The closest ski area to Yellowstone National Park will shut down after this season. Ten years after reviving Sleeping Giant and building a new chairlift, the mountain’s nonprofit operator is throwing in the towel. “It is with tremendous sadness and sorrow that the board of directors for Yellowstone Recreations Foundation announces the suspension of winter operations beginning in 2020-2021,” reads a statement. Lifts will spin through the end of the season.
Sleeping Giant operates under a special use permit from the Shoshone National Forest. It first opened in 1937, serving the community of Cody, Wyoming and nearby towns with a 2,100 foot T-Bar. A used Heron-Poma double was added in 1993 to service more terrain. The area closed in 2004 and was revived in 2009 with the T-Bar being replaced by a Yan triple chair from Mammoth.
“The decision is agonizing but necessary,” noted YRF, citing losses of more than $200,000 each winter. Profitable summer zip line operations will continue with the Bighorn double accessing five different spans. The longer Sheepeater lift only runs in winter and will no longer be needed.
“Words cannot express our gratitude to the community,” the foundation’s statement continued. “The board of directors would like to especially thank the staff over the past 10 years who have dedicated themselves to making Sleeping Giant the finest and most friendly ski hill in the country.”
Lift Blog 
I wonder if the Antelope Butte promoters in Sheridan are watching this? There is yet another small ski area in the Big Horn range that has been in consistent operation for many years called Meadowlark. Somehow they make a go of it without any real promotion or advertising. Plus, Red Lodge is just over the Montana border.
LikeLike
I wonder who could buy this? Mountain Capital Partners possibly?
LikeLike
Very sad. Been thinking about a Bozeman to Lead trip trip for years. While waiting for Antelope Butte to open it looks like I’ll miss out on Deer Park and Sleeping Giant.
LikeLike
I think antelope butte is open
LikeLike
Yup it is. Just haven’t pulled the trigger on that trip yet. Was kinda hoping Deer Park would reopen, and having kids make trips a little trickier.
LikeLike
I just made the trip with kids, and it was very affordable from lodging to lift tickets. Over Christmas week, we took the price of lift tickets at Big Sky for a family of four, and skied 3 ski areas, Red Lodge, Sleeping Giant and Antelope Butte, and paid less than that $880 price for a family of 4 including lift tickets (granted the 5th grader got a free pass for sleeping giant, and we all got free tickets at Red Lodge with our Great Divide Pass), lodging, gas, food. This was during peak season, Christmas Week. The longest line was at Red Lodge, about an 8 chair wait one lap. If you can make it work, it is worth the trip.
LikeLike
Thanks G1. Would ideally do the trip when the kids are off. Typically the week before Easter. So need an early Easter to be sure most places are still open. Next year is April 4th and if Red Lodge and Terry are still on the Indy Pass it might be the year to go.
LikeLike
The next question is what will happen to yan triple chair?
LikeLike
Wonder if it would be moved again or get scrapped.
LikeLike
Update: Sleeping Giant was “bought” for $1 by a local boy done good, he’s upgraded snowmaking and more, added night skiing. Still a hard sell, poor snow + covid have dealt him a bad hand, but he’s giving it a good effort.
LikeLike