AUBURN, Maine (NEWS CENTER) --
The Lost Valley Ski Area in Auburn opened Wednesday under new ownership to start its ski and snowboard season of 2015-2016.
Scott Shanaman purchased the ski area from the previous owners on November 1, 2015. The previous owners had been worried that they would have to close the mountain, but said with the sale the resort will continue to be there for future generations. In June 2014, owners announced they might not be able to open for that coming ski season and said they were facing nearly $1.6 million in debt.
Since the purchase, Shanaman has made significant updates, and skiers and snowboards have noticed.
"On the chairlift -- before they were cracking, and they were missing pieces but now they have whole new chairs," said Ben Eastman, a snowboarder who lives in Auburn and had ridden the mountain in years past.
The threat of closing was tough news for skiers like Harry Simones, who has skied their since it opened in 1961. He likes what Shanaman has done.
"There are some new slats in the chairs, he's painted the towers, and there's snowmaking going on up at the top that I have hardly ever seen before," said Simones.
"It's been a lot of work, we've been putting in a lot long days since November first," said Shanaman. "Yesterday when the snow storm hit, the phone started ringing off the hook, so we're pretty hopeful that there are going to be a lot of people through here today."
Simones hopes this rejuvenation will restore one of Maine's oldest ski areas to its former glory.
"It feels like this going to be the type of area that it used to be: an area for kids to learn how to ski, and a feeder system for the other ski areas," said Simones.
Because the new owners could keep it open, Simones shared his childhood mountain with his grandson today.
"Things are looking good. I think he's in it for the long term," Simones said of Shanaman.
Shanaman said he plans to add another lift and a snow tubing park for next ski and snowboard season.
