Keystone Resort, CO Announces First Ever Queer Ski Weekend

Ella Boyd
·3 min read
1

We're seeing progression in the ski industry: women directing ski movies, people of all backgrounds and identities with voices in outdoor media, and the LGBTQ+ community seeing more and more space carved out on the hill in a historically white, heteronormative space.

Specifically, skiers can "get ready to party down Dercum at Keystone’s Queer Ski Weekend March 1-2!"

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This is not the first event of its kind (Aspen also does a weeklong festival called Aspen Gay Ski Week) but it is a welcome addition to these types of events in outdoor spaces. And what goes together more than skiing and celebrations?

This event has a schedule chalk-full of celebratory-worthy things to do.

"From a group ski day to trivia to a celebratory parade on Schoolmarm, we’re proud to join forces with @mountain_pride for a weekend full of good vibes, great friends, and plenty of opportunities to connect with queer skiers, riders and allies in a welcoming, inclusive environment. It all begins March 1 with Sashay on the Slopes hosted by our friends @warrenstation ."

Keystone’s Queer Ski Weekend is the result of partnership between Keystone Resort, Vail Resorts’ Epic Promise, the Keystone Neighbourhood Company, and Mountain Pride – a local nonprofit devoted to establishing supportive spaces, enhancing family acceptance, and improving access to resources for the LGBTQIA+ community.

"In the heart of the mountains, events like Queer Ski Weekend serve as powerful affirmations of unity, acceptance, and the unyielding spirit of our queer community, especially in mountain locales where access to queer spaces can be scarce,” said Mountain Pride Director Madison Partridge. “We are incredibly grateful for the generosity and support of Keystone Resort for hosting and Epic Promise for helping us create this vital space!”

This brings up an important point: events like this are important not just for whoever is directly involved (feminist ski events, Queer ski events, or any specific group of people) but for everyone. 

Skiers should feel free to present however they want, with or without a facemask up. Seeing other people present themselves authentically, and without having to worry about their acceptance in a specific environment, empowers others to do the same.

And when people are empowered, we all benefit from it. Like we saw with the recently-released-to-streaming-platforms ski movie Weak Layers. 

Related: Katie Burrell Tattooed Crew Members While Making 'Weak Layers'

The festivities kick off Friday evening with a Sashay on the Slopes Drag Show at Warren Station and continue into Saturday with free events including a Pride Ski Parade, drag trivia and more.

After the drag show Friday, Saturday has the Group Ski Day from 9-4, and then at 4pm, there is the group photo and Ski Down Dercum, and then following that, at 5pm, there is Drag Trivia at 9280 Sake House.

No matter if you're someone who is part of the LGBTQ+ community, an ally, or just any old skier who is interested in progressing our sport, the weekend sounds like a blast.

Related: Skiers Share Rare Encounter With Elusive Mammal

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