‘Fight the Man’ Ski Resort Leads Crowdfunding to Snub Vail

  • Red Mountain breaks record for single-day fundraising
  • Resort benefits from legendary powder, gold-rush lore

Red Mountain ski resort in Rossland, British Columbia.

Photographer: Ben Nelms

A tiny Canadian ski resort forged by Scandinavian miners chasing an 1890s gold rush has become the unlikely recipient of a record equity crowdfunding raise, tapping into powder hounds’ quest to fend off a wave of consolidation led by Vail Resorts Inc.

Investors are lining up to buy a piece of Red Mountain Resort in Rossland, British Columbia, drawn by its rebellious pitch of “Fight the Man, Own the Mountain.” The web-based campaign, the first by a ski resort, appears to have struck a chord with skiers anxious about a flurry of acquisitions that has put 39 resorts in the hands of just three corporations.