If you’ve been skiing at Bridger, you’ve probably seen that Bridger Canyon Partners’ remaining piece of the Base Area is up for auction on March 20^th.

The web link leads to http://www.conciergeauctions.com/auctions/crosscut-ranch-bozeman-montana-59715/ which lists the property as, “Ideal for use as a gentleman’s ranch, with development & conservation opportunities, over four commercial acres, 2 creeks and direct access to the Bridger and Bangtail mountains with ski-in ability and ski-out potential, the property is a great balance of open meadows, diverse plant life ­and abundant wildlife. Previously offered for $16M. Selling to the highest bidder on March 20th.”

The 259 acre parcel represents about ¾ of Bridger Canyon Partners’ original holdings. The remainder – a parcel south and east of the parking lot – was sold to Bridger Bowl. $16M would be a bit over $60,000 an acre, which would be well above the price paid by BB, but similar to the price paid in the transfer of 14 acres for Bridger Pines’ sewer system.

We can certainly hope for a conservation-minded buyer, without ambitions for a 500+ unit development. Could we also dream of a way to put much of the property into a land trust or similar mechanism, preserving the headwaters of Bridger Creek while continuing access to recreation?

Some history on the last Base Area development attempt is here. (Apologies for broken links – this is not fully migrated from BCPOA’s old web site.)