Sleeping Giant could reawaken under new plan

For years, Sleeping Giant has been more than just a ski hill on the way to Yellowstone; it has been our mountain. Generations learned to ski and snowboard there, families spent winter weekends on the slopes, and locals found a piece of quiet joy that can’t be replicated by a larger destination resort. So when Brent Hargrave of HMH Capital Group stood before a standing-room-only crowd and said, “I see that skiing is important to this community. I can’t promise, but we want to make it happen,” his words resonated.

We can agree that what stood out most during the public meeting wasn’t empty guarantees, it was tone. Hargrave repeatedly emphasized community, sustainability and patience. His philosophy of “Respect the mountain, serve the community” and the commitment that “what’s good for Sleeping Giant is good for Cody” suggests partnership rather than takeover. Around here, that matters.

The proposed $4 million first phase focuses primarily on summer recreation: rope courses, tubing slides, hiking, biking and family-friendly attractions designed to create jobs and invite travelers to stay a little longer in Park County, benefiting our Cody economy. Some 30 to 40 jobs at roughly $20 per hour, local hiring preference and resident discounts are not small details. They are signs that Park County residents appear to come first, as we should.

Most importantly, the message that “everything is on the table” regarding winter operations signals something many of us feared was gone: the possibility of skiing remaining part of Sleeping Giant’s future. No promises, but no surrender either.

We should also remember that federal approvals, environmental review and planning take time. Expectations should be hopeful, but realistic. Progress at a mountain like this does not happen overnight. When properly executed, it requires patience, analysis and public input.

If all goes according to plan, this could be fantastic for our community – eventual year-round recreation, jobs and renewed life for a place that means a great deal to us locals. Now comes the hardest part: giving grace, allowing time and watching whether vision turns into reality.