Few places capture the glamorous vibe of a big city while offering the stunning scenery of breathtaking mountain landscapes than the Colorado ski towns of Aspen and Telluride. These secluded, upscale getaways hosts two of the most famous gay ski weeks in the world, but they make delightful, gay-friendly getaways all winter.
Aspen
(200 miles from Denver, with direct flights from Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco)
Of the many ski resorts that straddle the Continental Divide, Aspen has the most striking setting - and inhabitants. In mid-January, Aspen hosts the original, the fantastic, and perhaps the coolest (literally) LGBT gathering in the world, Gay Ski Week. Events include comedy night, a downhill-skiing costume parade, nightly dance blowouts, women’s social mixers, and all the skiing you can squeeze into five days. And if you’re attending without a partner, who knows? You might just meet your future soul mate at either the “bachelor” and “bachelorette” dinners.
There are plenty of outdoors options at Aspen, whose four ski areas cover some 5,300 acres, all accessible for the price of just one lift ticket. Snowmass (91 trails) is by far the largest mountain and has an astounding vertical rise of more than 4,500 feet (to a summit of 12,500). Aspen Mountain (76 trails) sits right over downtown and has the most challenging terrain, while Buttermilk (44 trails) opened a new Olympic-size halfpipe for snowboarding in 2008 and is ideal for beginners. Finally, Aspen Highlands (125 trails) is more intermediate and has added the most terrain in recent years.
Given the high cost of and demand for rooms in Aspen, you may want to book through reliable Aspen Central Reservations, which can also arrange short-term rentals at private homes and condos. The most charming and historic high-end property in town, and arguably in all of Rockies, the Hotel Jerome was built at the height of Aspen’s 1880’s silver boom. The amenities and decor leave nothing to be desired, yet the hotel retains a warm, old-fashioned air. More contemporary and with exceptionally well-appointed rooms, the Little Nell is even plusher. Gas fireplaces, down-filled sofas, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, Belgian wool carpets, and stunning marble and granite baths are among the standards at this 92-room property at the base of Aspen Mountain.
The gay-popular Kimpton Group has a hip, handsomely furnished property in town, the Sky Hotel, whose 90 rooms have a clean, sunny look and such choice amenities as iPod docking stations and gas fireplaces. Be sure to clink wine glasses in the hotel’s see-and-be-seen 39 Degrees Lounge. Aspen Gay Ski Week’s official host hotel in 2009, the pet-friendly and moderately priced Limelight Lodge is a relatively new downtown property with spacious, airy rooms, some with full kitchens and private terraces.
Downtown Aspen, a former mining community, comprises rows of neatly restored redbrick buildings and clapboard homes - it’s compact and easy to explore on foot, with tons of shops and restaurants. Syzygy is among the hottest spots for drinks, and a big to-do for dinner. The innovative menu combines the best of Asian, Southwest, and French cuisines. A favorite of the gay community, Social occupies a glam, futuristic-looking space and serves creative cocktails and exquisite tapas like buffalo “sliders” with red-onion marmalade, and duck-confit quesadillas.
For superb Japanese food and ultra-fresh sushi, book a table at Matsuhisa, the domain of world-class chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Inside a warmly furnished Victorian house you’ll find some of the most cutting-edge Asian fare around. Other stellar dining options in town include Cache Cache, a dapper bistro specializing in Provencal cuisine; and L’Hostaria, for Tuscan cooking in an unfussy, romantic dining room.
Telluride
(330 miles from Denver, with air service into Telluride or nearby Montrose from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City).
Telluride is really two communities in one. There’s the historic and extremely charming original town, which sits nestled in a deep gorge at the base of some of the finest ski terrain in the West. And then there’s the more modern Mountain Village, which you can reach either by driving eight miles west and then north of town or via a free gondola trip up the mountainside (the ride takes 13 minutes).
The town’s ski season begins around Thanksgiving and runs through early April; the area consists of 115 trails, evenly balanced between advanced and intermediate runs, with a smaller but still considerable number of beginner slopes. There’s a vertical drop of some 4,500 feet, with the area’s peak elevation at 13,150. Skiers can navigate the mountain via 18 lifts (more than half of them high-speed) and dine at dozens of ski-in/ski-out restaurants. This is truly a world-class facility.
Telluride Gay Ski Week was begun in 2004 and has rapidly developed an enthusiastic following. It’s held the last week of February. Festivities include a variety of parties, from an outdoor tubing shindig to an indoor pool-and-Jacuzzi romp. In the morning, participants gather together for breakfast socials, and apres-ski parties are held in the evenings before dinners at some of the town’s top eateries. Gay Ski Week coincides with the Academy Awards, and there’s always a big Oscars Party - this is also the time of year that the town hosts its Telluride AIDS Benefit, and some of the events are related to this fine cause.
