PHOTOS: The gays take over Mammoth at Elevation Gay Ski Week 2023

March brought much-needed Spring color to California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. Mother nature may have served up brutal winter storms, avalanches, and atmospheric rivers for Elevation, but that didn’t stop the gays from having a great time on the slopes of the famous gay ski week.

A sign for Elevation Si Weeks in the snow.

The stage was set for a gay invasion…

Woolly, Mammoth’s furry mascot, welcomes us to the mountain.

Elevation guys are known for being Mammoth and so is their ambassador. Woolly, Mammoth’s furry mascot, welcomes us to the mountain.

Agroup of men in skiing outfits and skis getting ready to hit the slopes.

Friends quickly reunited for quick photo ops before swooshing (and swishing) their way down the mountain. This group of San Francisco gays was particularly happy to meet up near the Face Lift Express lift.

A group of older men posing for the camera inside a bar.

Wednesday’s Welcome Apres-ski at Shelter Distillery brought guys from Palm Springs together, all looking good in shades of gray.

Two men in skin tight skiing costumes posing for the camera.

Thursday’s Apres in the Village provided everyone with a dog tag that could be color coded with a sticker. Red = not available, Yellow = Let’s discuss, Green = Available. By the end of the night, all of the green stickers were gone, but plenty of red and yellow sat sadly in a disheveled pile on the table.

two men posing for the camera

Bonus points for pairing the dog tag with a string of pearls.

Go-go dancers dressed in harnesses and jockstraps dancing for the crowd.

Go-go dancers kept the beat going at the afternoon Apres’s. As always, tips put smiles on their faces.

Utica the drag queen performs for the crowd.

Friday’s “Apres at 10K” was super popular – everyone rode the gondola midway up the mountain, reaching the highest apres-ski party in the world. It would not have been complete without a surprise performance by RPDR 13’s queen Utica.

Three men posing for the camera in black light, one of them is wearing a glow in the dark chest harness.

Friday evening brought the ever popular Glo Ho, whose name says it all. The dance floor was packed.

Skiers on the mountain getting ready for the rainbow run. One of them is holding a large rainbow pride flag

Saturday’s Rainbow Run was basically a Pride parade from top to bottom. Everyone met at the top of Gold Rush lift and made their way down the mountain in unison.

Skiers on the mountain getting ready for the rainbow run. One of them is holding a large rainbow pride flag

Rainbow flags were a must.

Skiers on the mountain getting ready for the rainbow run.

Fortunately, the sun came out for the parade, allowing some to strip down to the delight of the crowd–and the photographer.

A participant dressed in a Yeti costume and snow goggles.

Costumes were encouraged

Two guys in colorful onesies dancing in the crowd at a bar.

Saturday’s onesie Apres was a fan favorite. It was held at the Hawaiian bar, where the mai-tais flowed.

A group of guys in flannel onesies posing for the camera.

Many coordinated their onesies into fivesies.

Four guys in leather apparel posing for the camera.

Elevation 2023 culminated in the Saturday night Gear party, where less was more.

A skier wears a rainbow Pride flag as a cape as they go down the mountain.

We are already looking forward to next year’s Elevation…

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