Yorkshire, New York – A lost ski resort is now protected from future development.
Last month, New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation announced that it had purchased more than 1200 acres of land that once featured Bluemont Ski Resort. New York State purchased the land for $2.1 million from Kingbrook Funding, LLC. The land will now be known as Blue Hill State Forest.
The ski runs are still visible, and various buildings from the old ski area remain. However, they plan to remove the buildings, put up signs to mark the boundaries and conduct a property assessment. The site will be open for recreation, meaning people can go hiking and ski touring.
“Improving forest health is essential for safeguarding water quality, habitat, and opportunities for recreation and healthy, well-managed forests are also an important tool in New York’s ongoing efforts to mitigate for and adapt to climate change,” said Sean Mahar, Interim Commissioner of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. “Thanks to the dedication of DEC’s conservation partners, this historic acquisition will allow residents and visitors in northern Cattaraugus County the opportunity to see first-hand the development of a healthy and sustainably managed forest and the benefits it provides to our environment and communities.”
The move is part of New York’s 30 x 30 initiative, which intends to preserve 30% of the state’s land and waterways by 2030.
However, local officials weren’t thrilled by the news. The Herald Courrier reports that officials in the town of Yorkshire weren’t happy with the acquisition. The state allegedly approached the town about buying the land in 2020 but didn’t follow up until they purchased it this year. Town officials worry about the land’s tax status and how they’ll be able to enforce property maintenance since it’s now state-owned land.
Yorkshire Supervisor Marcia Lexer was frustrated that this acquisition takes away the possibility of it being developed:
“The state just took every opportunity away from the town to develop this property in the future.”
Bluemont first opened as a ski resort in 1959. It was home to a side-loading detachable chairlift in its first few years. Due to safety issues from that aforementioned chairlift, the ski resort closed in 1962. It reopened in 1968 with a new fixed-grip double chairlift. The 800-foot vertical drop ski resort featured nine trails and four lifts during its heyday. It closed for good in 1979 due to inconsistent weather and a lack of natural snowfall. After its closure, developers tried to develop the ski resort into a private community, but that never came to fruition.
For more information about Bluemont, check out the ski resort’s history on NELSAP.
Image Credits: Cushman & Wakefield | Pyramid Brokerage Company, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Skimap.org