Pride, outside: Whiteface hosts LGBTQ ski weekend

LGBTQ community and allies from around the Northeast meet up for first Adirondack Winter Pride event

By David Escobar

Rainbow Pride flags were sprawled across the main lodge at Whiteface Mountain this past weekend as skiers in vibrant gear clomped through the crowded lounge, eager to hit the slopes. Among them was Paige Herbst, dressed in a teal and purple jacket and a colorful hat adorned with the phrase “Outside Pride.”

“We’re here, we’re queer, and ready to ski!” she said, with a chuckle.

Herbst was among dozens of attendees at the inaugural Adirondack Winter Pride weekend. The three-day celebration invited LGBTQ community members and allies from across the Northeast to connect over winter sports in the Lake Placid region.

For Herbst, who lives in Sackets Harbor, a day on the slopes surrounded by peers was a rare opportunity to meet fellow LGBTQ people in a rural setting.

“There’s not a lot of queer things to do in the area there,” she said. “It’s very small, and having this available to us … is amazing.”

Adirondack Winter Pride is a collaboration between the Lake Placid Region, the Olympic Regional Development Authority, the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, I Love NY and the Adirondack North Country Gender Alliance. The celebration is one of three LGBTQ ski weekends hosted by New York State’s tourism division this year, following two events in the Catskills. Ross Levi, executive director of the New York State Division of Tourism, said he was excited about hosting a similar occasion in the Adirondacks.

“I’m excited to be in the community, but particularly to be here to celebrate the LGBTQ community and remind folks that welcoming people is part of New York’s DNA,” Levi said. “There’s a reason that we were the birthplace of the LGBTQ rights movement. Hospitality is part of who we are.”

Throughout the weekend, attendees bounced between events Olympic sites around Lake Placid, including an après ski party at Whiteface Mountain and a watch party at the IBSF Bobsled & Skeleton World Championships at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. The festivities culminated on Sunday evening with a group skate at the 1980 Olympic ice rink.

The Pride weekend fits into the state’s broader effort to diversify tourism, which also includes initiatives for Black travelers and people with disabilities. Aside from attempting to bolster a more diverse tourism demographic, Norman Jabaut said events like Winter Pride are equally important for building morale and a sense of belonging among the local LGBTQ community.

“Being an openly gay member of the North Country, I try to support these events because it’s good to be visible,” said Jabaut, who resides in Jay, NY.

Jaime Collins, the communications manager for the Olympic Regional Development Authority — which runs Whiteface Mountain — was one of several community leaders involved in leading Winter Pride. She said she wanted the event help queer people find a little bit of joy in what she said has been a challenging few months for her community.

“The LGBTQ community is going through a lot right now,” Collins said, referring to the Trump administration’s executive orders targeting trans people. “In our communities, there’s always a benefit in coming together and feeling like you belong. It’s a really wonderful feeling.”

For Suzanna Randall, who traveled from Albany, the event was a much-needed escape from anxiety.

“Just getting out in the woods on skis or snowshoes – it’s magical,” Randall said. “For me, it’s soul-replenishing. And I think that’s a shared thing that a lot of folks have.”

Organizers said this year’s inaugural celebration will lay the foundation for future iterations of Adirondack Winter Pride, which they hope will grow larger in the coming years.

David Escobar is a Report For America Corps Member. He reports on diversity issues in the Adirondacks through a partnership between North Country Public Radio and Adirondack Explorer.

Photo at top: Nataly Johnson and Paige Herbst traveled over three hours from the Watertown area to attend the Pride weekend après ski party at Whiteface Mountain. Photo by David Escobar.