doesn’t appear like much will be changing for this upcoming winter. Work this offseason will focus on trail maintenance and other upkeep projects. Lift ticket prices will be staying the same, while season pass pricing will be announced once their new Point of Sale system is in place. A return to the Indy Pass also appears to be part of the plans.
In terms of summer activities, the plan is to expand offerings to include mountain biking and horseback riding, among other excursions. Another idea is to create a cafe for hikers and campers to grab food and drinks, with wi-fi. Another idea is to create a library of books that delve into the area’s history.
The one potential roadblock is that they will only have a year-long lease with the Forest Service to start out. However, barring any violations of the agreement, the Forest Service intends to renew the leases for a 40-year term for the ski resort and a 20-year term for the nearby lodging property.
In terms of the potential, here’s what Chopper Grassell, an associate broker who helped broker the sale, said about Meadowlark:
“This is the best little ski area in Wyoming, I can assure you of that,” he said to Cowboy State Daily. “I was raised in Pinedale, and my kids all trained on Snow King and skied, as we all did, at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. And Meadowlark, by a mile, is the greatest small ski area in Wyoming.”
About Meadowlark Ski & Lake Lodge
The ski area itself is on the smaller side of Wyoming’s ski industry, but it still has some fun terrain. Known as the “Little Jackson Hole” of the Big Horns, Meadowlark features 35 trails across 230 acres with two lifts. It’s a snowy spot, averaging around 300 inches of snow each year. At the base area is a rustic 15,000-square-foot base lodge, which features a food court, seating areas, rentals, a ski patrol room, a retail shop, and a ticket office. In the summer, the ski area serves as a wedding venue.
Located a short drive away from the ski area is the Meadowlark Lake Lodge. This resort features 15 cabins (including 10 that were recently renovated), 4 duplexes, 6 motel rooms, a restaurant with employee housing on the upper floor, and a marina. With convenient access to Meadowlark Lake, there are activities like fishing, kayaking, and swimming.
Image/Video Credits: Tristin Cloward Productions, Meadowlark Ski & Lake Lodge
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