Nub’s Nob

What Nub’s Nob does

Nub's Nob is a privately held ski and snowboard resort located in Harbor Springs, Michigan, operating continuously since 1958. The resort offers downhill skiing and snowboarding across 40+ runs on the Front Side, South Side, and Pintail Peak, with night skiing, terrain parks, and cross-country trails. Core infrastructure includes a snowmaking system operated by a dedicated 'Snow Farmers' crew, specialized machine grooming equipment, and a lift network that was recently expanded with a new Green Lift (operational December 2023) and is set for further capital investment with the Orange Lift replacement planned for summer 2026. The resort hosts sanctioned events including NASTAR racing, Völkl/Marker/Dalbello Speed Series, MHSAA State Meets, and collegiate competitions, drawing regional to national participation.

The business operates on a diversified direct-to-consumer revenue model spanning lift tickets and season passes (the primary revenue driver), on-mountain food and beverage at the Main Lodge and Pintail Peak Lodge, retail merchandise through the General Store, equipment rentals, ski school lessons, and a multi-tier racing program (NNR) ranging from junior development to elite competition. Season passes are sold on an annual subscription basis with early-bird discounts, and the resort has begun extending monetization into the off-season through a Summer Concert Series. The resort employs approximately 300 staff at peak season and operates roughly 114-122 days per winter season, with results materially affected by natural snowfall and weather variability — a lake-effect snow advantage from Lake Michigan provides a structural edge versus competitors outside the snow belt.

Nub's Nob is independently owned with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or public listing. The company distributes through its own website (nubsnob.com) and a dedicated e-commerce store (shop.nubsnob.com), alongside on-site sales at ticket windows, lodges, and the Tune Center. The primary customer segments are individual and family recreational skiers in the Midwest, supplemented by youth racing families, schools, and competitive racers. The 2025-26 season recorded 188 inches of natural snowfall, described as 'a true Northern Michigan winter,' underscoring the resort's reliance on — and competitive advantage from — regional weather patterns.

Name

Nub’s Nob

Legal name

Nub's Nob

Website

https://nubsnob.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nub's Nob is a privately held, family-oriented ski and snowboard resort in Harbor Springs, Michigan, founded in 1958. It serves Midwest recreational skiers, youth racers, and competitive event participants across 40+ runs, with diversified revenue from lift tickets, season passes, F&B, retail, ski school, and racing programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ski Resort

NAICS

Skiing Facilities (713920)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Ski Areas & Lift Operations (Independent Mountains) (THAAAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Winter Adventure & Mountain Resorts (Ski, Snowboard, Snow Activities) (THAAAAAK)

Keywords

• Ski resort
• Winter sports
• Ski school
• Snowmaking operations
• Alpine ski racing

Headquarters

HQ city

Harbor Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Lift Tickets & Season Passes: Core revenue from daily lift tickets and annual/season pass sales. Passes offered at various price points with early-season discounts (10-15% off) and family multi-pass incentives.
2. Food & Beverage: On-mountain dining through Main Lodge and Pintail Peak Lodge with cafeteria, pub, espresso bar, and soup of the day offerings
3. Retail Merchandise: General Store selling branded apparel including hats, hoodies, crew shirts in various colors and sizes
4. Ski Services: Tune Center for ski/board maintenance, rental equipment, and ski school lessons
5. Racing & Academy Programs: NNR (Nub's Nob Racing) membership programs including JART (Junior Alpine Race Team for ages 8-13), NNR Sport, NNR Masters, and NNR Competition Team programs; Academy youth programs
6. Gift Cards & Cool Cash Cards: Prepaid gift cards and Cool Cash Cards for on-mountain purchases
7. Summer Events: Summer concert series featuring artists like Sarah Darling, Wood Box Heroes, The Steel Wheels with ticket sales and food/beverage

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nub's Nob operates a downhill and cross-country ski resort in Harbor Springs, Michigan, selling lift access via daily tickets and multi-tier season passes. It supplements lift access with ski school lessons, equipment rentals, an on-site Tune Center, a multi-tier alpine racing program (NNR), on-mountain dining, retail merchandise, and seasonal events including night skiing and a summer concert series.

