Sold-out Mission Ridge dinner raises more than $7,000 for Badger Mountain

WENATCHEE — A full house and a shared sense of purpose filled the Chair 5 Pub on April 17, as Mission Ridge Ski & Board Resort hosted a sold-out benefit dinner supporting Badger Mountain Ski Area.

By the end of the evening, more than $7,000 had been raised to help sustain the volunteer-run ski hill near Waterville, which was unable to open during the 2025–2026 season due to a lack of snow.

The Badger Mountain Benefit Dinner brought together community members from across the Wenatchee Valley, many with longstanding ties to the small ski area operated by volunteers and supported by the Waterville Lions Club.

“This was a special night for our community,” said Tony Hickok, Chief Marketing Officer at Mission Ridge. “Badger Mountain plays an important role in the winter culture of North Central Washington, and it was clear throughout the evening how much people care about supporting its future.”

Dinner sales accounted for more than $4,000 of the total, with another $3,000 raised through a raffle organized by Badger Mountain and supported by donated items from Mission Ridge.

The event reached capacity, filling the Chair 5 Pub and underscoring what Hickok described as a strong show of support for winter recreation in the region.

“More than the total raised, it was the energy in the room that stood out,” he said. “This valley has always shown up for winter recreation, and this was a great example of that.”

For Badger Mountain, the support comes at a critical time. The missed season created financial strain for the grassroots operation, where volunteers handle everything from lift operations to maintenance.

Mission Ridge leaders framed the evening as part of a broader effort to sustain entry points into skiing and snowboarding across North Central Washington.

“Supporting places like Badger Mountain means supporting the future of skiing and snowboarding in our region,” Hickok said.

Organizers also thanked attendees, donors, and volunteers who contributed to the event’s success, along with the Waterville Lions Club for its continued stewardship of the mountain.

In a region defined by its winters, the night served as both a fundraiser and a reminder of how deeply those traditions run, even in a year when the snow did not.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media