Something downtown Telluride has plenty of is superb restaurants, one of the best being the Blue Point Grill, which serves to-die-for steaks, chops, and seafood prepared by talented local chef Jake Linzinmeir - try the butter-poached rib eye steak with truffle-lemon sea salt, or hearty white-bean cassoulet with venison, duck confit, bacon, and elk sausage. For cocktails, head to the adjacent Noir Bar, a swanky spot known for its stellar wine and drinks list. Linzinmeir also runs one of the best Italian eateries in town, the cheerful Excelsior Cafe, known for reasonably priced and well-prepared gourmet pizzas, creative pastas, and Moroccan-spiced lamb chops.
For excellent and quite creative Latin fusion fare, check out Las Montanas, which has salsa and jazz music after 10 p.m. in the bar, and great food throughout the day, from Peruvian scrambled eggs with beans, bacon, and a tomatillo-cilantro sauce in the morning, to shrimp-filled chile rellenos for lunch or dinner. For perhaps the loftiest dining experience in Telluride, book a table at Allred’s, which sits at 10,551 feet above sea level, high atop the ski mountain - innovative contemporary American fare is served, including white sea bass with roasted potatoes, leeks, fava beans, and vanilla-poached crab meat.
Downtown Telluride has a bunch of great accommodations, among them Camel’s Garden Hotel, an intimate resort hotel at the base of one of the main chairlifts, with handsome modern rooms, Italian-marble bathrooms with oversized tubs, and a sumptuous full-service spa. For a more authentic slice of historic Telluride, book a room at the courtly New Sheridan Hotel, a redbrick 1890’s property with 26 rooms. The hotel underwent an impressive and ambitious $7 million renovation just in time for the 2008-2009 winter ski season. Amenities include a first-rate steak restaurant, and one of the coolest bars in the area.
Mountain Village lacks character but has astounding views and offers some fine accommodations, such as the 174-room Peaks Resort, which is home to the Golden Door Spa and abounds with many other fine amenities - it also received a complete makeover in 2008. Also consider staying at the classy Mountain Lodge at Telluride, which comprises 86 well-outfitted rooms and suites as well as 10 larger log-and-stone cabins.
Of course, both Aspen and Telluride have much to offer, so if you can possibly find the time, consider spending half your vacation in one town, half in the other. It’s a scenic 240-mile drive between the two towns, with plenty of photo ops along the way. And it’s hard to imagine a more stylish and exciting way to spend a week or two this winter than to vacation in both of these wonderful communities.
The Little Black Book
Aspen:
Aspen Central and Snowmass Reservations 888-649-5982 stayaspensnowmass.com
Aspen Chamber Resort Association 800-670-0792, aspenchamber.org
Aspen Gay Ski Week 800-861-8467, gayskiweek.com
Aspen-Snowmass Ski Information aspensnowmass.com
Cache Cache 970-925-3835, cachecache.com
Hotel Jerome 877-412-ROCK, hoteljerome.rockresorts.com
L’Hostaria 970-925-9022, hostaria.com
Limelight Lodge 800-433-0832, limelightlodge.com
Matsuhisa 970-544-6628, matsuhisaaspen.com
Little Nell 888-843-6355, thelittlenell.com
Sky Hotel 800-882-2582, theskyhotel.com
Social 970-925-9700, social-aspen.com
Syzygy 970-925-3700, syzygyrestaurant.com
Telluride:
Allred’s 970-728-7474, allredsrestaurant.com
Blue Point Grill & Noir Bar 970-728-8862, thebluepointgrill.net
Camel’s Garden Hotel 888-772-2635, camelsgarden.com
Excelsior Cafe 970-728-4250, excelsiorcafe.net
Las Montanas 970-728-5114, lasmontanastelluride.com
Mountain Lodge at Telluride 866-368-6867, destinationrockies.com
New Sheridan Hotel 800-200-1891, newsheridan.com
The Peaks Resort 877-282-4550, thepeaksresort.com
Telluride Gay Ski Week telluridegayskiweek.com
Telluride Ski Resort 800-778-8581, tellurideskiresort.com
Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor’s Gay Guide to the USA and eight additional travel guides. He can be reached at OutofTown@qsyndicate.com.
WhistlePig and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Wind Tunnel-Trialed Whiskey Is a Ryed You Don’t Want to Miss
SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.
The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.
Like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s signature C43 racing vehicles, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood, staying true to the physical nature of Formula 1.
“Partnering with WhistlePig has been a very exciting experience. Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is dedicated to being the best on the track, and the crew at WhistlePig is fearless in their pursuit to create the best whiskey out there,” said Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “We’re really looking forward to fans tasting our custom Rye Whiskey and raising a glass to the rookies, veterans, legends and the exhilarating sport of F1.”
"Joining forces with WhistlePig to release a Single Barrel Rye Whiskey that represents my culture and team has been an honor,” said Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “Formula 1 brings together fearless, thrill-seeking motorsports professionals, and WhistlePig has a shared passion for boundary-pushing innovation. Together, we’ve selected something alarmingly good for fans to enjoy this season when the cars are not on track.”