Product overview

Nub's Nob is a ski area and resort offering a unified suite of winter sports services. The core offering is downhill skiing and snowboarding access via season passes and daily lift tickets. Supporting services include equipment rentals, professional tuning at the Tune Center, and instruction through private lessons and structured Academy programs. The resort operates Nub's Nob Racing (NNR), a comprehensive ski racing program with multiple levels from junior development (JART) through elite competition team. On-mountain amenities include Main Lodge and Pintail Peak Lodge with food service, a General Store for merchandise, and Cool Cash gift cards. Seasonal offerings include night skiing, terrain parks, cross-country trails, and a summer concert series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Season Passes Annual lift access product for individual skiers and snowboarders, with family pass incentives and early-bird discounts targeting committed local and regional skiers.
• Daily Lift Tickets Single-day lift access product for downhill skiing and snowboarding, sold to walk-up and pre-purchase visitors during the ski season.
• Equipment Rentals Rental of ski and snowboard equipment for resort visitors who do not own or transport their own gear.
• Tune Center Services On-site ski and snowboard maintenance service including stone grinding, edge sharpening, waxing, and binding checks, with unit-priced Sno Pro ($50) and Scarface ($75) tune packages.
• Ski and Snowboard Lessons Private and group ski and snowboard instruction for beginners through advanced skiers, including dedicated learn-to programs and women's-only outings.
• Nub's Nob Racing (NNR) Programs Multi-tier alpine ski racing program with annual memberships ranging from junior development (JART) through elite-level competition team, targeting competitive youth and adult racers.
• Academy Youth Programs Structured youth ski development programs covering cross-country through terrain park techniques, race training memberships, and women's-only outings.
• Summer Concert Series Ticketed outdoor summer music event series hosted at the resort, featuring regional and touring artists and paired with on-site food and beverage offerings.
• General Store Merchandise Retail sale of branded Nub's Nob apparel and accessories, including hats, sweatshirts, hoodies, and crew shirts, sold on-site and via the online store.
• Cool Cash Gift Cards Prepaid gift cards usable for on-mountain purchases of food, beverage, merchandise, and resort services.
• On-Mountain Dining Food and beverage service at Main Lodge and Pintail Peak Lodge, including cafeteria, pub, and espresso bar options for resort visitors.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Boyne Resorts: Family-owned operator of multiple ski resorts (Boyne Mountain, Boyne Highlands, Big Sky, Loon Mountain, Sunday River) plus golf and lodging. A scaled multi-resort incumbent whose Northern Michigan assets directly compete with Nub's Nob.
• Vail Resorts: Largest North American ski operator with 30+ mountain resorts including Mt. Brighton in Michigan. Competes indirectly through Epic Pass pricing power and lift/resort technology investment that independent mountains struggle to match.

Direct peers

• Crystal Mountain Resort: Independent Michigan ski resort in Thompsonville offering ski operations plus lodging, spa, and golf amenities. Comparable in scale and Midwest regional positioning, competing for destination visitors from the same Chicago/Detroit/Midwest feeder markets.
• Boyne Mountain Resort: Major Michigan ski resort located within ~30 miles of Nub's Nob, offering comparable lift-served terrain plus integrated lodging, waterpark, and golf. Direct competitor for Midwest skier days and season pass dollars in the same Northern Michigan catchment.
• Caberfae Peaks: Independent ski area in Cadillac, Michigan, similar in scale to Nub's Nob with comparable lift-served terrain and snowmaking reliance. Direct competitor for Michigan-resident skiers seeking independent-mountain experiences.
• Boyne Highlands: Sister resort to Boyne Mountain, also in Harbor Springs and the closest geographic neighbor to Nub's Nob. Competes head-to-head for the same Northern Michigan skier base with overlapping lift, lesson, and racing offerings.
• Schuss Mountain at Shanty Creek: Northern Michigan ski area within the Shanty Creek resort community in Bellaire. Comparable independent-mountain ski operations with similar terrain scale and Midwest regional customer base.

Regional players

• Ski Brule: Independent ski area in Michigan's Upper Peninsula with comparable lake-effect snowfall positioning. Competes for Upper Midwest skiers but does not overlap directly with Nub's Nob's Lower Peninsula catchment.
• Mt. Brighton: Michigan ski area owned by Vail Resorts, located in Brighton near Detroit. Competes for the same Michigan skier demographic but offers Epic Pass integration and proximity to a major metro market Nub's Nob cannot replicate.
• Marquette Mountain: Independent ski area in Marquette, Michigan UP, with comparable lake-effect snow advantage. Competes for Upper Midwest skiers but operates in a geographically distinct market from Nub's Nob.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nubs-nob-ski-area

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nub’s Nob