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Some mountain regions are currently facing the major challenge of changing their economic model in response to the threats posed by climate change. This work, which is the result of a European project, examines issues of transition and model change from a perspective based on the notion of the inherited adaptive capacities of actors in these mountain regions. The inhabitants of the two areas analyzed—Contamines-Montjoie (Haute-Savoie) and Ceillac (Hautes-Alpes)—have been able to cope with crises in the past and make adjustments that have enabled them to revive their development. We first identify these development models based on six characteristics and compare them over the long term, providing a comparative analysis of the postwar model known as “white gold.” The transitions from one model to another, as well as the more brutal crises that these territories have experienced, are identified. We then derive a typology of inherited adaptive capacities (active, weakened, forgotten, or yet to be developed) and explore the potential for removing barriers to model change in these territories. These capacities feed into a prospective scenario of a shift toward a more sustainable model, based on revisited territorial amenities and a shared vision of development that takes into account the link with the environment (as a setting) and forms of governance (co-construction of projects).