White Pass Stockholders Reviewing Proposal

As you may have read online today, White Pass stockholders are reviewing a proposal for purchase of the ski area. I want you to know that I firmly believe this is an important step to assure the future growth and success of White Pass. Below you will find a copy of the news release we will send out to news media.

As I've said before, I'm not really going anywhere and General Manager Rikki Cooper and our entire management team will remain intact. Please get to know a little about the prospective buyers and feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. Rikki has me working near the ticket booth most mornings.

See you on the hill, Kevin McCarthy President White Pass Company, Inc.

Yakima Partnership Proposes Purchase of White Pass Ski Area

White Pass, WA. - The shareholders of the White Pass Ski Area are reviewing a proposed sale of the ski area to a Yakima-based partnership led by Andrew Sundquist, David Severn, Dan Plath, Adam Dolsen and Patrick Smith. Each of the partners lives in Yakima, have families that have been here for generations, and are regulars at White Pass each weekend skiing with their kids who range in age from one to fifteen.

“We started our succession planning process several years ago and have taken a slow, methodical approach to find the right opportunity,” said Kevin McCarthy, President of White Pass. “We could not be more excited about having a young, local group of active and interested skiers take the reins of our ski area. Although there has been significant change in the ski business as of late both locally and nationally, this transaction provides an alternate path where White Pass will continue to be owned and operated locally by the next generation. The response from the majority of our shareholders to this potential sale has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Even if the transaction proceeds, the current management and staff will continue to run the ski area on a day-to-day basis just as they have been doing for years. Kevin McCarthy will continue in his role as President and Rikki Cooper will continue in her role as General Manager.

"We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with and be guided by the team at White Pass. They and so many others in our community over the years have put a lot of effort into making White Pass a truly exceptional place - a tradition we aim to continue,” said David Severn, of the partnership group. “Also, as this is the mountain that each of us grew up skiing with our families as little kids and are now doing the same with our own young kids, we understand the importance of maintaining the family-friendly culture of the ski area.”

“White Pass is a truly amazing place that is dearly loved by my family, my friends, and the larger community as well,” added partner Andrew Sundquist. “Our goal and motivation to become involved with White Pass is to keep it locally owned and operated, and to ensure that it maintains the skier-friendly, relaxed, home mountain environment we have all come to love and appreciate.”

White Pass is located on Highway 12 in Washington State between Naches and Packwood. It was originally founded in 1955 by a group of local Yakima citizens who had a passion for the outdoors and the relatively new sport of skiing. Since this founding, the resort has grown significantly and currently comprises 1,402 acres, 8 lifts, over 2,000 feet vertical, and two on-mountain lodges.

If approved by the shareholders, the transaction is expected to close prior to year-end.

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