Elevation 20th Anniversary

It’s that time, when speedo season has turned into sweater weather, when you consider trading sunglasses for ski goggles, tank tops for wool scarves, and shirtless THOT photos for…shirtless THOT photos in long johns. It’s gay ski week season!

And there is no better option than one (or both) of the ELEVATION gay ski weeks. Kick your FOMO into high gear now if you’re thinking of missing the 20^th Anniversary because it will be one for the books.

A lifelong love of winter sports is what prompted LA event producer Tom Whitman to pursue his dream of bringing the gay community together for skiing and snowboarding in some of the most iconic ski destinations in the US. From learning to ski at 5 years old, to competing for UCLA on the ski team, then switching to a snowboard 16 years ago (and then back last year), skiing is in Tom’s DNA.

Twenty years ago, he looked northward and upward from Los Angeles… 10,000 feet upward to be exact. The first Elevation in Mammoth Lakes, California drew a core crowd of California boys that quickly grew into one of the largest gay ski weeks in the world. He expanded to Park City, Utah and then to Tremblant, Quebec and the rest is history. Elevation has now become the largest ski week series in the world, bringing more LGBTQ people to the slopes than any other event.

Whether it’s Elevation Mammoth – the crown jewel of gay ski weeks – or Mammoth’s 12-year-old baby brother in Park City, you know exactly what you’re getting into with an Elevation event: superb slopes for shredding, damn-good DJs for dancing, and fun feisty dudes for… having a friendly conversation by the fire 😉

“From apres-ski afternoons to evening dance parties, Elevation gay ski weeks are hands-down my favorite boarding trips every season,” says attendee Jordan Brusso, “We have met so many life-long friends at these events and look forward making new ones every year.”

While each ELEVATION event has its own local flavor and flair, there are a few events I personally look forward to every year: The Onesie Apres-Ski is an ELEVATION Gay Ski Week tradition that somehow manages to be sexy without losing its sense of humor. Where else can you find a collection of burner boys in rainbow bodysuits, gaymers in unicorn-horn hoodies, circuit boys in ass-less onesies and lumberjocks in wool socks?

The Saturday night event, GEAR, is the most overtly sexy party of the week, but again, doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s like a warehouse party at altitude (don’t think about it too hard). The dress code is gear – leather gear, sports gear, ski gear. (What’s the difference between a straight ski week and a gay ski week? A harness.) 

“I’m super excited about Elevation 2022,” says Whitman, “and part of me can’t believe it’s been 20 years. I’m amazed at the number of attendees who have been coming to the Elevation events for 5, 10 or even 15 years. We must be doing something right.”

He grins, “And yes, there will be a ton of surprises for the 20^th anniversary, at both Elevation Mammoth and Elevation Utah. Not only is it a big birthday, it’s also been a full year since we were able to throw a full-size, balls to the wall Elevation. We are all ready.”

Whitman was praised within the LGBTQ community for his response to COVID. He offered full immediate refunds when lockdowns shut down the mountains 5 days before Elevation Mammoth, and he made the decision to postpone Elevation Utah 2021 by choice. Park City venues were ready to welcome attendees, but it wasn’t quite time. “Vaccinations weren’t widely available, and even though COVID was a brutal financial hit, the health and safety of my community are more important,” he says.

Choosing which Elevation to attend can be a tough choice. (And you don’t have to choose, do both!)

Park City is the largest ski resort in the US, with 7300 skiable acres, and Utah stakes a claim to the best powder in the world. Mammoth on the other hand, is also a gigantic resort, with snowfall and a season that lasts late into the year, which makes it the spring skiing capital of the US as well as the center of the universe for shirtless ski selfies. An easy 45 min from Salt Lake airport to Park City, Elevation Utah provides easy access for a mix of ready-to-let-loose Mormon boys and LGBTQ skiers from all over the country. Elevation Mammoth is ground zero for hot California ski bums, ‘nuf said.

Every year, regardless of which I pick, I have a unique experience at ELEVATION. You can ski all day and crash early, party hard and sleep in, or be the first-chair last-call hero we all wish we were.

Get ready.  Let’s have a ski-ski.

Info on the Elevation events are at www.elevationgayski.com.