Mad River Glen: Where Vermont’s Skiers Own the Mountain

Most ski resorts are owned by corporations, making decisions in boardrooms far from the mountains. Mad River Glen is owned by its skiers. More than 2,500 individuals who love this mountain enough to invest in it, vote on its future, and protect what makes it special.

If you’re planning a Vermont ski trip, Mad River Glen delivers skiing the way it used to be: challenging, authentic, and refreshingly unconcerned with being anything other than what it is. And with lodging in Vermont just minutes away in the Mad River Valley, you can experience this legendary mountain while staying comfortable and close.

© Photos By Kintz

The History of Mad River Glen: From Vision to Cooperative

Roland Palmedo founded Mad River Glen in 1948 with a philosophy that feels radical today: skiing should be a sport, not just another industry. He’d helped build chairlifts at Stowe in the 1930s but grew frustrated watching commercial interests overtake the sport he loved. So he took to his plane, scouted Vermont’s Green Mountains from the air, and selected General Stark Mountain, not the biggest peak, but one with perfect terrain entirely on private land where he could control development.

Palmedo walked every inch of the mountain personally, laying out trails that followed natural fall lines rather than maximizing real estate value. The Single Chair he installed was the fastest in the world at the time. Mad River Glen opened with five trails and quickly earned recognition as one of New England’s premier ski destinations.

Decades passed. The ski industry changed dramatically with snowmaking, extensive grooming, and corporate consolidation. Mad River Glen stayed largely the same, partly by choice and partly because the steep terrain and limited water made modernization impractical.

In 1972, Truxton Pratt purchased the ski area, and after his death, his wife Betsy became the controlling owner. She understood Palmedo’s vision and worked to protect it even as ski resorts around the country consolidated and homogenized. When Pratt decided to sell in the mid-1990s, she wanted to ensure the mountain’s future in the hands of people who truly cared about it.

The solution was unprecedented: sell the mountain to its skiers. On December 5, 1995, the Mad River Glen Cooperative was formed. For the first time in American skiing history, a mountain was owned and controlled by the people who skied it. The cooperative’s mission was simple and powerful: “to forever protect the classic Mad River Glen skiing experience by preserving low skier density, natural terrain and forests, varied trail character, and friendly community atmosphere.”

Securing the Future: The 2025 Land Acquisition

In late 2025, Mad River Glen shareholders faced a decision that would define the mountain’s next generation. The cooperative learned that approximately 1,100 acres surrounding the ski area, land that had been part of the original 1948 holdings, was up for sale. An outside conservation group had submitted a $2.5 million offer, triggering the co-op’s right of first refusal.

The land stretches from Route 17 to the spine of the Green Mountains and includes the 19th and 20th Hole backcountry terrain, wildlife habitat, and watershed areas. For decades, skiers had accessed this land for sidecountry skiing and hiking, but ownership had remained with the Pratt family when Betsy Pratt sold the ski area to the cooperative in 1995.

The co-op board voted unanimously to exercise its right of first refusal. In just over two months, shareholders and supporters raised $2.8 million to complete the purchase, protect the land through conservation easements, and ensure public access for recreation remains available for generations to come.

General Manager Matt Lillard described the effort simply: “People understand that this is about more than skiing. It’s about keeping Mad River Glen independent, wild, and welcoming for generations to come.”

The acquisition represents the co-op model at its best. Individual skiers investing in the mountain they love, making decisions that prioritize long term preservation over short term profit, and working together to secure terrain that matters.

What Skier Ownership Actually Means

When skiers own the mountain, they make different decisions. In an age when most ski resorts chase ticket sales and real estate development, Mad River Glen focuses on preserving an experience. The co-op has paid off the original mortgage, invested nearly $5 million in infrastructure, and made choices that prioritize the skiing experience over profit maximization.

The most dramatic example came when the aging Single Chair needed attention. More than 80 percent of co-op shareholders voted to spend a premium restoring the iconic 1948 lift rather than replacing it with a more modern, less expensive double chair. They raised the entire $1.8 million through donations.

Similarly, Mad River Glen remains snowboard-free (the ban was instituted in 1991) and maintains low skier density. These aren’t decisions driven by profit margins but by a collective commitment to a particular skiing experience. Shareholders understand that Mad River Glen’s value lies not in maximizing visits but in preserving what makes it unique.

The Terrain: “Ski It If You Can”

Mad River Glen’s famous slogan, “Ski It If You Can”, isn’t just marketing but an honest description of what you’ll encounter on the mountain.

With 53 trails across 115 acres, Mad River Glen offers some of the most challenging skiing in the East, with approximately 50% expert terrain, 30% intermediate, and just 20% beginner.

This isn’t where you bring someone for their first day on skis (though the gentle Birdland area works beautifully for that). This is where confident skiers come to test themselves against steep, natural terrain that doesn’t forgive mistakes.

