Can you be a Daddy at 20 years old?
That’s a rhetorical question, but you’ll be able to answer it if you join more than 2000 guys and girls at the 20th anniversary of Elevation Mammoth Gay Ski Week from March 16-20th, 2022. You’ll have fun (read: sexy, silly, adventurous fun in the outdoors and indoors) figuring out the answer. After all, Daddies are “in” right now.
Speaking of Daddies, LA event producer Tom Whitman put his love of producing big gay events together with his lifelong love of skiing and snowboarding and remixed the two to create the first Elevation in Mammoth exactly two decades ago. Since then, he has added Elevation Utah and Elevation Tremblant to the family. (Breaking news…he’s thinking about adding another location next year. Keep it on the DL…or not.)
Mammoth is one of our favorite mountains in the US, for a lot of reasons, but partially because size does matter, no matter what anyone tells you. As Ski Magazine said in 2022 “Mammoth Mountain is BIG…hosting an amazing range of terrain and snow, Mammoth aims to please skiers of all types…it’s no surprise it earns the #3 spot for Terrain.”
If Elevation Mammoth is the Daddy of gay ski weeks, Elevation Utah is the smoking hot big brother.
Almost as large as Mammoth, the Elevation Utah event has grown incredibly over the last 12 years, and takes Park City by gay storm each February. The baby sister of the family, Elevation Tremblant, is on a timeout this year due to COVID, but we look forward to her return in 2023.
The Elevation Gay Ski Weeks have become the gold standard of gay getaways, and are now the largest series of gay ski events in the world. Their legendary status is due, in large part, to Whitman’s uncanny ability to be always dependable but never predictable.
Whether you attend Elevation Mammoth (the friendly Cal-centric snowboarder and ski-bro heaven with bluebird spring skiing) or Elevation Utah (an adorable mining town turned into gay ski paradise at the largest resort in the US) you know exactly what you’re getting into— superb slopes for shredding, damn-good DJs for dancing, and fun feisty dudes for… having a nice conversation by the fire.
Whitman’s magic lies in his ability to give people those expected extravaganzas that we look forward to every year at Mammoth, mixed in with just the right number of new tricks pulled from his snowproof sleeves. One event that we look forward to every year in Mammoth is the Onesie Apres-Ski, an Elevation Gay Ski Week tradition that 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 Friday night neon party is now called “Glow Ho,” and if you don’t bring any blacklight reactive clothing, they’ll have boys to glow paint your face (or whatever) if you so desire.
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. Just put some THOT into it. (What’s the difference between a straight ski week and a gay ski week? A harness.)
The music at Elevation Mammoth is always top-notch, with DJs bringing a total of 15 events to life over the course of 5 days. DJ Joe Pacheco is spinning his first Elevation GEAR Party, as is newcomer Simon Harrison, while returning Elevation family DJs for 2022 include the incredibly talented DJs Josh Peace, Casey Alva, Max Bruce, and The Perry Twins. Tom brings up what feels like a busload of gogo dancers (we’re not complaining), and some amazing drag performers – which this year includes Toronto’s French Canadian Drag star and glamour jock Jezebel Bardot.
Comedy Night is headlined by the utterly unique drag comedian Dina Martina. Time Out London called her “divinely funny,” the Village Voice hailed her as “the most original drag performer working in America today” and columnist Dan Savage exclaimed “Absolutely high-f**king-larious! GO, GO, GO!”
One of the new tricks (one of many…double entendre intended) that Tom is pulling out at Elevation Mammoth this year is the Costume Ski Race. On Friday, dress up in a silly, sexy, draggy, leather, skimpy, or colorful costume and ski or snowboard down our Big Gay Race Course. Come to watch or come to “race.” Prizes will be given in a variety of categories, and a panel of gaylebrity judges will be judging/reading the contestants (with love.)
On Saturday, for the 3rd year, hundreds of people will dress up in their best rainbow colors and parade down Mammoth Mountain with Pride. It’s like a big Pride parade, but on skis and snowboards. On Sunday, as your Elevation weekend is winding to a close, don’t miss the first Elevation Drag Brunch.
“I’m super excited about Elevation 2022,” says Whitman, “and part of me can’t believe it’s been 20 years.”
He grins, “And yes, there will be a ton of surprises for the 20th anniversary at Elevation Mammoth. Not only is it a big birthday, but it’s also been a full year since we were able to throw a full-size, balls-to-the-wall Elevation. I think our balls are ready.”
It’s past time. Let’s have a ski-ski.
Info and tickets for Elevation Mammoth and other Elevation events are at www.elevationgayski.com. Follow @elevationgayski on Instagram for real-time updates.
