The Sand Creek fire is threatening Maverick Mountain. Photo: Maverick Mountain // Facebook
The wildfires blazing through Montana have hit Maverick Mountain. According to local news and social media posts, the ongoing Sand Creek Fire has entered the ski area and damaged structures within.
Maverick is located around 40 miles from Dillon, Montana. It’s a small operation, with just 210 skiable acres and a single lift. The mom-and-pop operation is beloved by its locals, who have formed a tight-knit community.
“On Friday night is when things in my world got sideways,” owner Erik Borge told Mountain Journal. “The sheriff let me know the fire was coming at us, and was expected to hit Maverick the following evening. That’s when everything went off the rails.”
A social media update on Tuesday confirmed that is in fact what happened. “With heavy hearts, we are sad to say the Sand Creek fire is actively inside the ski area boundary,” wrote the Maverick Mountain Facebook account. “The Maverick chair has sustained damage, but further details are unknown. We won’t know the extent of the damages until we regain access to the property!
“A big thank you to all the people on the front line and everyone who has helped us this far! Please keep our community in your thoughts.”
The Sand Creek Fire was first reported August 1. Spurred on by warm weather and winds, the fire grew over 19,000 acres between Monday and Tuesday. It is currently Montana’s largest active wildfire, with zero percent containment. The cause of the blaze is still undetermined.
