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Pleasant Mountain Name Restored At Shawnee Peak

Maine Ski Area Returns To Its Historic Name, Namesake Of The Mountain It Occupies.

BRIDGTON, Maine – Shawnee Peak today announced the ski area will return to its roots and once again be known as Pleasant Mountain.  As Maine’s first ski area, the name change honors its 84-year history and the mountain it calls home.  A new Pleasant Mountain logo and website were unveiled today also, and full implementation of the new name will be completed ahead of skiers and riders being welcomed for the 2022/23 winter season.  

Pleasant Mountain supporters are credited with the momentum behind the process to restore the area’s original name.  Shawnee Peak was a name chosen by the group that assumed ownership of the ski area in 1988, and specifically to create brand alignment with another of its ski areas, Shawnee Mountain.  Uneasy with the replacement of the only name they had ever known, generations of loyalists have remained vocal and enthusiastic about the preferred name of their beloved ski area.  Feedback gathered in a recent survey was overwhelmingly in support of bringing back the original name.

General Manager, Ralph Lewis is a Bridgton local who grew up on the slopes of Pleasant Mountain said, “It gives me great pleasure to return to our original name and also to know that this ski area is poised for a great future so others may experience what many of us already have. Memories of growing up on these slopes were instrumental in framing my passion for skiing and like many others, Pleasant Mountain changed my life.”

In 1936, the state’s Civilian Conservation Corps cleared a single ski trail on the western slope of Pleasant Mountain, launching history now 84 years in the making worthy of honor and celebration. Skiing quickly proved popular among local residents and by 1938, a rope tow was introduced, and Pleasant Mountain Ski Club was born. 

Through the years, Pleasant Mountain continued to grow and expand, becoming one of the premiere ski areas in Maine.  Located less than an hour’s drive from Portland and offering the most night skiing terrain in New England, Pleasant Mountain became an institution for the region’s skiers and riders.  It boasts several firsts, notably being Maine’s first ski area, also home to the industry’s first ski patrol (1938) and installing the state’s first chairlift (1954).  Pleasant Mountain progressed to garner national fame in the 1970s as a hotbed for the burgeoning freestyle skiing movement.

Boyne Resorts acquired Shawnee Peak in October of 2021 from the longtime owner, Chet Homer.  Pleasant Mountain is part of the company’s collection of New England resorts including Sugarloaf and Sunday River in Maine, and Loon Mountain in New Hampshire, along with its family of resorts spanning North America.

Pleasant Mountain features two base areas providing access to 225 skiable acres served by four chairlifts and two surface lifts. Offering the most night skiing in New England, ski instruction, dining, and real estate opportunities are also offered at the resort. Pleasant Mountain is located less than an hour’s drive from Portland, Maine, and is the state’s first ski area. To learn more, please visit pleasantmountain.com.
  • Letter from General Manager Ralph Lewis
Dear Season Passholders and Friends,
As you may recall, we sent a survey this past spring asking for feedback regarding a potential return to our original name. Your feedback was overwhelmingly in support of the change, and I am honored to announce that we will once more be known as Pleasant Mountain.

The ski area opened in 1938 as Pleasant Mountain, taking the name from its physical location. In 1988, new owners opted to change the name to Shawnee Peak. Now, in 2022, we are returning to our roots and the Pleasant Mountain name. With the tremendous amount of history associated with this ski area, plus having new ownership and your support, I strongly feel that now is the right time to make this change.
I treasure the many fond memories I have of learning to ski at Pleasant Mountain. Hours upon hours of riding up the East T-bar, Summit chair, and countless stops at the lodge for a 5-cent glazed donut, live in my memory like it was yesterday. These memories and many more were instrumental in framing my passion for skiing and the outdoors. Pleasant Mountain changed my life, just as it has others.

It gives me great pleasure to return to our original name. I know that this ski area is poised for a great future so others may experience what many of us already have.

Our team has worked hard to prepare for this moment. We invite you to visit our all-new website. You can expect to see updated signage when visiting this winter. What will not change are the familiar faces you have come to know over the years, the incredible history we have together, and the mountain you, your families, and friends have enjoyed for many winter seasons.

We look forward to welcoming you very soon. Here is looking at an outstanding season ahead!

Sincerely,
Ralph Lewis, GM
Pleasant Mountain  



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