Holimont

HoliMont's summit reaches 2,260 feet, dropping 702 vertical feet to a base at 1,558 feet across 55 runs spread over 135 acres near Ellicottville in western New York. Terrain splits 44 per cent advanced, 31 per cent intermediate and 25 per cent beginner, with no expert-rated runs, and average annual snowfall of roughly 150 inches from the region's lake-effect weather patterns. Five lifts, including two quad chairs and two triple chairs, serve the mountain alongside one double chair and two surface lifts.

HoliMont operates as North America's largest private ski club, a genuinely distinctive model in the industry that keeps its slopes notably uncrowded relative to comparably sized public resorts. The mountain welcomes the public on weekdays while reserving weekend access for members, a structure that shapes the entire visitor experience.

William Merk, inspired after witnessing the 1932 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, pursued his passion for skiing in the Ellicottville area for years with the Ellicottville Ski Club before deciding to establish a private club of his own. In 1961, Merk initiated purchase options on land parcels along Route 242 with the backing of local investors, who coined the name HoliMont from the phrase Holiday Mountain. The first trail was cut in 1961, with seven more following in 1962, the club's official first season.

HoliMont has continued operating as a private, member-focused ski club since its founding, maintaining its distinctive weekday-public, weekend-members structure across more than six decades. Adult weekday daily tickets run from 75 to 85 US dollars, with substantially discounted rates for military members on Fridays.