Moving Mountains

Published

Aug 19, 2025

Author

Adam Stuart

The Three Ski Resorts Shaping the Next Chapter of Ogden Valley Real Estate & Growth

Ogden Valley is on the move. Investment, development, and national attention are rising fast. The median price for a single-family home has jumped from $710,000 in 2020 to nearly $1.3 million by the end of 2024 — an 83% increase in just five years. People are drawn by the recreation, the dark skies, the open space, and the strong sense of community. But the biggest accelerant is the presence of three local ski resorts: Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, and Nordic Valley.

These aren’t just places to ski. They’re powerful economic and cultural engines, shaping everything from housing and jobs to land use, infrastructure, and the pace of growth in Eden, UT, and Huntsville, UT. The direction they go will influence the entire trajectory of the area for years to come.

We reached out to the leadership teams at each resort to get a clearer picture of what’s coming. We asked them to share what they’re building, who it’s for, and how they think it’ll affect the valley — not just in terms of skiing, but jobs, housing, land use, and the overall feel of the community. We also asked them to speak to their bigger mission: what kind of experience they’re trying to create and why it matters.

Powder Mountain: Preserving Soul, Expanding Access

Brandi Hammon — Chief Revenue Officer

Powder Mountain is pushing forward with a bold and deliberate model, one that avoids both mega-pass overload and total exclusivity.

“We’ve been focusing on trying to come up with a model that balances economic viability for a public resort with sustainability,” said Brandi Hammon, Chief Revenue Officer. “We don’t want to follow the Epic and Ikon model. There’s space in the market for something different.”

Over the next several years, major Powder Mountain real estate and resort expansions will take place on both sides of the mountain.

The new DMI lift in the Wolf Creek drainage will open ~900 acres of new public terrain.
The Davenport lift unlocks ~1,000 acres of private black diamond skiing on recently acquired land from the Monument Group.
New maintenance facilities, upgraded lift systems, and lodge construction are underway.

“Everything we’re doing is focused on keeping the mountain cool and exciting,” Hammon emphasized. “It won’t look the same, but it’ll still feel like Powder. We’re designing for hardcore, passionate skiers — people who care more about the turns than about being part of a private club. There’s a camaraderie here, a kind of shared grit. You earn your turns at Powder, and that’s part of the magic.”

Powder’s vision supports both public guests and private owners, and emphasizes impacting the local community in meaningful ways.

Shuttle systems reduce traffic through Eden neighborhoods.
Powder employees enjoy a delicious free breakfast and lunch each day, along with competitive wages and benefits.
Long-term sustainability is the guiding principle.

“Our goal is to ensure that Powder Mountain never becomes fully private. We’re taking a new path—a hybrid of both an uncrowded public and private ski mountain. We want to create a sustainable, high-functioning public ski experience that lasts for generations. The mountain should be here for our kids, and their kids, too.”

Snowbasin: Elevating Experience, Honoring Legacy

Davy Ratchford — Chief Operating Officer

Snowbasin continues to invest heavily in its future while staying focused on what it’s always done best — delivering a high-quality ski experience.

Building Forward While Honoring Legacy

New Becker Lift coming for the 2025/26 season — cutting ride time in half and expanding beginner terrain in Bear Hollow.
RFID lift ticketing for increased guest convenience.
Expanded lodge seating and a broader Olympic master plan for the 2034 Winter Games.
New traffic flow improvements off Trapper’s Loop in collaboration with UDOT will ease congestion.

“Snowbasin is committed to being the most accessible mountain in Utah,” said Ratchford.

While consistently recognized for its world-class terrain, including a recent ranking as the #1 ski resort in America, Snowbasin remains grounded in its role as a true day-use mountain.

“Its variety of terrain and top-tier amenities have made it a bucket list resort, but it’s the local market that has always been, and will continue to be, our core audience,” Ratchford emphasizes.

That commitment is reflected in programs like Learn and Earn, one of the most celebrated beginner ski programs in North America.

Beyond recreation, Snowbasin plays a major role in the regional economy. With nearly 1,100 employees, the resort supports the broader community through year-round employment and local tourism.

Originally dubbed “Ogden’s Winter Playground” when it opened in 1940, Snowbasin hasn’t strayed from its mission. While the resort modernizes in preparation for the future, it holds fast to the values that have always defined it: reliable conditions, accessible skiing, and a deeply rooted connection to the community.

Nordic Valley: Investing in Community and Sustainable Growth

Laurent Jouffray — Partner, Nordic Village Ventures

Nordic Valley has long held a special place in the hearts of locals — a place where generations learned to ski, where community comes first, and where affordability and accessibility remain key pillars. That legacy is now guiding the next chapter of this Ogden Valley ski resort, with thoughtful expansion and infrastructure upgrades designed to preserve its charm while enhancing the guest experience.

“Infrastructure development including water, wastewater treatment, electricity, and roads has already begun and will be completed before the end of 2027,” says Laurent Jouffray, representative of Skyline Mountain Base LLC.

Skyline is one of two partners, along with Clyde Capital Group, in Nordic Village Ventures, which owns the land at Nordic Valley ski resort.

Other Nordic upgrades will include:

A new skier services lodge.
Preparing parcels for future development — a hotel, retail space, chalets, and condos.
Investments slope-side involving snowmaking, lifts, and other improvements to enhance the skiing and snowboarding experience.

Development aligns with the Ogden Valley General Plan (2016) and respects public input.

"... the overall project scope and size was downsized from its previously entitled density and uses. No additional density has been added to the project. Moreover, most of the property has been put into an open space designation leaving the mountain open for public enjoyment.”

That focus on open space and moderate growth is matched by a commitment to supporting locals. Providing attainable/workforce housing for hospitality workers is a primary goal. The development plan calls for a central plaza with light retail and a commercial core of the village. Shops, restaurants, and other amenities run by small business owners, will help create jobs and opportunities — built on a four-seasons approach.

“The proposed development for Nordic Village has always been focused on creating a quaint, family-friendly village. This concept and character is the foundation of our development plan. Local residents are our top priority, and we are working with local groups to create parks, trails and other amenities that will benefit the community —both within and outside the project’s boundary.”

Now, with Nordic becoming part of a newly incorporated city, the resort’s leadership sees an opportunity to work with new local leaders when they are elected and take office — building upon Nordic’s historic tradition of a healthy, vibrant, family-friendly resort where kids can continue to ‘ski free’ and the new investment can provide a much needed tax base for the newly incorporated city.

The Takeaway: Ski Resorts Are Catalysts For Ogden Valley Real Estate and Lifestyle

The direction Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, and Nordic Valley take over the next decade will directly shape the Ogden Valley real estate market, infrastructure, tourism economy, and sense of place. Whether it’s intentional growth at Nordic, private-public balance at Powder, or Olympic-grade investment at Snowbasin, each resort is defining a unique role in Ogden Valley’s future.

And for homeowners, visitors, and investors alike — these mountain moves matter in real estate markets for Eden, UT, and Huntsville, UT.

Explore What's Coming In One Of Utah’s Most Sought-After Alpine Destinations

Major resort investments are not only enhancing the ski experience — they are driving demand for homes, rentals, and land throughout the region. From legacy estates near Powder’s private terrain to slope-access condos near Nordic’s future village, the real estate landscape is evolving fast.