Saving Shames: In ‘Heart of a Mountain,’ a Community Rallies Around Its Local Ski Hill

Mom-and-pop ski areas seem to be getting scarcer by the year. Maintaining the high cost of operation is tough, especially for small business owners who don’t have a corporate bankroll.

In many cases, like at Shames Mountain Ski Area, it eventually becomes too much for the owners to uphold. Without some kind of saving grace, in 2008, this local Canadian hill, like so many others, had had to shutter its doors.

Shames did have a saving grace, though. The community of skiers and snowboarders who loved to ride there rallied around the resort after its owners announced its final season. Businesses, individuals, societies, and corporations came together, formed a co-op, and bought the mountain in 2011.

Heart of a Mountain is a short film from Mammut that tells that story. Shames Mountain remains open today and is still a cornerstone of its community. For more videos like this one, check out the Mammut YouTube page.

Runtime: 9:15 minutes