AOverview
Alterra Mountain Company owns and operates a portfolio of North American ski and mountain resorts, backed by services and hospitality operations. Its Ikon Pass lets skiers access 60+ destinations, creating upfront revenue and driving traffic to its resorts, while additional revenue comes from lift tickets, rentals, food and beverages, and retail, plus real estate and ancillary services like CMH Heli-Skiing, Ski Butlers, and Aspenware. The company differentiates itself through private, multi-family ownership and a strategy of preserving each destination’s character while investing in infrastructure and guest experience, with a vertically integrated ecosystem that includes specialized services. Its goal is to build a premier, year-round mountain destination network that yields predictable loyalty and sustainable profitability.
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About Alterra Mountain Company
Industries
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Grant
Total Funding
$1M
Headquarters
Denver, CO
Founded
2018
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Simplify's take
What believers are saying
- Denver approved Alterra’s 12-year headquarters lease on November 9, 2026, anchoring the company locally.
- Alterra spent $37 million upgrading Winter Park snowmaking, improving early-season reliability.
- Alaska Airlines’ Atmos Unlocked now sells Ikon Pass and CMH experiences to loyal travelers.
What critics are saying
- A March 26, 2026 antitrust class action targets Ikon pricing, and a December 8 hearing follows.
- Alterra cut jobs in 2026, signaling slower demand and tighter corporate overhead.
- If courts force pass-pricing changes, Ikon’s cash engine weakens and competitor Vail gains share.
What makes Alterra Mountain Company unique
- Ikon Pass spans 70+ destinations, tying Alterra’s owned resorts to a premium network.
- Kelly Vohs started October 19, 2026, bringing hospitality rigor and operating discipline.
- Alterra invests in employee housing, snowmaking, and avalanche systems across its resorts.
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Funding
Total Funding
$1M
Above
Industry Average
Funded Over
1 Rounds
Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- 401(k) Company Match
- Paid Vacation
- Parental Leave
- Commuter Benefits
- Hybrid Work Options
Company News
Alterra gets an Ikon-ic 'sweetheart deal' as Denver approves lease. Published November 9, 2026 9:15pm Denver City Council approved a lucrative lease deal for Alterra Mountain Company on Monday, giving the ski resort operator millions in concessions to move into the former Denver Post building. The 12-year agreement is expected to generate $15.7 million for Denver, but only $5.25 million represents base rent after concessions. The city's projected receipts also include about $7.9 million in reimbursements for operating expenses and $2.6 million in parking revenue. Those figures do not account for the city's financing costs or establish whether the building will generate a profit. The measure passed 8-3, with Councilmembers Flor Alvidrez, Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Shontel Lewis opposed. Their objections ranged from the city's financial priorities and generous concessions to unanswered questions about the building's finances. Under the agreement, Denver will provide Alterra with about $9.7 million in rent credits to offset the $19.3 million cost of renovating its new headquarters. The tenant improvement concessions effectively reduce the base rent from $14.94 million to $5.25 million. Alterra will effectively receive nearly two years without paying base rent - approximately one year during construction and another year of free rent after moving into the building. Base rent is scheduled to begin in October 2028, with additional tenant improvement credits reducing the amount the city collects over the lease term. The company also will receive a separate, repayable $7 million loan from the Denver Downtown Development Authority at 2% interest to help finance improvements and relocation costs. Alterra will receive free parking for two years - a sticking point for Alvidrez, who questioned why employees earning six-figure salaries would receive free parking while lower-paid city employees must pay for their own. Beyond the lease concessions and loan, Alterra is eligible for nearly $2 million in state job-creation tax credits tied to adding 106 employees over eight years, with an average annual salary of $131,000. Denver also has offered up to $485,000 in performance-based grants over two years, contingent on retaining or creating jobs. The incentives are part of a broader state and local effort to keep the company and its existing 275 jobs in Denver. Councilmember Paul Kashmann, who voted in favor of the agreement, called it "a sweetheart deal." City officials defended the concessions as consistent with a competitive downtown office market, where landlords are offering substantial tenant improvement allowances and free rent to attract tenants. They also argued that bringing Alterra's employees downtown would help revitalize the area by increasing foot traffic and spending at nearby businesses. Alterra officials said employees are expected to work in the office at least three days a week. Founded in 2018, Alterra Mountain Company is a privately owned, Denver-based ski resort operator whose properties include Winter Park, Steamboat and Arapahoe Basin. The company offers the Ikon Pass, a multiresort season pass. Alterra and rival Vail Resorts also face a class-action lawsuit alleging their season passes are part of an "anticompetitive scheme" that violates federal antitrust laws. Denver purchased the 11-story building at 101 W. Colfax Ave. for $88.5 million in 2024, intending to eventually use the space to accommodate the city's growing court system. Officials expected rental payments from existing tenants to cover acquisition costs until the city needed the space. Among those tenants was The Denver Post, which had relocated its newsroom to Adams County in 2018 but remained obligated under a lease. The newspaper's owner, DP