Bolton Valley Resort

Bolton Valley owns just under 1,000 acres and leases another 1,200 from the Vermont Land Trust. The new mountain biking trails and bike park include lift-served downhill trails that were intentionally built with very little canopy disturbance. Photo by Erica Houskeeper.

The Timberline Base Lodge, currently in construction, will expand seating during busy weekends and allow Bolton Valley to host weddings and corporate events. Photo by Erica Houskeeper.

“We felt strongly that we needed a solid foundation not only for growth, but also for basic sustainability,” said Lindsay DesLauriers, president of Bolton Valley. “That was our first priority.” The Flexible Capital Fund invested $100,000 in the first round and another $50,000 in round two to support the infrastructure improvements. Photo by Erica Houskeeper.

Bolton Valley was the first ski resort in Vermont and the second in the nation to construct a wind turbine on site. The resort is currently building a solar field on Route 2 in Bolton flats. They have also installed LED lights for night skiing and converted 35 snowmaking guns from diesel-reliant air compressors to highly-efficient electric compressors. Photo courtesy of Bolton Valley.

Ralph DesLauriers with his children Adam, Evan, and Lindsay. Ralph DesLauriers, was the original developer of the resort in the 1960s, which he owned and operated for 30 years until he was forced to sell to the bank in 1997. In 2017, the DesLauriers family bought back the resort with a group of local investors. Photo courtesy of Bolton Valley.

The DesLauriers family originally founded Bolton Valley Resort in 1966 as a 4 season, affordable mountain resort for Vermonters, offering the first of its kind after-school learn-to-ski program for kids. The family sold the company in 1997 and it went through various iterations of ownership, with little upkeep to aging infrastructure.

The DesLauriers family re-purchased the Resort in 2017 wanting to re-vitalize this important natural resource asset that provides affordable outdoor recreation activities for Vermonters. Lindsay DesLauriers, the only daughter of the family, was named President in 2019 and has built a strong leadership team and Board to guide the company as they implement their plan to create a four-season resort.

In 2019, the company began a major capital campaign to shore up aging infrastructure, address climate change through energy efficiency improvements and creation of a true four-season resort. The Flex Fund closely followed the progress of Bolton Valley’s capital raise over the years, and in 2021 invested $150,000 in equity in support of the Company’s growth and sustainability plan.

The Flex Fund fundamentally agreed with Lindsay’s premise that the ski resort is working lands. Her grandfather bought the land that now encompasses the resort when the interstate came through and divided his farm. He used the money from that sale to buy the Bolton property, generating income through timber harvests. “Now we’re snow farmers,” jokes Lindsay.

BVR, LLC d/b/a Bolton Valley Resort is a mission fit with the Flex Fund – as a woman-led business with strong gender diversity on the management team, and affordable community asset providing good jobs and recreational opportunities. And, while Bolton is a big energy user, capital raised has supported improved energy efficiencies and carbon footprint reductions through investment in wind and solar energy projects, LED lighting for night skiing, and conversion of snowmaking equipment from diesel reliant compressors to efficient electric compressors. The Resort recycles and composts across the property, donates used cooking oil to the Alternative Fuel Foundation, and use Skyway trash bags made in the U.S. from recycled agriculture plastics.

Lindsay DesLauriers, President, CEO

“We are so fortunate to be working with the Flexible Capital Fund as a partner. The Flex Fund’s commitment to supporting businesses that preserve Vermont’s working landscape and their commitment to renewable and clean energy and technologies align with both our values and the nature of our business. Bolton Valley’s success is intrinsically connected to the continued health and well being of Vermont’s natural environment and the flex fund’s investment strategy unites this preservation mindset with a desire to spur economic growth. The flex fund not only provided us with access to capital, they also continue to connect us to a network of like-minded businesses.”

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Bolton Valley Resort

Lindsay DesLauriers, President, CEO

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