Pleasant Mountain Ski Area and Escape2ski provides info on; vertical drop 1300ft/396m, total trails 40, closest airport 43mi/70km & lifts 6.

Located in Maine’s Lake Region of Cumberland County, and only a short distance from the town of Bridgton is the ski area.

In 1935, with growing interest in winter recreation, local groups started planning a ski trail on a nearby Mountain. Three years later on January 23, 1938, their vision was realized when the ski area known at the time as Pleasant Mountain opened to the public with a single trail and a rope tow on the lower portion of the mountain.

Popularity renamed high for the Pleasant Mountain Ski Area over the next 15 years as new trails were added, but it would not be until the 1953 winter season that a T-Bar was installed by the owners at the time, Ray Erickson and Russ Haggett helped reduce the wait time to get on the slopes.

One of the most exciting changes came in 1955 when a chairlift was installed to the North Peak, increasing the vertical drop and adding new trails. This gave the ski area a whole new appearance and expanded the terrain to allow for more winter fun.

For the next 40 years, the ski area would see many significant changes. First the opening of new trails leading to the east base area, complete with a day lodge for the 1972 season. Then two changes of ownership with the second coming in 1988 that included a name change to Shawnee Peak Ski Area, plus the addition of night skiing in 1989, new chairlifts, and more trails.

A change of ownership with a new vision for the future occurred on Oct 22, 2021, when Boyne Resorts from Michigan purchased the ski area from the Homer family. With that, in Sept 2022 Boyne Resorts renamed Shawnee Peak Ski Area back to its original name, Pleasant Mountain Ski Area.

Today, the ski area enjoys skiing and snowboarding from one mountain summit leading into two base areas, the main and the east. The majority of the trails are located on the main area of the mountain and snowmaking covers 98% of the terrain.

Whether you’re an old-schooler or newcomer to the mountain you are sure to enjoy the great family-friendly atmosphere, great views, and the variety of terrain available at Pleasant Mountain Ski Area.

On the Slopes

• Pleasant Mountain Ski Area provides a great mix of intermediate and advanced terrain from the summit that leads into two base areas, the east base, and the main base area. The east slopes have great terrain on The Gut and Lower Appalachian, while the runs The Headwall and The Main are on the main portion of the ski area serviced by the Summit Triple.
• At the base area, there are dedicated runs and several lifts for those that are new to skiing and snowboarding or for those who need to gain a little more confidence before heading to the summit.
• Pleasant Mountain Ski Area has been offering the chance to ski and snowboard under the lights since 1989. From Monday to Saturday and all holidays beginning at 3:30 pm, four lifts are operating providing access to 19 trails and two terrain parks.
• Pleasant Mountain Ski Area has three terrain parks ranging from the mini-park located near the base area triple. The largest park is the freestyle park located on the front side where you will have fun on the rails, boxes, rainbows, walls, jumps and even riding over a VW with a curved flat box over the top of the car.
• Pleasant Mountain Ski Area has a dedicated team of professional instructors ready to get you on the slopes for the first time or improve your skillset with the latest techniques. Instruction is available for groups, adults and children, adventure camps, and seasonal programs.
• Pleasant Mountain Ski Area features a modest selection of on-mountain or near the slopes lodging options. The Sunnyside Lodge is a bunkhouse that can sleep up to 14. There is also the Pleasant Mountain House at the base area along with The Northridge Yurt located at the top of the mountain.

Off the Slopes

• Pleasant Mountain Ski Area provides a pure mountain ski and snowboard experience. There are NO off-mountain activities such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or snow tubing.
• Pleasant Mountain Ski Area has several locations at the mountain for food and beverage. There is the Base Lodge Cafeteria, the Donut Shack for hot chocolate, East Lodge is a smaller cafeteria at the second base area that is open on weekends and holidays. Then there is Blizzard’s Pub, a place for friends to get together.
• There is an entire fleet of rental ski and snowboard equipment to help get you ready for an enjoyable day on the slopes. They also offer a repair and tuning center located in the lower level of the base lodge.
• Nearby restaurants and retail can be found in the small town of Bridgton, Maine 6mi/10km to the east. However, North Conway located in New Hampshire to the west, known as the birthplace of American skiing has tax-free shopping. North Conway is the perfect location to stay due to the number of lodging, dining, and shopping choices.