You’ll find narrow trails through tight trees, wide-open steeps, classic New England bump runs, and glades that require reading the terrain as you go. Paradise, Gazelle, and Fall Line are legendary among expert skiers. After a fresh snowfall, natural-snow skiing feels like what skiing was meant to be.

But here’s what surprises people: families love Mad River Glen too. Yes, really. The terrain might be challenging, but the atmosphere is welcoming. Kids grow up skiing here, progressing from Birdland to intermediate trails to eventually earning their stripes on the steeps. The cooperative model creates a genuine community feeling where regulars recognize each other, and newcomers are welcomed with open arms.

Before heading up, check the Mad River Glen webcam for real-time conditions.

Services That Support the Experience

Mad River Glen offers everything you need without the resort-village excess you don’t. The focus stays squarely on skiing.

Ski School for All Ages

Mad River Glen’s ski school emphasizes learning on natural terrain with experienced instructors who love teaching. Adult programs range from beginner lessons to advanced clinics focusing on specific skills like moguls or steep skiing. The popular Women’s Mid-Week Alpine Clinic provides a supportive environment for women skiers at all levels to improve their technique.

Kids’ programs include daily lessons, seasonal programs, and a junior race program. The instructors understand Mad River Glen’s terrain and teach students how to ski it confidently and safely.

Daycare

Parents with young children will appreciate Mad River Glen’s daycare services, allowing adults to ski while kids are cared for in a safe, fun environment. It’s another example of how this mountain supports families despite its reputation for expert terrain.

Stark’s Pub: The Social Heart

After skiing, everyone ends up at Stark’s Pub. This is where the Mad River Glen community gathers, where stories from the day get shared, and where you’ll find free fondue every Thursday (thanks to Cabot Creamery Cooperative) and free après-ski live music sponsored by Lawson’s Finest Liquids. The pub serves burgers, soups, sandwiches, and local beer, perfect for warming up after a day on the slopes.

General Store and Rentals

The General Store stocks everything from Mad River Glen gear to last-minute essentials, and the rental shop will help you with all the equipm

ent you’ll need for a successful day on the mountain.

Events Throughout the Season

Mad River Glen’s event calendar reflects the community-centered cooperative model with annual traditions for all ages.

Naturalist Programs: Every Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 AM, naturalists lead guided snowshoe treks exploring Stark Mountain’s ecology and wildlife. These free programs reveal the mountain beyond skiing, showcasing the hardwood forests and natural features that make this place special.

Family Tournament: This legendary race has been bringing families together for competition and camaraderie since moving from Stowe to Mad River Glen in the early 1950s.

Racing Triple Crown: This annual event combines three legendary events: the Kandahar mountain race, the Dash For Cash head-to-head competition, and the Rockefeller Challenge (a test of fearlessness where racers tuck downhill then glide uphill to see who goes furthest).

Pond Skim: This season-ending celebration allows brave souls to attempt to skim across a pool of water mid-slope, usually in costume, rarely successfully, always hilariously.

Beyond Winter: The Nature Center and Year-Round Activities

Mad River Glen’s commitment to the mountain extends beyond winter. The Nature Center and naturalist programs operate year-round, educating visitors about the ecology of Stark Mountain.

In summer and fall, the mountain opens for hiking with trails that follow ski runs and connect to the Long Trail. The 2.5-mile Stark Mountain Trail climbs beneath the Single Chair to spectacular summit views. Late September through mid-October, ride the Single Chair for stunning fall foliage views.

Where to Stay After Skiing at Mad River Glen

Mad River Glen sits in Fayston, putting you in the heart of the Mad River Valley. Mad River Lodge in Waitsfield is particularly convenient for Mad River Glen skiers, offering comfortable accommodations just minutes from the mountain. After a day on the slopes, you’ll appreciate returning to a cozy lodge where you can relax, share stories from the day, and plan tomorrow’s skiing.

All four Mad River Lodges properties, Mad River Lodge, Warren Lodge, White Horse Lodge, and Tucker Hill Lodge, provide excellent bases for exploring both Mad River Glen and the wider valley, including nearby Sugarbush Resort for those who want to sample different terrain.

Experience Vermont Skiing History at Mad River Glen

Mad River Glen is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the only ski area with that distinction. But it’s not a museum. It’s a working mountain owned by people who ski it, shaped by values those owners share, and preserved for future skiers who’ll appreciate what makes it special.

Whether you’re a serious skier seeking challenging terrain, a family looking for authentic Vermont skiing, or someone curious about what cooperatively owned skiing looks like in practice, Mad River Glen delivers an experience you won’t find elsewhere.

Book your stay at Mad River Lodges and discover why skiers love this mountain enough to own it. The Single Chair is running, the terrain is waiting, and the community is ready to welcome you. Ski it if you can.

*Images courtesy of Photos by Kintz.