After Wildfire Damages Only Chairlift, Montana Ski Area Gets Community Support
The Sand Creek Fire damaged Maverick Mountain's only chairlift, threatening the ski season. The base structures survived, but the lift is likely inoperable. Now residents, businesses and nonprofits are rallying to save the ski area, which has deep community ties.
The Sand Creek Fire reached Maverick Mountain 16 days before this report, and while the base area, snowcats, and other equipment were spared, the single chairlift sustained damage that co-owner Erik Borge said would likely keep it out of service for the upcoming season. The lift is central to the ski area's operation, making its loss a direct threat to the coming winter.
Fundraising efforts are being channeled through the Dillon Jaycees, a nonprofit that has long run a "little skiers" program at Maverick, with donations accepted online and at Stockman Bank branches. Tim Montana, who does not ski, is hosting a free concert at his Wise River Club with silent and live auctions, after his business served roughly 260 meals daily to firefighters during the blaze.
The loss of the chairlift threatens a ski area that has served generations of families in southwestern Montana, and the community response shows how deeply such local institutions matter. If the lift cannot be replaced in time, the season may be lost, affecting jobs, tourism, and the "little skiers" program. The outcome could also shape how other small mountain communities prepare for