The Limited Edition Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel will be available for purchase online starting around September 13 for $49.99 MSRP per 750ml bottle and sold in select stores across the U.S. Consumers can win VIP merchandise by scanning the QR code on the back of each bottle.
"We're taking our third Legends Series release on a ryed like never before,” said Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig Head Blender. "Our experiments with dynamic aging went full throttle during finishing trials at the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake wind tunnel, in turn inspiring new ways to expose barrels to G-forces back at the WhistlePig Farm. The herbal and floral notes of the lychee and tea barrel selected with the team create a new, podium-topping experience for PiggyBack Rye."
Fans and collectors have followed WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series, celebrating those who give 100% in the name of greatness, since its launch in March 2022 with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz (“Big Papi”), followed by Country Music Duo Brothers Osborne in November 2022.
To learn more about WhistlePig Whiskey, visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. You can also check out WhistlePig Whiskey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About WhistlePig Whiskey
Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.
Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz
When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.
I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.
If you don’t have a primary care physician who specializes in LGBTQ+ care in your community, you may need to educate yourself (and your provider). But, before you seek such therapy, here are five things you should know!
- Monitor closely. At Spectrum Medical Care Center, we screen patients for certain risks before starting anyone on hormones. We frequently monitor patients in the first year to ensure there are no adverse reactions and lab results are within safe ranges. Follow-up care is also important to assess your comfort with the transition as well as the social impact and social support you’re experiencing.
- Some changes are permanent, some temporary. For transmasculine individuals going on testosterone, they’ll experience these permanent changes: deepened voice, clitoral enlargement (also known as bottom growth), more body, facial hair, and male pattern baldness. Reversible changes include cessation of menses, increased muscle mass and strength, body fat redistribution, and skin oiliness or acne. For those going on estrogen therapy, the most permanent change is breast growth. Feminizing hormone therapy can also cause atrophy (shrinkage) of the genitals and loss of erectile function that may not be reversible. Estrogen will thin body hair, soften the skin, can increase scalp hair, and decrease muscle mass and strength, all of which are reversible.
- You can’t pick and choose results. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose the physical changes you want, which may feel challenging. Some of my patients will say, ‘Okay, ‘I’ve seen the permanent changes I want, and I don’t want it to go any further,’ and so at that point, we stop therapy. Low-dose hormone therapy can slow down the rate of changes, allowing for a more gradual physical transition. We counsel patients in advance about the common changes, and it’s up to the individual as to when they’d like to scale back and determine whether some benefits are worth the potential risks.
- Be aware of risks. Like any medical treatment, there are potential risks involved. Some risks with testosterone therapy include increased red blood cell mass, acne, hypertension, sleep apnea, weight gain, and dyslipidemia (increases the chance of clogged arteries). Cardiovascular disease is likely increased with additional risk factors for testosterone and estrogen therapy. Transfeminine patients going on estrogen therapy may experience weight gain, thromboembolic disease (when a blood clot breaks off and blocks another blood vessel), and a high level of triglycerides in the blood.
Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area
Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!
Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.
"Our entire team is honored to be named Best of the Best. To be the only gay men's resort recognized in the Top 1% is incredibly humbling," said Kent Taylor, General Manager at Descanso. "We appreciate Tripadvisor and we're grateful to all our guests who gave us such high marks and reviews to help us reach this achievement."
“Ranking among the Best of the Best demonstrates that you have provided exemplary experiences to those who maZer most: your guests,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am con6nually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt.”
Santiago Resort was once again honored by Tripadvisor with a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award, placing it among the top 10% of travelers’ top reviewed des6na6ons. Twin Palms will become eligible for ranking in 2024.
Check out all the reviews, and discover more about Descanso Resort on Tripadvisor here. We have an excellent library of resort imagery available to accompany editorial and additional resources on our press page. Please contact Descanso Resort’s General Manager, Kent Taylor, at kent@descansoresort.com for further information.
About Descanso Resort
Inspired by Palm Springs’ history as a des6na6on for Hollywood stars to unwind in privacy, Descanso offers guests a casual yet modern take on the legendary style of that 6me. Created by the same hospitality team that revitalized Palm Springs’ much-loved San6ago Resort and recently launched the all-new Twin Palms Resort, the Descanso property opened in 2022 featuring 15 spacious guest rooms with custom-designed furniture, dreamy King-size beds, and luxe details. Ameni6es include continental breakfast, poolside lunch, welcome snack basket, and lots of special touches. For guests who need to stay connected, the entire property is equipped with blazing-fast Wi-Fi. Mul6-speed bikes are available for exploring the surrounding midcentury neighborhoods and public art installations. Like the Hollywood stars before them, guests at Descanso are encouraged to unwind, relax, and rest in style.
About Tripadvisor
Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.