Commissioners choose Tollgate Crossing owner to reopen Spout Springs Ski Area

Union County’s dormant ski hill moved closer to a comeback when commissioners chose Tollgate Crossing owner Trevor Abell to take over Spout Springs Ski Area. The selection gives the Blue Mountains site a path toward reopening after years of closure, with the biggest stakes now resting on financing, safety work and how quickly the new operator can get winter operations back on the mountain.

Abell’s proposal beat bids from the Anthony Lakes Outdoor Recreation Association and Geoffrey LeGault of Klamath Falls. Commissioner Cindy Timmons said the plan stood out because it did not treat Spout Springs as a one-season hill, but as a year-round recreation asset built around both winter skiing and warm-weather use.

The proposal called for mountain biking, disc golf and live music events in the off-season, along with backcountry snowcat skiing, a family sledding area and a snowcross track. It also said the goal was to reopen as quickly as possible while still protecting safety, compliance and long-term sustainability. The timeline sketched in the plan envisioned limited winter operations in the first year, with fuller year-round use targeted for years two and three.

That phased approach matters because Spout Springs is not just a local hill tucked above Tollgate. It sits in the Umatilla National Forest near milepost 22 on Highway 204 between Weston and Elgin, on land that the Forest Service says includes 1,413 acres and 13 downhill runs served by two fixed-grip double chairlifts. The Forest Service puts the elevation at about 4,920 feet.

Travel Oregon has described the area as a beginner-friendly destination with four lifts, 11 downhill trails, 21 Nordic tracks and 250 skiable acres, and said it was closed for the 2017-18 ski season. Forest Service materials say it remained closed for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons, while agency communications have tied the shutdown to safety concerns with the parking lot north of Highway 204.

If Abell’s team can clear the required hurdles, the operator would be responsible for hiring staff and ski patrol, inspecting and maintaining chairlifts and groomers, running the bar and restaurant, and handling general upkeep across the facility. A Forest Service motor-vehicle order for the year-round closure area runs through January 1, 2028, a reminder that reopening will require more than just a winning bid.

The county handled the request for proposals even though the ski area is in Union County, underscoring how widely the mountain’s future reaches across the region. For nearby communities, a reopened Spout Springs could mean more jobs, more winter visitors and a revived destination in the Blue Mountains instead of another abandoned recreation site.