About 25 years ago, Casee Hart fell off the T-bar at Hermon Mountain and ended up in a tree. Bill Whitcomb, who owned the hill, pulled her out. On April 30, 2026, she and her husband Dave Hart, along with Amy and Tim McClary, bought the mountain from Bill and Marlene Whitcomb for $2.1 million. That ended more than 40 years of Whitcomb ownership.
Most of the news since then has been about summer. Here is what the new owners have planned for winter. Most of the operation stays as it was, and one change touches nearly every pass decision: for the first time, the hill will be open on Mondays.
What the new owners changed, and what they left alone
The summer changes came first. The lodge restaurant, Scenic Eats, opened in July serving pizza, burgers, subs and salads, and an 18-hole disc golf course opened the next day. The owners also announced weekly disc golf and cornhole leagues and a run of comedy, concerts and trivia nights.
They have a reason to fill the off-season. The Bangor Daily News reported in November 2025 that Maine went into the 2025–26 season with 14 ski areas, while at least 79 others are considered permanently closed. The article named insurance, electricity, fuel and snowmaking costs among the pressures. Summer customers help cover a ski area's costs during the months the lifts aren't running, and the BDN describes that as the strategy behind Hermon's year-round plan.
The BDN's July profile of the owners quotes Dave Hart saying winter operations "will largely stay the same as in past years," with longer hours and the new Monday opening. Amy McClary said the extra day should make room for more ski school sessions, and that final hours were still being worked out. She also said Dave and Tim spent last winter making snow and learning the process. No new lift, snowmaking system or lodge renovation has been announced for 2026–27.
So the question this fall is mostly the same one skiers face every year. The difference is that the extra day changes the answer for some people.
How many visits until the pass pays for itself
Hermon's published rates set the baseline. An adult pays $60 for a full weekend day, $45 for a weekday or a weekend half day after 1 p.m., and $35 for a weekend evening from 4 p.m. to close. Junior tickets are $55, $40, $40 and $35. The 2026–27 season passes cost $575 for adults 19 and up, $540 for ages 13 to 18, $490 for ages 5 to 12, $300 for full-time college students and $350 for a weekday-only pass.
Dividing each pass price by the matching day ticket gives the visit where the pass starts saving money:
| Pass | Price | Compared against | Visit where the pass pulls ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | $575 | $60 weekend full day | 10th |
| Adult | $575 | $45 weekday | 13th |
| Adult | $575 | $35 weekend evening | 17th |
| Weekday-only | $350 | $45 weekday | 8th |
| Junior | $490 | $55 weekend full day | 9th |
| Junior | $490 | $40 weekday | 13th |
| College | $300 | $45 weekday | 7th |
The adult pass makes sense for someone who skis weekends and gets to 10 full days. An adult who mostly skis weekdays needs 13 visits at $45 to beat the $575 pass, while the $350 weekday-only pass pulls ahead on the eighth weekday visit. Hermon's weekday ticket rate covers Monday through Friday. Hermon hasn't spelled out the weekday pass terms beyond the name, so confirm that the new Mondays count before buying.
Weekend evening skiers need the most visits. At $35 for a 4 p.m. start, it takes 17 evenings before the full adult pass costs less than tickets.
The family pass tiers
Family pricing is where the math changes the most. Hermon sells household passes at $975 for two people, $1,375 for three, $1,775 for four, $2,175 for five and $2,575 for six. Each person after the second adds $400, which is $90 less than a single junior pass and $175 less than an adult pass.
Take two adults and two kids ages 5 to 12. Separate passes would cost $2,130, and the four-person family pass is $1,775, or $355 less. A full weekend day for the same family costs $230 at the window, so the family pass pays off on the eighth weekend day they all ski together. Kids 4 and under and skiers 70 and over get free passes, so a household with a toddler or a grandparent counts fewer paying members.
The two-person tier saves less. Two adults save $175 compared with buying two adult passes. One adult and one junior save just $90 compared with separate passes.
Ski school and the extra day
The owners have tied Mondays directly to ski school, and the lesson prices help explain why. Private lessons run $50 and are offered every day for all ages. Adding someone to make it a semi-private lesson costs $45 per person, and semi-privates are limited to ages 5 and up. The four-week learn-to-ski and snowboard program for kids costs $267, with one session in January and one in February. Lessons require a ticket.
A full rental package costs $37 for a half day and $42 for a full day. Skis or a board alone are $21, boots alone are $21 and poles are $11. Over a four-week program, rentals and lift tickets can add up to more than the program itself, so families should run those costs alongside the junior pass break-even.
Tubing starts later than skiing. Hermon's tubing page says the 600-foot slope is expected to open at the beginning of February. Two-hour sessions cost $20 per person, ages 3 and up. Tubing isn't part of the season pass, so it doesn't change the break-even counts above.
How Hermon's price compares with nearby hills
Hermon's $575 adult pass falls between Camden Snow Bowl's two prices. Camden's 2026–27 adult pass is $531 on early-bird pricing and $625 at the regular price. Camden's sale window ends October 31, 2026.
Lost Valley lists its individual pass for ages 13 and up at $745 during a fall sale through October 12, rising to the full $795 on October 13. At either price, Hermon's adult pass costs $170 to $220 less. Lost Valley's page carries an older publish stamp, so check its live price before relying on that comparison. BigRock lists its 2026–27 pass categories online, but no price could be confirmed.
Hermon's own pass listing shows no early-bird deadline or scheduled price increase. It's still worth asking about one before you wait.
Between now and opening day
The fall calendar is light. Comedy Night at Hermon Mountain is on Saturday, October 17, from 7 to 9 p.m., featuring Ian Stuart with Jim Bishop and Crystal Bernard. In July, the owners said they were considering running the lift during foliage season to take visitors to the summit for cider and doughnuts. As of early October, no dates or prices have been posted for it.
Hermon hasn't announced an opening date. OnTheSnow projects an opening around December 17 or 18, but that is the site's own estimate, not an announcement from the mountain. Hermon's FAQ sends visitors to its Facebook page for updates.
Working at the hill is another way to get a pass. The careers page lists openings for lift attendants, rental techs, kitchen cashiers and cooks, snowmakers, ski and snowboard instructors, ticket counter cashiers and tubing park attendants. Eligible part-time and full-time staff who work at least three days get a season pass.
Stephanie Henry lives and works in greater Bangor and keeps track of how places like Hermon Mountain are doing under new local ownership. If your search for a home in Penobscot County includes being close to the hills, schedule a consultation and we'll work out which neighborhoods fit how you spend your winters.
