Eaglecrest is ours. Keep it that way.

Skiers ride the Ptarmigan and Hooter chairlifts at Eaglecrest Ski Area on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Independent)

By Dan Cannon

Eaglecrest is my winter therapy. The municipal-owned ski area is how I survive Juneau's dark, wet winters. There is something rare and worth protecting about a ski area where the money you spend on a season pass, a ski tune, and french fries stays in the community. I’m proud to say I rode the lifts 136 times this season, at $4.63 each ride, that's season pass money well spent.

I attended the most recent Assembly meeting, and I want to commend the Assembly for approving the two ordinances authorizing the city manager to terminate the gondola revenue-sharing agreement and appropriating funding to repay Goldbelt up to $12.2 million. This was a tough pill to swallow, but it was the right decision. I’m not here to rehash the past regarding the gondola, but instead to encourage an Eaglecrest future without Goldbelt.

A recent opinion piece argued the Assembly should “immediately enter into serious and expedited negotiations for Goldbelt to acquire Eaglecrest.” Here’s the reason why that shouldn’t happen.

Goldbelt is a profit-driven corporation, that’s not hyperbole, it's a legal mandate, and it matters. Recently, Goldbelt hasn’t been the best community partner. I’m thinking about Goldbelt’s sudden announcement of their partnership with Royal Caribbean on the proposed North Douglas cruise facility, which came after Goldbelt's CEO chaired the Vote No on Prop 2 campaign. How about Goldbelt’s eagerness to benefit from the potential state-subsidized Cascade Point ore terminal under the guise of a ferry terminal? In addition to owning the land, Goldbelt sees an opportunity to profit by offering ticketed bus service.

Think about what it would actually look like if Goldbelt owned, or had a financial investment in Eaglecrest. If Goldbelt has a large stake in running Eaglecrest for profit, the focus will be summer cruise ship tourism, full stop. What would be Goldbelt’s incentive to subsidize winter operations for locals? The tram and Timberline Bar and Grill have never served locals in the winter. Gone are the days when hiking Roberts got you a free tram ride down. Goldbelt has consistently chosen revenue over community. There's no reason to believe Eaglecrest would be different.

If profitability is the standard, we would have sold Cope Park years ago. Considering the costs of running a ski area (staffing, equipment, snowmaking), Eaglecrest should not be expected to turn a profit. Handing the keys to a corporation doesn't change the math; the winter revenue will always be limited. That's what's great about a community-owned ski area: it's not about profits, it's about people and skiing. A local ski area that gets Juneau kids outside, incentivizes families to settle in Juneau, builds a culture of outdoor recreation, and serves as a genuine mental health resource is the kind of thing a municipal government exists to support.

The Assembly is in a tough spot and making hard decisions. I was thankful to see them advance a $1.7 million allocation for Eaglecrest, a very significant cut, but better than other proposed scenarios, which would have resulted in even deeper cutbacks.

Goldbelt's savvy lawyers structured the gondola agreement as an interest-bearing loan, specifically 7% compounded monthly. This guaranteed Goldbelt a profit even if the project failed. The result is that Juneau now owes roughly $2.2 million in interest on top of the $10 million principal. If you care about Eaglecrest or other things on the Assembly’s cut list, here's one concrete thing you can do right now: contact Goldbelt and urge them to negotiate that interest rate down when CBJ meets to repay them. Returning even a portion of that $2.2 million to Juneau's depleted fund balance right now would be meaningful and go a long way toward building trust with our community.

After you contact Goldbelt, make a plan to show up at the June 8 Assembly meeting and testify not about what you will miss if it’s cut, but with ideas on how CBJ can fund what you love. Most importantly, Goldbelt is not the answer, buy a season pass and keep Eaglecrest ours.

• Dan Cannon has lived in Juneau for eight years and has bought eight Eaglecrest season passes.