A skier descends an unidentified trail at Attitash Mountain Resort in this undated handout photo. Photo courtesy of Attitash Mountain Resort.

Vail Resorts plans to take over 17 U.S. ski areas ranging from the Northeast to the Midwest by acquiring Peak Resorts for $264 million.

Colorado-based Vail said Monday it was buying Attitash Mountain Resort, Wildcat Mountain and Crotched Mountain along with other ski areas in Indiana, Missouri, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, plus Mount Snow Vermont.

The company says the deal is expected to close this fall if regulators and shareholders approve.

The newly acquired resorts would be included in Vail’s Epic season pass. Vail says it plans to spend about $15 million over the next two years on improvements at the properties.

The ski areas are near 10 metropolitan areas: Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Baltimore; Boston; Kansas City, Missouri; Louisville, Kentucky; New York; Philadelphia; St. Louis; and Washington.

Vail owns 20 other ski areas in the U.S., Canada and Australia.