Saddleback Mountain ski area in Rangeley is close to completing a deal and is expected to make an announcement about its future next week, Saddleback general manager Chris Farmer said Friday.

The owners of the ski resort, Bill and Irene Berry of Farmington, have been negotiating with a prospective buyer who would be able to open the mountain this winter, Farmer said.

If a deal is not reached, it’s unlikely the resort could be sold in time for the ski area to open this winter, he said.

The Berrys announced in July that Saddleback would not open this winter unless they could obtain financing to install a new high-speed chairlift. In early September, they announced they had not been able to get the money they needed, but were talking to possible buyers.

“We are working on a deal,” Farmer said. “I can’t discuss it. We are trying to get open.”