Editor's Note: This story was initially published in the Pioneer's Winter 2024-2025 edition of inBemidji Magazine. To see the full issue, visit
Thirteen miles north of Bemidji lies a hotspot for the coldest months.
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Considered an epicenter for winter outdoor enthusiasts, Buena Vista Ski Area has long served the surrounding region – operating as a family affair for 75 years.
Remnants of Buena Vista’s diamond jubilee are on display in the chalet, boasting a rich heritage and history since it opened on Christmas Day in 1949.
“There’s a lot of history,” longtime volunteer Wendell Knutson said. “I wish I knew it all.”
Knutson has an extensive history with the Dickinson family, the founders of Buena Vista. Before incorporating as a ski resort, Buena Vista resided on the Continental Divide as a village founded in the late 1800s. Its earliest settler, John W. Speelman, built the Summit Hotel on the “Top of the World.”
He advertised that when it rained, the water – which fell onto the roof of his hotel – found its way either to the Hudson Bay or to the Gulf of Mexico, depending on whether it drained off to the north or the south.
“A lot of people don’t know that Buena Vista Ski Hill is the highest natural point of land in Beltrami County,” Wendell added.
As the years went by, the village failed to prosper and people moved away. However, the Dickinson family would maintain their roots on the Continental Divide.
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Skiing had been a main mode of transportation – along with walking and horse-drawn wagons – from the time the first settlers arrived.
So, it was only natural that in 1936, Leonard Dickinson – a successful businessman who ran the Dickinson Lumber Co. and would become a state representative and senator – cleared some trees off a hill on his property for friends and family to enjoy alpine skiing, a sport that had also gained attention after its debut in the Winter Olympics that same year.
But it was Earle Dickinson, along with his brother Dick, who developed the business and opened their slopes to the public for the 1949-1950 winter season. Ever since then, Buena Vista has operated and evolved with the times.
A storied past
The resort’s first tow rope was installed during the 1949-1950 season and was rigged to run off a tractor. The original chalet was made out of a grain bin.
For 20 years, the ski area relied on Mother Nature to provide the snow needed for operations, but in 1970, snow-making equipment was added. Chairlifts were also added in 1975, and between 1976 and 1978, the existing chalet was constructed.
This very chalet provides a retrospective view of the resort’s storied past.
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“We like to display the different eras of skiing,” third-generation owner Suzanne Thomas said. “This is a museum.”
Over the years, additional slopes were created, and as interest grew, snow-tubing was started in 2002.
Some of the resort’s current offerings even transcend the need for snow. Its annual Fall Colors Festival has provided eager guests with wagon rides, live music, children’s activities and demonstrations for more than 30 years.
“We had over 600, 700 people attend the Fall Festival last year,” Suzanne noted, “and they all like to hear about the history. Everybody wants to know.”
Wendell has long given sleigh rides at Buena Vista and referred to the enjoyment many people derive from their rides.
“One of my fondest memories is giving people rides,” he said. “I always let the younger person and others drive my horses and they think it’s the best thing in their life. … There is so much entertainment here that it’s just unbelievable. You can go all over the world and never find the entertainment that is here, all in one village.”
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Navigating challenges
Despite the positive developments, Buena Vista has experienced its fair share of challenges throughout the years. Shortly after celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2020, the coronavirus pandemic threw a snowball into its operations.
“We had all of these rules that we had to follow and one of them was that (patrons) couldn’t come into the chalet,” Suzanne’s daughter, Michelle, reminisced, “so that was kind of tricky.”
The chalet was open for restrooms, retail, ticketing, rental and take-out food service. Face coverings were also required for guests and employees – indoors and outside – and visitors were requested to prepare for their activities inside their vehicles.
Online reservations were required for skiing and snowboarding lessons, which had to be confirmed by a ski school director. Lessons were limited to a single instructor and a single household.
When riding the lifts, chairs were limited to members of the same household. Staff also conducted routine cleaning and disinfection of high-touch areas around the facility with sanitation stations made available to guests.
Considering the added protocols, Buena Vista still had a successful season that year.
“We were really busy that season and it was a really good snow year,” Michelle said. “People wanted to get out. They wanted to be out on the hills because that’s what they could do.”
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Echoing similar sentiments, Carol Perish started working for Suzanne’s grandfather in 1973 and continues her duties in the ticket booth and ski shop to this day.
“A lot of other activities had been canceled that year,” Carol said, “so a lot of people came out here because they can all be outside.”
Fast forward to the post-pandemic years, Buena Vista hit a hurdle with a lack of snow during the 2023-2024 winter season. While typically open more than 60 days per season – which runs mid-November through March – last winter only saw 33 open days.
Through these challenges, staff persevered and hit its 75-year milestone.
“We’re going to party all winter long,” Outside Operations Manager Joe Bradseth said lightheartedly.
“And everybody’s invited to the party,” Suzanne added.
The next generation
Following its annual open house, Suzanne noted excitement for recent and upcoming developments including a new membership, the Little Paul Bunyan First-timer Pass. This is reserved for those ages 6 through 12 and includes three complimentary group lessons.
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Buena Vista also plans to host a Christmas Village event similar to the Bentleyville "Tour of Lights" in Duluth.
“We’ll have our own Bentleyville in our little village area,” Suzanne said. “That’s an extra special thing that we’ve been wanting to do.”
As the resort moves into the next 75 years, Suzanne hopes that the younger generations will continue to offer their help so Buena Vista can provide recreational opportunities in perpetuity.
“Our main goal now is to keep the young ones coming up,” Suzanne mentioned, “because they’re our future.”
Alongside her sisters – Sarah, Lisa and Laurie – Michelle started garnering diverse experience at Buena Vista at a very young age.
“We would get put to work, doing different things, and it was kind of cool to see all the different areas and learn about each department,” she said. “A lot has to come together to make a season happen.”
Efforts to recruit additional employees will include outreach at local schools and universities. Bemidji State University offers a snowboarding class that provides a seamless segue to find potential recruits.
“Every year, it seems we have to reintroduce ourselves to the students,” Joe said. “With the snowboarding class, the word gets out that we’re here and for a seasonal business, we retain our employees quite well.”
Overall, Buena Vista hopes to offer an at-home, friendly atmosphere not just for patrons but its employees.
“We love our employees,” Carol said. “They turn into family, too.”
More information on Buena Vista Ski Area can be found at www.bvskiarea.com or on the Buena Vista Facebook page.
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