Vermont’s Smugglers' Notch Ski Resort has new owners.
Smugglers' Notch and Bear Den Partners on Wednesday announced an ownership transition. The resort has been owned for 29 years by Bill Stritzler and the family will maintain an ownership stake.
Bear Ben Partners CEO Jon Schaefer also owns and operates Berkshire East and Catamount Mountain Resort in western Massachusetts. He said obtaining Smuggler’s Notch is not about changing the resort, but supporting what already works.
"Our number one focus here is to take our time, make good decisions and really think about capacity. We’re just going to take our time and work to get it right.”
In 2025 Bear Den Partners acquired Burke Mountain in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.
