Making Meaning Out of Mountains The Political Ecology of Skiing

Mountains bear the imprint of human activity. Scars from logging andsurface mining sit alongside national parks and ski lodges. Althoughthe environmental effects of extractive industries are well known, skiing is more likely to bring to mind images of luxury, wealth, andhealth. Drawing on interviews, field observations, and media analysis, Stoddart reveals the multiple, often conflicting meanings attached toskiing by skiers, mass media, First Nations, industry leaders, andenvironmentalists in British Columbia. Stoddart challenges us toreflect on skiing's negative effects as he exposes how certaingroups came to be viewed as the "natural" inhabitants andlegitimate managers of mountain environments.