From the outside, mountain towns look like paradise. Long summer days on the lake, crisp fall mornings on the trail, first chair on powder days. To many, it feels like an endless adventure, a dream life with a view.
But if you’ve lived here, you know there’s more to the story. Behind the beauty is a lifestyle that can also be exhausting. Long work hours, seasonal jobs, housing that costs more than paychecks, isolation in harsh weather, and a culture that often glorifies partying and “grind ‘til you drop.” Over time, that mix wears on people.
We’ve seen it in our own lives, and in the lives of our friends, neighbors, and co-workers. We’ve also seen the darkest outcomes, addiction, burnout, and even tragedy. Mountain towns consistently show some of the highest rates of depression and suicide in the country. It’s not because people here don’t love life, it’s because loving it isn’t always enough to withstand the weight of the challenges.
Who "We" Are
I’m Christine Bettera, a board certified health coach, certified personal trainer, and wellness educator who’s spent my career helping people build strength, healthier habits, and resilience in demanding environments.
My husband, Michael Bettera, has worked in the mountain resort industry for decades. Through his companies, Effective Edge and LVL UP Academy, he’s trained and coached leaders and employees in resorts across the country.
We’ve been together for over 20 years, and in that time we’ve lived the mountain lifestyle side by side, sharing the joy of adventure and community while also navigating the harder realities that come with it. Out of that lived experience, and the unique combination of our professional work, we developed the Summit Stronger Mountain Resort Wellness & Resilience Training.
The program is in its final edits now and will soon be available through LVL UP Academy and as a stand alone course. Our goal is simple: to help mountain resort employees, leaders, and locals not just survive this lifestyle, but thrive in it, because we know firsthand the cost of ignoring the harder truths.
Why This Matters
Mountain towns aren’t just playgrounds, they’re communities. And every single one of us is part of their culture. Locals, seasonal workers, long-time employees, second-home owners, and visitors, we all shape what it feels like to live and work here.
- Employees & Locals: You are the backbone of these towns, often holding two or three jobs to make it work. Taking care of your body, mind, and spirit isn’t selfish, it’s survival. Self-care is not a luxury; it’s a form of community care.
- Leaders & Employers: Supporting wellness needs to be as important as safety training. Burned out employees don’t make for thriving teams, or thriving resorts.
- Visitors & Second-Home Owners: You love these towns for their beauty, but your presence has an impact. Housing, wages, infrastructure, all are strained in part because of tourism and outside ownership. Supporting fair wages, respecting workers, tipping generously, and engaging with local businesses makes you part of the solution, not the problem.
The Culture We Need
We can’t wish away the challenges of mountain living, but we can shift the culture:
- From glorifying burnout to honoring balance.
- From normalizing substance use to normalizing asking for help.
- From “every man for himself” to we’re in this together.
It starts with self-advocacy, saying no when you need rest, asking for support when you’re struggling, and speaking up for healthier norms. And it grows into community advocacy, checking in on your friends and co-workers, supporting locals if you’re visiting, and creating spaces where people don’t just survive mountain life, but truly thrive.
The Call to Action
If you live here, look out for each other. Ask the hard questions. Offer support, not judgment. If you’re visiting, bring gratitude, not entitlement. Tip well. Respect workers’ time. If you own a second home, remember you’re part of the fabric here too. Use your influence to support housing solutions and community programs.
Because at the end of the day, mountain towns aren’t just backdrops for adventure. They’re living, breathing communities made of real people, people who deserve resilience, health, and joy.
🌲 Let’s create a culture of care, together.
— Christine Bettera
NBHWC- Board Certified Health Coach | ACSM-CPT
⛰️ Peaks: The Science Behind Mountain Town Wellbeing
Mountain life is exhilarating and beautiful, but it also comes with a biological and psychological cost that’s often invisible. Here’s what we know, backed by research, about why mountain rhythms challenge both mental and physical health:
How Altitude Impacts Brain Chemistry & Mood
- Lower oxygen = lower serotonin
Chronic hypobaric hypoxia (low-pressure, low-oxygen conditions) at altitude can reduce the brain’s serotonin production by impairing enzymes involved in its synthesis, directly impacting mood regulation and increasing vulnerability to depression, especially in women, who naturally produce less serotonin than men uwhr.utah.eduFrontiers.
- Tougher mood regulation & treatment response
Hypoxia may also blunt the effectiveness of common antidepressants (SSRIs), and rodents exposed to altitude show more depressive-like behaviors, indicating a deeper neurochemical reset is needed uwhr.utah.eduColorado Public Radio.
- Brain energy deficits
Imaging studies at moderate elevations (~4,500 feet) have shown reduced levels of creatine, a key player in cellular energy, suggesting that altitude may impair brain bioenergetics, further weakening mood resilience uwhr.utah.edu.
- Mood and cognitive shifts
Hypoxia also disrupts cognitive function, impairing attention, memory, and emotional control, and can trigger irritability, impulsivity, and even depressive states Biology Insights SpringerLink.
The Altitude–Suicide Link: What the Data Shows
- Higher altitude = higher suicide rates
Analyses across U.S. counties reveal a clear pattern: suicide rates at elevations above ~4,000 feet are significantly higher (often 2–3 times) than those near sea level, even after adjusting for socioeconomic factors High Country News The Salt Lake Tribune ScienceDaily Colorado Public Radio.
- Not just in one place
This correlation holds across mountain states like Utah, Colorado, Montana, and even internationally in places like Spain and South Korea, suggesting altitude itself, not just social or economic factors, plays a role ScienceDaily High Country News.
What Science Suggests for People Living It
Locals & Seasonal Workers: Self-Advocacy for Mental & Physical Care
- Prioritize sleep and recovery
Even mild hypoxia makes deep sleep harder. Protect your sleep, it’s your baseline for mood, resilience, and hormonal balance. Avoid alcohol before bed and consider short power naps when you can.
- Hydrate and nourish thoughtfully
Hydration supports oxygen transport. Gentle movement, like walking or stretching, boosts oxygen efficiency and energy without pushing your system further into stress.
- Lean into community as a buffer
Isolation exacerbates stress. Social connection literally lowers cortisol. Reach out, create check-ins, join local groups, even a coffee chat can matter.
- Vocalize your needs
Workload, housing stress, health gaps, don’t wait for permission to push back. Self-advocacy isn’t selfish; it’s necessary. Whether it’s asking for schedule adjustments, mental health days, or better resources, your voice matters.
Visitors, Second-Home Owners & Non-Locals: Tangible Ways You Can Help
- Get to know the community, not just the trails
Ask about local life. What are the pressures people face? Understanding fosters empathy and encourages more responsible engagement.
- Support local wellness with your dollars and deeds
Tip well. Buy local, especially in small business. Speak kindly. Your economic and emotional support, especially to workers stretched thin, can be profound.
- Use your influence constructively
Whether you own a second home or visit often, you have power. Advocate for affordable housing, mental health resources, fair wages, and community wellness programs. Be a part of constructive change.
Bottom Line: A Culture of Resilience Starts with Understanding
Mountain towns are more than vacation spots. The altitude changes more than your breath, it shifts your brain chemistry, your energy, your mood, and your sleep. That’s the science. The answer isn't to resist it, but to work with it: through self-advocacy, community care, and mindful support from those who visit or own property here.
Science gives us clarity. Now, let’s build the culture of care mountain communities deserve.
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