May 27th Mt Ashland Updates

This week, the Medford Rogue Rotary Club welcomed representatives from Mount Ashland Association for a powerful presentation on the future of Southern Oregon’s beloved community ski area. The message was clear: Mount Ashland is more than a ski hill. It is a regional treasure, an economic driver, and a place where generations of families have learned, explored, and built lifelong memories.

Board members Blair Moody and Gabby O’Connor shared the rich history of the mountain, which first opened in 1964 and has survived through decades of community support and determination. In 1992, Southern Oregon residents rallied together to save the ski area from private ownership, raising $1.7 million to purchase the mountain, with local Rotary clubs contributing more than $600,000 toward the effort. Today, Mount Ashland operates as a nonprofit organization serving thousands of visitors each year.

The presentation focused on an urgent challenge facing the ski area: replacing two aging chairlifts that are well beyond their expected service life. The Windsor lift is now 48 years old, while the Ariel lift has been operating for an astonishing 62 years. Mount Ashland must raise more than $6.3 million over the next two years to complete the replacements and ensure the mountain remains operational for future generations.

Speakers highlighted the broader impact Mount Ashland has on the region. The ski area contributes an estimated $9 million annually to the local economy, employs more than 250 seasonal staff, and introduces over 1,400 youth each year to skiing and snowboarding through partnerships with schools across Southern Oregon. Many attendees recognized just how many local children and families have experienced the mountain through school programs over the years.

The group also discussed the growing challenges facing community ski areas nationwide, including climate change, rising insurance costs, aging infrastructure, and limited access to capital compared to large corporate resorts. Despite these obstacles, Mount Ashland continues to keep ticket prices affordable while investing in improvements and youth access programs.

Rotarians learned about upcoming fundraising efforts, including awareness campaigns throughout the Rogue Valley, presentations to community groups, and even plans to auction off retired chairlift seats once replacements are installed. The campaign deadline for the Windsor lift replacement is May 2027, with the Ariel replacement planned shortly after.

Thank you to the team from Mount Ashland Association for sharing both the challenges and opportunities ahead. Their presentation was a reminder that preserving community spaces takes vision, partnership, and a whole lot of grit, preferably with snow on top.