Media Network LLC, subsequently stopped making its $649,550 monthly lease payments, undermining the city's financial projections. City officials negotiated the incentives after Alterra considered relocating its headquarters to Salt Lake City. But the company's move to the former Denver Post building also means relocating hundreds of employees from Denver's River North Art District to upper downtown. City officials said Monday that office occupancy rates in Five Points, where Alterra is currently headquartered, and upper downtown are comparable. The relocation, however, comes with millions of dollars in public incentives. Alvidrez, who opposed the city's purchase of the building in 2024, questioned why Denver was offering generous incentives to relocate a company already headquartered in the city, particularly when the building's financial performance remains unclear. "We are poaching local tenants from local businesses in a way that any other landlord cannot compete," Alvidrez told The Denver Gazette before the vote. During an Oct. 20 committee meeting, Alvidrez requested financial statements showing the building's projected revenues, operating expenses and debt obligations to determine whether rental income would cover those costs. She said Monday that she still had not received the documents, leaving unanswered whether the building would generate enough revenue to cover its expenses. Alvidrez also objected to broad tenant allowances that permit Alterra to receive rent credits for moving expenses. The city financed the building's purchase through certificates of participation, or COPs, a financing method that allows governments to fund capital projects without issuing traditional voter-approved general obligation bonds. The use of COPs has faced legal challenges over whether such arrangements circumvent voter approval requirements. Denver has $469.4 million in COP debt for various projects that include fire station and library facilities as well as the Wellington E. Webb Office Building, according to the city's 2027 budget. The city owes $7.3 million next year on the former Denver Post building debt, according to the budget. With millions in debt remaining on the building and questions about whether its rental income will cover the costs, Alvidrez said taxpayers deserved a clearer accounting. "Taxpayers are paying for this building and I think we owe them more than we're getting today," Alvidrez said.
New tech helps shape Colorado's ski slopes. Published November 6, 2026 8:02am In December 1976, Colorado's ski resorts were so snow-deprived that locals in Aspen banded together to do a "dance for snow." The situation was so dire that Sen. Floyd Haskell held a news conference to plead for federal disaster relief. The state, which now boasts eight of the 10 highest ski resorts in North America, had little need for snowmaking due to its advantageous elevations. That winter, however, began opening minds to the benefits of human-made snow. While Colorado still lags behind in snowmaking internationally, and perhaps elsewhere in the U.S., companies and resorts in the state are putting serious money into the practice now. Since 2019, Vail Resorts has invested $100 million into automated snowmaking, with Keystone Resort and Breckenridge Resort being major beneficiaries. Alterra spent $37 million upgrading its snowmaking systems at Winter Park Resort, debuting a new system in late 2024. "What we're seeing now is that people that still have those legacy systems are looking at efficiency and innovation and not only replacing those systems, but also growing them to bigger footprints on the mountain," said Taylor Ogilvie, CEO of TechnoAlpin USA, a manufacturer of snowmaking systems worldwide. While studies show snowpack has been declining in Colorado in recent years, including last year's disastrous season, resorts have been able to open earlier than ever, thanks in large part to snowmaking technology, mostly from European firms. Advancements in the field, particularly automation, have played a large part in this feat. Instead of an employee manually turning on snowmaking machines overnight in dark, chilly conditions, resorts such as Keystone now do so with the touch of a mouse from their control room. "Automation and the output of the technology and fans really let us maximize every window we have," said Kate Schifani, senior director of mountain operations at Keystone. Keystone opened Oct. 30, two days after Arapahoe Basin Ski Area kicked off the 2026-27 ski season in Colorado. Resorts now just need a few days of cold wet-bulb temperatures, at or below 28 degrees, to produce enough snow for a decent base layer on runs with snowmaking equipment. In the early season, these windows can be short and crucial with automation making the most of them. "We know weather is going to be variable. It's been variable for decades, and it's increasingly more so. We lean on our (snowmaking) system to really help us get through that and guarantee a great experience for our guests," Schifani said. With ski resort visitation becoming more intertwined with local ski town economies, having a guaranteed product has become increasingly important for a variety of stakeholders. "We provide weather resiliency and machines to kind of mostly ensure that there will be a product," Ogilvie said. Ogilvie's company, TechnoAlpin, has its North American headquarters in Englewood, but has the vast majority of its employees in the Italian Dolomites. Its equipment can be found at Keystone, Breckenridge, Purgatory, Granby Ranch and more ski areas around the state. Aspen, which also utilizes TechnoAlpin machines, had a highly publicized pilot program this summer and fall, using thick insulated blankets to preserve around 85% of the snow of one of its terrain parks. A Finnish firm, Snow Secure, created the insulated blankets for the program. "The whole industry, we're kind of evolving. Colorado, we were kind of lucky we didn't have to get into it the same way that, like the Mid-Atlantic or the Northeast maybe did. But we're in it now and that's good. I think it's good for everyone," Schifani said.
