Barrett said he doesn’t expect that process to take too long.

Barrett told the Adirondack Explorer that the club agreed to purchase the 200-acre property for approximately $2.5 million.

The club applied for $500,000 in federal funding from the state Environmental Protection Fund for the purchase in August, but Barrett said they haven’t received word on whether or not they’ll get it. The club’s application came with a resolution of support from the town of North Elba, which the club hopes will help strengthen their application. Barrett said the club applied for the grant because they would offer public access to the ski trails, which he believes would be a benefit to the state’s taxpayers.

Barrett said he isn’t sure when they’ll hear back from the state about the grant application, but thinks it could be within the next 30 days. The grant comes with a matching component, so if the application is approved, the club would also have to contribute $500,000 toward the project.

Barrett said that if the application falls through, the club has other lines of funding they can access — bank loans and organization funds — to make the purchase. He also said the club could reapply for the grant next year, since the purchase would still be timely enough to qualify.

The club has plans to open the center’s cross country ski trails to the public during the winter, and they would offer hiking and naturalist trails along with a hiker information center.

Barrett said that the center’s location — state Route 73 — would give the club the opportunity to interact with hikers in a more visible space to passersby and make sure they receive all the information they need to have a “safe and responsible” experience in the High Peaks. He said those interactions would also allow the club to spread out hiker impact on resources by directing hikers to less busy locations.

Barrett said ADK was also motivated to purchase the ski center because they want to expand their education efforts, which are currently limited by their current staffing and their current space — three yurts near the Adirondak Loj trailhead and High Peaks Information Center. Barrett said their classes, which educate people on concepts like Leave No Trace principles and map and compass use, are a “victim of our own success.” Each yurt can fit around 15 people, and he said the classes sell out quickly. In August, Barrett said the Cascade Ski Center’s grand room could hold up to 80 people. He said the new center would also allow the club to hire more educators and house more employees in the two existing apartments there — a one-bedroom apartment and a two-bedroom apartment.

If the contract is signed by sellers and the club is cleared to purchase the center, Barrett said the club’s first move will be to initiate an inspection at the center, looking at the septic system, well water system, and other infrastructure on the grounds. Then, he said they want to get staff together to see how they can maximize the center’s potential to accommodate their efforts.