Volunteers are being sought for the large-scale Sugarloaf restoration beginning in 2026

MAPLE CITY, Mich. – Environmentally restoring a popular northern ski resort that's been abandoned for 25 years will take a lot of work – and a legion of volunteers.

The Leelanau Conservancy completed a successful $8 million fundraising campaign this year to take over the defunct Sugar Loaf Ski Area, about 30 miles northwest of Traverse City in Leelanau County. The nonprofit expects to take over the 285-acre property in spring 2026, and “that’s when the fun really begins,” an official said.

Tom Nelson, executive director of the nonprofit, said major environmental concerns include human impacts and invasive species that are virtually overwhelming the site.

“It has been 25 years of invasive plant species taking hold and there is still a lot of ecological restoration to be done,” he said. “There is quite a bit of erosion from human impact, which tends to get a little worse over time due to weather, and we will also be working to heal those places.”

Nelson said both invasive fall olive bush and spotted knapweed have heavily colonized the old ski area, both in the forested and open meadow areas.

“There are sections of the property where acres of olives are grown in the fall. It's like a forest. Honestly, it's so dense that it's going to be the biggest job,” Nelson said. “Much of this fall olive forest is 25 feet tall. When I say fall olive forest, I mean it.”

Invasive fall olive seeds were historically sown throughout Michigan as food and habitat for wildlife and then spread aggressively, damaging the environment and affecting the growth of native plants over the years. Seeds in the plant's red berries are more widely dispersed by birds and mammals.

Removing the aggressive invasive species requires careful work, as cutting stumps and roots will only cause them to sprout again. At the same time, the preserve doesn't want to disturb the native plants and trees that are trying to survive amid the invaders, Nelson said.

“We will have equipment. We will have volunteers. But for some of the heavy lifting, we will have to bring in some contractors to help us,” he said.

The preserve also plans to plant numerous native wildflowers, shrubs and trees after removing invasive species.

Related: Exceeding its $8 million fundraising goal, Sugar Loaf becomes a new outdoor adventure destination

The $8 million planned for the property includes $1.5 million in expected ecological restoration and approximately $6.5 million in public access improvements.

“The next three to four years will likely be a work in progress, a mix of people enjoying the property while we work on ecological restoration, building more trails and creating some picnic areas and viewing areas,” Nelson said.

The first project will be to build a parking lot near the roadway and a hiking trail so visitors can reach the summit, where skiers once spent winter after winter.

Apparently there is a list of conservation volunteers who are “pumped” for the upcoming projects and will be needed as early as next year, Nelson said.

“They're really excited to get out there and start restoring and building trails. We just have an exceptional group of volunteers who are just happy to do this work on our other properties,” he said. “Many of them are hikers or mountain bikers, and if you ask them, they will often say they love working on the trails more than hiking and biking.”

Nelson said the conservancy is expected to take possession of the property in the spring of 2026 after completing a site plan review with the local council.

Sugar Loaf closed in 2000 and in the years that followed, the property lay dormant except for trespassers.

The landmark ski resort first opened in 1947 and reached its peak in the 1970s and 1980s, becoming the largest employer in Leelanau County. A succession of owners over the years were never able to revive the property.

Local officials began condemning the resort for blight violations in 2014. The long-deteriorating resort was finally demolished in November 2021.

Related: Abandoned Sugar Loaf ski resort sold to unknown buyer

The current landowner, who the preserve said wished to remain anonymous, was willing to donate the property to the nonprofit as long as the organization could effectively revitalize the area for both conservation and outdoor recreation.

“When we started, we were a little worried about what the reaction would be if it wasn't a ski resort per se, wasn't a job creator, wasn't an employer like it used to be, and we feel that too,” Nelson said.

“We watched the years go by with all the hopes dashed and then disappointed again, and when we announced it and experienced this burst of joy and enthusiasm, it was beyond our wildest dreams.

“We still get people telling us stories about their time there, and people who met there and got married there, raised families and brought their children there, and so many wonderful stories. It was incredibly heartwarming.”

Requests for volunteers to support the project are expected to be submitted next year.