BRIDGEVILLE – A lifelong passion for skiing is being turned into a mission to restore Holiday Mtn. into a skiing mecca for local families and eventually turn it into a regional attraction.

The new owner, Michael Taylor of Monticello, held a public forum on Saturday morning at the ski hill’s lodge, and more than 150 members of the community turned out to listen as Taylor unveiled his new plans.

“I learned to ski here and at the Concord,” Taylor said. “I am thankful I had the opportunity.”

That opportunity weighed heavy on the mind of Taylor, who knew the ski hill was for sale for several years before he decided to pull the trigger earlier this year.

Taylor is the CEO of Combined Energy Services, a family-owned business which was started by his father, Walt, in 1968.

The business has expanded throughout the Northeast and is multi-faceted in supplying home energy needs.

And much of Michael’s expertise in running a highly successful business is being transferred to Holiday Mtn.’s project.

“[Former owner] Craig Passante is a stand up guy,” Taylor told the crowd. “His heart was in it but he couldn’t move forward fast enough. He wants success for the mountain.”

Taylor said even after he and Passante had inked a deal, Passante was offered $500,000 more from developers who wanted to turn Holiday Mtn. into a housing development.

But despite bigger and bigger offers, Taylor said Passante wanted to keep Holiday Mtn. as a ski resort and sold it to Taylor.

Thompson Supervisor William Rieber said, “Craig did the very best he could. He was a great steward for it. The Town of Thompson is giving Holiday Mtn. and Mike Taylor 100 percent support.”

Local History

Holiday Mtn. started in 1957 and was owned by the Town of Thompson. As financial stress hit the town and losses mounted at the ski hill – to the tune of $250,000 per year – the decision was made to sell it.

Passante purchased the ski hill from the town in 2000 and tried to pump new life into the 40-year-old attraction by adding a fun park, motocross and other events.

However, a flood and uncooperative weather patterns did little to help Passante turn the struggling ski hill around.

New Blood

“We’re skiers,” Taylor said, describing his whole family’s love of the sport. “Maybe we’re a  little bit crazy but we want to make this place fun.”

During the past three months, Taylor said a lot of progress has already been made. 

“Our first goal is stop the erosion,” he said, referring to the tremendous damage water has done on the mountain.

“Our crew did a great job the last three months, installing all new split rail fences,” he said. “Our excavation crew has moved thousands of cubic yards of sand already.”

They also installed a new, safer go-cart system, purchased a quad chairlift, replaced the Turkey Trot chairlift and had state inspectors on site. 

Holiday Mtn. is also building a new 12-lane tubing run which will have its own conveyor lift.

Improving the driveways and parking lots are also on the list.

“It’s a work in progress,” he said.

Taylor pointed out what a natural attraction the ski hill already is.

“We are concentrating on skiing,” he said. “Snowmaking is a definite priority.”

To that end, he is installing new snowmaking equipment which – under favorable winter conditions – will be able to blanket the hill in 40 hours.

One of the advantages for Holiday Mtn.’s snowmaking success is that they have plenty of water, with the nearby Neversink River a perfect source.

Taylor is also focused on getting the younger generation – especially local high school students – back to Holiday Mtn.

“We want to turn them into skiers,” he said. “I want to bring back 

Taylor also promised to have the ski hill open “if it is snows were not closing.”

“Safety is our utmost goal,” he said. I am a big fan of helmets and restraint bars. We can’t let anybody get hurt.”

Holiday Mtn. is stopping the motocross races, which not only was hazardous but also very hard on the hill, tearing up the slopes.

Taylor is hoping a multi-million investment in equipment, excavation and ammenities will help make Holiday Mtn. an attraction for locals as well as people from outside Sullivan County.”.

“We’e 85 miles from 12 million people,” Taylor said. “It can’t fail. We have water, great terrain and 155 acres [to work with]. We have the population to support it.

“We’ll draw a crowd, once we have good terrain,” he said.