Upgraded Bashor halfpipe nearing completion at Steamboat Resort. Dirt from new luxury residential development at base being utilized. NewsNews | Oct 23, 2026 The Bashor Bowl halfpipe, adjacent to the Bashor chairlift at Steamboat Resort, is getting a major upgrade this offseason. Led by Jake Ingle, Slope Maintenance director, the project is a collaboration between Alterra Corp.'s development team, Steamboat Resort, and Marquee Development, builders of The Stockman, a nine-story, $550 million luxury residential development at the ski area base. In the process of constructing The Stockman, Steamboat company Native Excavating, which won the bid to move the dirt, approached Ingle about making use of the anticipated 40,000-plus cubic yards of dirt. Ingle - a legend in the ski industry for building halfpipes - decided to upgrade the halfpipe and hopefully fill a void by having a halfpipe suitable for competitions at the resort. He's built superpipes and boardercross venues for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard team, as well as Olympic qualifying and Grand Prix venues at resorts including Mammoth, Park City, Copper, Killington, Snowmass, Mt. Hood, Mt. Bachelor and Breckenridge. He's also had a hand in 50 World Cup venues in Japan, Austria and New Zealand. He's won the Anne McIntyre Citation from U.S. Ski and Snowboard, "given to the person who has contributed to the advancement of the sport of snowboarding every year." "We narrowed in on the halfpipe and location because the area is on resort property," explained Ingle. "It would make permitting with the city easier." Twelve different designs for the halfpipe were proposed. Ingle explained that they needed to create infrastructure to get the grade at the minimum 17-degree mark for a 22-foot halfpipe. Eventually, the planning team decided on an 18.5-degree slope with a length around 550 feet. In years past, it has taken the resort and the slope maintenance team 1.4 million cubic feet of snow to create the halfpipe. This year, Ingle expects the new halfpipe to need only 750,000 cubic feet of snow. "We could to use less snow, even vary the length of the pipe, and make sure it always has the right pitch," Ingle explained. "It adds to the idea of increased sustainability, and takes down the time required to make snow for the halfpipe." Ingle is especially proud of building the halfpipe at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. "So we landed on the design from Korea," said Ingle. "We started with the dirt work plans and went through several redesigns to apply it to the resort's slopes." In South Korea, there are less regulations for halfpipes, according to Ingle, and the team was able to make the inside of the pipe a steep 1-to-1 angle. However, in Steamboat, the team settled on a 2-to-1 angle, according to Ingle. This is to increase the chances of revegetation during the year, as required by the city. In addition, because of the slope, the team would not have to lay down revegetation blankets or geotextiles, Ingle explained. In South Korea, the dirt slope matched the pitch and slope of the snow, whereas the design in Steamboat is a mellower slope on the inside. This design acts as a "catcher's mitt," for the snow, and gives Ingle and his team some room to manipulate the snow. Ingle hopes the halfpipe attracts both local and outside training opportunities and competitions. "I think that our ultimate goal is just to build a really nice training facility for our local athletes and for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and provide a high-level venue," he explained. "But in the future, it does give us the ability to talk about FIS World Cup competitions or something like Sean White's Snow League." Comparable halfpipes are located at Copper Mountain, Aspen at Buttermilk and Mammoth Mountain, California. Park City, Utah is bringing back its halfpipe this year for the Snow League. "This will bring in halfpipe enthusiasts," said Ingle. "With the availability of the Bashor chairlift, riders can do a lap in two minutes and 30 seconds, approximately." Overall, Ingle sees the project as a win-win for everyone involved. "It's a huge win for The Stockman, the resort and the city," Ingle said. "For the next 20 years we are going to be able to build this halfpipe using half the snowmaking. We can move on to other areas of the mountain more quickly to use our snowmaking capacity." Oct 24, 2026
Alaska Airlines partners with alterra on rewards benefits. Alaska Airlines and the major ski resort company are partnering up on rewards for the carrier's loyalty program. Seattle, Washington - Airline companies are always trying to one-up each other when it comes to rewards. These airlines tend to offer their own credit cards, which help flyers earn points and eventually get free flights. Alaska Airlines debuted its Atmos Rewards last year. Alaska offers various experiences, but you'll need a lot of points to get them. Latest videos. This week, Alaska Airlines announced new experiences being offered through Atmos Unlocked (part of Atmos Rewards). For those not in the know, Atmos Unlocked allows members to use points to acquire travel experiences. Here's how it works: Atmos Rewards members can use points to bid on a CMH heli-skiing experience. There are other options that let you buy an experience with a very large number of points. These offerings include an Ikon (full or base pass) with additional benefits, a ski trip to Olympic Valley, and a day at Steamboat with perks. Other experiences, such as a ski trip to Alyeska or the Canadian Rockies, have already sold out. Crystal Mountain. With it being one of the closest ski resorts to Seattle, Crystal Mountain will have a partnership with Alaska Airlines. There will be Atmos Members Day at the ski resort, with brand activations planned for members to participate in. So if you're a frequent Crystal Mountain skier who also likes flying Alaska, it's something to keep an eye out for this upcoming winter.
