CRESCENT, Iowa (KMTV) — Mt. Crescent is now Crescent Hill at Hitchcock as Pottawattamie Conservation gears up to make it a year-round outdoor facility. The ski hill is adjacent to Hitchcock Nature Center and both properties play a role in prairie conservation.
- “A really powerful example of the blend of preservation and play," said Community Outreach Manager Kylie Jacott. “People were a little surprised the county’s buying a ski hill, ‘Why?’ But it really has been part of a long-term vision since 1997.”
- Pottawattamie Conservation Execuitve Director Jeff Franco says preserving the Loess Hills is important, in part, because the hills contain most of Iowa's remnant prairie.
- The public is invited to visit Crescent Hill on May 31 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to learn more about future plans and see concept images.
WATCH KATRINA'S STORY HERE
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter Katrina Markel in Crescent, where Pottawattamie Conservation is rolling out new plans for Crescent Hill at Hitchcock. The area’s only ski hill is going year-round and evolving into more than just a place to ski.
Pottawattamie Conservation took over Mt. Crescent in 2022, part of a long-term plan to expand Hitchcock Nature Center next door.
“A really powerful example of the blend of preservation and play," said Community Outreach Manager Kylie Jacott. “People were a little surprised the county’s buying a ski hill, ‘Why?’ But it really has been part of a long-term vision since 1997.”
After receiving community input, the expansion includes all-weather recreation such as hiking, bonfires, and improved facilities.
Jeff Franco: “I think one of the things I’m most excited about is the attention it’s going to draw to this place.”
Executive director Jeff Franco says the Loess Hills are geographically unique; the only other similar landform is in China, where the landscape has been significantly altered.
“Iowa ranks near the bottom of all fifty states in terms of public land access," said Franco, "So any chance we get to expand those outdoor recreational opportunities, especially in a place that’s as unique and significant as the Loess Hills of western Iowa…”
Katrina Markel (off camera): “Why put that investment in to make it a year-round facility?”
Franco: “This layout facilitates more people being able to experience the Loess Hills…”
Franco says the location and the existing infrastructure makes it easier for more people to access, continuing the organization’s conservation mission.
Unlike other county parks, Crescent Hill is operated as a business, with very few tax dollars going into the property.
The public is invited to come here on the afternoon of May 31 to learn more about the future plans of Crescent Hill. I’m your Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter, Katrina Markel.
