Huff Hills Ski Area Considering New Location

The ski area has experienced ups and downs over the course of its 30 years in operation, but a lease agreement is putting its future in jeopardy. Huff Hills announced on April 23rd, 2024 that the Winter '23/'24 season would be its last.

Allen and Bernice Lund, the listed property owners of the land in which Huff Hills resides, are reportedly unwilling to offer more than year-to-year lease agreements with the Becks/Huff Hills moving forward.

The Becks signed a 20-year lease agreement when Huff Hills first opened in 1993, and subsequently agreed to a 10 year extension. They've since agreed to two separate one-year extensions carrying the ski area through the Spring of 2025, but according to Beck, it's not a sustainable business practice.

Acknowledging that their longer-term lease would eventually expire, the Becks have been attempting to reach a new agreement since 2016. "We've sent them two purchase offers and three or four different lease options, and they've never counter offered us. They've always just said, no, not at all.", says Beck.

The potential closure comes at a perplexing time as Huff Hills was recently granted $650,000 as part of North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum's $25 million 'Destination Development' initiative. 

The grant fulfills 49% of the budget for a proposed project that included improved snowmaking, the addition of night skiing, and the construction of a new lodge. The ski area planned to finance the remaining 51% of the budget from investors and loans.

Unfortunately, year-to-year lease agreements aren't ideal when attempting to finance over $650,000. According to Beck, these improvements, and the money needed to finance them, are essential to keep Huff Hills viable.

Beck says they've never been told what the landowners will do with property if Huff Hills closes, but that's not stopping him from trying to save the ski area, even if it means moving to another location.

If Huff Hills closes, it will create a "vacuum" of ski areas that will force locals to drive more than three hours for an alternative.

Beck wouldn't provide specifics about a new location for Huff Hills other than that one area they have in mind has "better access to water", "power that goes right through the base area", and "skiable terrain on both sides of a valley".

The Beck Family owns the chairlifts and ski area infrastructure located at Huff Hills, meaning it's possible to pick up shop and move elsewhere.

Huff Hills could still benefit from the The Destination Development grant despite moving locations. Beck says that a recent meeting with the Governor's Office and state Tourism was "encouraging".

For context, the Destination Development funds are reimbursement-based grants. This means that the money hasn't been spent yet, and could essentially be allocated for a similar project, even if it was used at a different location.

According to Beck, the state has "assured" him that they're still interested in supporting the new location of Huff Hills. This could have something to do with North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum's love of skiing. The politician has frequented Big Sky Resort, MT for years.

Huff Hills' future remains uncertain, but there's something you can do to help "save" the ski area in the meantime. Beck is encouraging all skiers with found memories of Huff Hills to share their story and photos directly on the ski area's website.

Stay tuned here at POWDER for updates regarding the future of Huff Hills Ski Area. We'll keep you covered.