Alterra Mountain Company names Kelly Vohs Chief Executive Officer. Seasoned Hospitality and Operating Leader Takes the Helm as Mountain Resorts Prepare to Open for the 2026/27 Winter Season DENVER - Alterra Mountain Company, the world's premier mountain operating company, today announced that experienced hospitality and operations leader Kelly Vohs has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, effective October 19, 2026. Alterra Mountain Company today announced... October 5, 2026 at 10:48 a.m. Seasoned Hospitality and Operating Leader Takes the Helm as Mountain Resorts Prepare to Open for the 2026/27 Winter Season DENVER - Alterra Mountain Company, the world's premier mountain operating company, today announced that experienced hospitality and operations leader Kelly Vohs has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, effective October 19, 2026. Alterra Mountain Company today announced that experienced hospitality and operations leader Kelly Vohs has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, effective October 19, 2026. Vohs brings nearly 30 years of experience leading customer-facing, operationally complex businesses across hospitality, real estate and technology. Previously, Vohs spent more than a decade leading companies within Blackstone's portfolio, including recently as CEO of LivCor. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer of SafetyCulture, a global frontline operations platform used by more than 85,000 organizations and supporting more than 2.5 million frontline workers. Earlier in his career, Vohs led operations for BR Guest Hospitality, a New York restaurant group with more than 20 restaurants, and held leadership roles at several iconic hotels, including as General Manager of the Boca Raton Resort & Club and the Waldorf Astoria Chicago, and as opening General Manager of the Conrad Chicago. He also served eight years as a Green Beret with the U.S. Army's 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, completing four combat deployments. "Alterra Mountain Company's mission is to bring the joy of the mountains to all, and in Kelly we found a leader who has lived that joy and knows what it takes to deliver it," said Eric Resnick, Chairman of the Board of Alterra. "Kelly has spent his career running businesses where thousands of employees show up every day to take care of people, from iconic resorts to communities that tens of thousands of families call home. With snow beginning to fall, our teams preparing the mountains and guests planning their winters, Kelly will take the helm at exactly the right moment. The Board and I could not be more excited to welcome him to Alterra." "Some of the best days I've ever had have been on a mountain. I'm excited to come back to Colorado and help the Alterra Mountain Company team create those days for millions of guests. It takes a lot of people to make that happen - lift operators, instructors, groomers, chefs, housekeepers, and the people behind the scenes guests never see," said Kelly Vohs, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, Alterra Mountain Company. "My first job was in a restaurant kitchen, so I know this is a team sport. A great day on the mountain is won or lost by those teams. My job is to back them up so they can do their best work and love doing it. And my family and I are glad to be making Denver our home." About Alterra Mountain Company Alterra Mountain Company is a family of iconic year-round mountain destinations, the world's largest heli-skiing operation, and Ikon Pass - the premier ski and snowboard season pass offering access to more than 70 iconic mountain destinations around the world. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado and born out of a shared love of the mountains and adventure, the company has brought together some of the world's most aspirational brands, including: Steamboat, Winter Park Resort and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Big Bear Mountain Resort and Snow Valley in California; Stratton Mountain and Sugarbush Resort in Vermont; Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia; Tremblant in Quebec and Blue Mountain in Ontario, Canada; Crystal Mountain in Washington; Schweitzer in Idaho; Deer Valley Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah; and CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures and Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing in British Columbia. Also included in the portfolio are Alpine Aerotech, a worldwide helicopter support and maintenance service center in British Columbia, Canada, Aspenware, the ski industry leader in technology services and e-commerce, and Ski Butlers, the global leader in ski and snowboard rental delivery. For more information, please visit www.alterramtn.co.
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About Alterra Mountain Company
Industries
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Grant
Total Funding
$1M
Headquarters
Denver, CO
Founded
2018
Alterra Mountain Company is Hiring for 10 Jobs on Simplify!
Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today
Don't see your dream role? Check out thousands of other roles on Simplify.Browse all jobs