Peak Resorts, which began life operating small ski areas in the US Midwest, is continuing its rapid expansion by purchasing Mount Snow Resort in Vermont and Attitash in New Hampshire from the American Skiing Company.

Peak Resorts now owns or operates ten resorts including small ski areas in Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire.

The company was established by Felix and Margit Kagi whose successful philosophy has been previously summed up by Margit Kagi as, “We believe if we give people comfort, flow, and space, they will come back.”

The business mix has included near 24 hour opening with ‘Xtreme Midnights’ at weekends seeing ski hills staying open in to the small hours, attracting not just the student crowd but also business professionals and even church groups according to Margit Kagi.

The change of ownership takes the American Skiing Company down to five resorts, with two of the remaining resorts, Steamboat in Colorado and Killington in Vermont possibly also to be sold. In Steamboat’s case the company is known to be in negotiations with an unidentified potential buyer, in Killington’s it appears to be more rumour. It has previously sold Sugarbush in Vermont and was at one point owner of Heavenly in California, now owned by Vail Resorts.

Peak Resorts may not yet be on the same scale as Intrawest or Vail Resorts but now operates more ski resorts in more US states than any other company.

www.skipeaks.com