SAM Magazine—Pinedale, Wyo., May 7, 2024—Alan and Robyn Blackburn closed on the sale of White Pine Ski Resort to billionaire Joe Ricketts. White Pine has been on the market for about four years, according to Pinedale Roundup, with at least one acquisition falling through during that time. Ricketts has committed to investing in and improving the Sublette County ski resort and is exploring the installation of snowmaking to increase the length of its ski season, according to a press release.

“My hope is to ensure that White Pine remains a strong part of the community and continues the tradition of serving local residents,” said Ricketts, who is the founder and former CEO of TD Ameritrade.  

“Selling White Pine is bittersweet for us,” said Alan Blackburn. “I’ll miss being such a big part of the heart of Sublette County, but feel tremendous peace with transferring ownership to Joe because I know he shares my ultimate goal of keeping the resort as such a strong and dependable part of the community. I have total faith in his vision.”

The Blackburns had reached a tentative agreement to sell White Pine to Audrey and Kyle Odermann back in January 2022, but that deal fell through. Pinedale Roundup reported that the Blackburns did sell White Pine’s outfitting and guiding business to Wyoming Catholic College of Lander. 

The White Pine Ski & Summer Resort is one of the oldest ski areas in Wyoming and operates in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The resort has two lifts, nearly 30 runs with 1,100 feet of vertical, a tubing hill, rustic accommodations, and miles of Nordic trails.

This news, along with other ski area ownership changes, is charted on SAM’s interactive “Ownership Timeline,” which goes back 30+ years and delivers background on the sales, purchases, closures, and auctions of North America’s winter resorts.