[This article appears in the January/February 2022 issue of Boston Spirit magazine. Subscribe for free today.]
New Englanders love to complain about winter weather. Let’s be honest, though: Griping about snow is about as effective as honking in gridlocked traffic. It does nothing to improve the situation, and it just makes you (and whoever has to listen to you) even more miserable.
Instead of making the worst of the situation, why not make the best? That’s the secret skiers and snowboarders know. For folks who like to hit the slopes, waking up to mounds of white and fluffy stuff is, believe it or not, a cause for celebration—especially when it involves meeting up with other LGBTQ outdoorsy types for fun on the mountain.
Ready to grab your poles and strap on your gear?
Good, because there are a few great options in the region for gay ski getaways. In Stowe, Vermont, the annual Winter Rendezvous celebration (Jan. 19–23) brings together LGBTQ snow bunnies to hit the trails as well as a handful of fun parties and performances, including this year’s headline act: delightfully wackadoodle drag artist Dina Martina. If you’d rather keep an eye out for organized daytrips to closer resorts, consider joining OutRyders, New England’s largest LGBTQ ski and snowboard club. All winter long, the group pulls together itineraries for jaunts to local mountains—inclusive of après-ski socials, of course. In fact, OutRyders has already made it to Vermont’s Okemo and Stratton resorts this winter.
Next up? Maine.
The OutRyders crew will join LGBTQ skiers from across New England for Pride Weekend at Sunday River, another annual opportunity to meet and mingle at one of the most popular winter-sports destinations in the northeast. From February 4 through 6, the resort in Newry—a tiny town in the western part of the Pine Tree State—will celebrate the full rainbow of the community against the white-blanketed backdrop of eight mountain peaks with trails for novice, experienced, and ready-for-the-world-stage riders.
It’s the only official, resort-promoted gay ski weekend on the East Coast, and this year’s lineup looks like another gold medal-worthy one. On Saturday morning, OutRyders will host a “meet and ski” at the property’s Peak Lodge, a chance for members—and prospective ones—to find old friends and new. After a day on the slopes, everyone will reconvene at Sunday River’s South Ridge for a dazzling and colorful fireworks display. That will be followed by a late-night dance party at the on-mountain Foggy Goggle bar. Prepare for things to get steamy.
On Sunday, you can certainly stretch your legs on the slopes again—or maybe better yet, give your glutes a rest by taking a seat at drag brunch. LGBTQ-owned Steam Mill Brewing will host the queen-filled affair at its brand new taproom and restaurant right along the road to Sunday River. Even better, Steam Mill will use the opportunity to unveil its new Pride beer, and donate a percentage of sales to benefit organizations helping Maine’s LGBTQ youth.
Of course, skiing is always the main event at a Maine ski weekend, and Sunday River is one of the best-known resorts in New England for a reason. At 2,340 feet, its biggest vertical drop is the second-largest in the state, and its massive acreage makes the place a big hit with backcountry skiers, too. That said, tearing down tree-filled, unmaintained areas is not for the faint of heart or the inexperienced. Play safe.
Better yet, stick to playing with pals during Pride Weekend, where the only danger is having too good a time. And if sore calves and a slight hangover is the worst of your New England winter—well, that’s not much to complain about.
sundayriver.com/events/pride-weekend (Pride Weekend); outryders.org
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