Please help stop an out of state corporation from monopolizing your southern California mountains. This sale will price thousands of Inland Empire families out of winter sports, severely limiting access to lift operated recreation in your national forests. 

Currently, Snow Valley Mountain Resort, the local independent, family-owned ski area is being eyed for purchase by Colorado-based ski resort mega corporation, Alterra. The Alterra Mountain Company already owns both, Big Bear Mountain Resort and Snow Summit. They also own Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Palisades Tahoe ski areas, in addition to 12 other resorts. The purchase of Snow Valley will essentially give Alterra a monopoly in Southern California. Inland Empire & mountain residents will be at the mercy of Alterra group and their monopoly pricing.

 

Snow Valley is one of the last resorts that caters to families and communities. They keep the price affordable so families can continue to help their children love snow sports and to keep them occupied during the winter months. Too many kids get into trouble when they don’t have outside interests.

 

For over three decades during the winter months, thousands of Inland Empire kids grades 1-8 have enjoyed afterschool group ski programs at Snow Valley. The Rim Youth program, operating each winter at Snow Valley Mtn. Resort, gives elementary and middle school students the opportunity to gather every Friday afternoon and evening for 6 weeks. Youth of all economic backgrounds learn to ski or snowboard in a fun, supportive, affordable venue. They also learn valuable snow safety skills, on-slope etiquette, and develop lifelong friendships with both peers and trusted adults. They develop skills that provide healthy recreational options. 

 

The Rim Youth Program also gets the parents there skiing/snowboarding and spending quality time with their children. Unlike many sports where age, size, and skill level matters, skiing and snowboarding are easily enjoyed together—as family, even as multigenerational families. Many grandparents can be seen on the slopes spending quality time skiing with their grandkids. 

 

This program, as well as the entire aura of Snow Valley reflects the management's passion and goal is to be there for Southern California families and communities. Many mountain youth train at Snow Valley. Many of those end up being hired at Snow Valley as their first job. Thousands of other local community students have taken PE classes there. Snow Valley is a community pillar that provides a service to residents of all ages. They offer close, affordable access to skiing, snowboarding, and more recently lift serviced sledding.

 

If this sale goes through, soon countless families will be priced out of winter sports in their own national forest. Selling Snow Valley to a ski corporation monolith such as Alterra only further denies ski and snowboarding access to our middle- and lower-income residents. The San Bernardino Mountains are not only for the affluent, the Ikon season pass holders, the families who can afford $500 a pop to take a family of 3 to the slopes. They are for everyone. Alterra Mountain Company doesn’t agree. Even their slogan is: We Are The Mountains. See for yourself: https://www.alterramtnco.com/

 

Ticket prices for the 2022/23 season are not published yet but based on previous seasons, Alterra owned resort prices are at minimum 100% higher than Snow Valley’s prices, and 300-400% higher for some services.

 

This sale is a clear case of big business taking over small business. The Alterra Group will have a monopoly by owning 5 of the 7 resorts in Southern California. This assists them in raising prices. One of those two remaining independent ski hills lacks snowmaking equipment; some seasons that ski hill doesn’t even open. The other resort is, sadly, also no longer consider by many to be family friendly. 

 

Alterra is neither community based nor community focused—it is profit centered. This has been proven both in Mammoth and Big Bear. 

 

There is no guarantee that the current staff and leadership that have made Snow Valley a great resort will continue. Local control and local management means more accountability and more personal service to both patrons and employees. Alterra will not have the passion and love for the resort and its customers that the current management does.

If Snow Valley is purchased by Alterra, say goodbye to equitable, affordable access to lift serviced snow recreation. At a time when almost every company was raising prices, Snow Valley lowered ticket prices. At a time when companies add on any extra fee they can, Snow Valley still offers free on-site midweek parking. The charge for weekends and holiday parking is returned to patrons in the form of a $10 voucher to be used on site. 

 

With Alterra comes: 

1) Exorbitant ticket prices, further limiting equitable access to many Inland Empire residents.

2) Unsafe parking practices. Patrons of Big Bear Mountain Resorts are forced to park off-site, then often transported cattle-style by trailer to the resort.

3) Lack of group lessons for kids who are intermittent or advanced skiers and riders. Big Bear Mtn. Resort and sister Alterra owned resort Snow Valley do not offer children group lessons for intermediate or even beginners who have 4 or 5 days of experience. Private lessons are hundreds of dollars in addition to the already exorbitant and expensive lift ticket prices. 

4) Loss of family friendly atmosphere, more loud concerts, less nature sounds. More litter, more traffic, more mayhem. On a personal note, I’ve encountered broken glass beer bottles on the slopes of Alterra owned resorts. Employees were ambivalent, disinterested in removing such safety hazards. 

5) Lower pay, with less local control. Presently Snow Valley pays starting workers above the CA minimum wage. Alterra puts profits over people.

What can you do to help?

·      Sign this petition. 

·      Share this petition with friends and ask them to sign it and also share it. 

·      Contact the following email addresses –in a courteous and polite manner—to express your concerns about Alterra monopolizing the southern California mountain resorts:

Current owners -  info@nordicgroup.com

Assemblyman - jay.obernolte@mail.house.gov

Forest Service - danelle.harrison@usda.gov

Forest Service - evalds.rimbenieks@usda.gov

Contact your state senator and your assembly person. 

Contact State Senator Ochoa-Bogh. Snow Valley is in her district.