Go East: Vermont Ski Season Heats Up

With 20 Alpine resorts and 29 dedicated to Nordic skiing, the Green Mountain State is legendary for serious winter fun whether you dig downhill, boarding or cross-country adventure. And it just keeps getting better. Thanks to enhanced snowmaking capabilities and a run of storms that dumped epic amounts of fresh powder on the slopes, last winter Vermont welcomed nearly 4.7 million skiers and riders, a state record.

But it isn't just about what you strap on your feet when the snow blows - the apr�s-ski scene in Vermont is as sweet as the killer runs. Here's the low-down on some of the state's most celebrated resorts - and an LGBT festival you won't want to miss.

Killington Resort

Killington has sadly shelved its plans for a Pride festival this winter, but "The Beast of the East" is a must nonetheless for hardcore powder enthusiasts. Highest, longest, biggest - with the Beast it's all about the superlatives. Killington boasts not only a top skiing elevation of 4,241 feet, the highest in the state, but also New England's longest vertical drop (3,050 feet) and the largest ski area this side of the Mississippi (1,509 acres). Killington and its sister resort, Pico, stretch across seven mountains areas in central Vermont, with the former alone serving up 155 trails and six terrain parks.

The resort also features a pampering spa, snowshoe and snowmobile tours and even sleigh rides when you'd like to dial it down from wild to mild. Don't count on a serene scene, however, when it's apr�s-ski time. Killington is known for parties along its access road as blockbuster as its slopes. There aren't any gay bars per se, but The Wobbly Barn Steakhouse and Outback Pizza and Nightclub have hosted past Pride events.

If you'd like to create your own gay ski weekend, consider one of the many rental properties in the area. Former Broadway dancer Tesha Buss opened Good Commons, a boutique vacation home and retreat center ideally situated between Killington and Okemo Mountain, in 2008. The charming home can host up to 21 guests and is gay-friendly, having hosted numerous gay weekends and weddings.

Stratton Mountain Resort

Sitting snug in the middle of southern Vermont, Stratton is just three hours from Boston and four from New York City. It's also universally respected for the quality of everything from its grooming to its lifts and lodging. It's a great place to learn if you're a newbie; 41 percent of its 97 trails on 670 skiable acres are rated as novice-level. But experts won't get bored with Stratton's sweet selection of double black and black diamond runs. Nordic skiers get their due, too, with over seven miles of trails. Once host of the U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships, Stratton also features four terrain parks.

When it's time to slide off the skis, Stratton offers intriguing escapades like guided moonlight snowshoe hikes, dogsled tours and Fat Bike rentals for those who yearn to peddle in the powder. On the mountain, Grizzly's Bar and Restaurant's deck - which has just been remodeled as part of the Base Lodge's $9 million expansion - is a favorite for apr�s-ski. Off it, in nearby Bondville, the Red Fox Inn's tavern is a picturesque pub filled with friendly locals.

Stowe Mountain Resort

Located in northern Vermont, next to the charming village of the same name, the fabled is not for the faint of heart. Consisting of two mountain areas, Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, Stowe features 116 trails, only 16 percent of which are rated green. There are also six terrain parks to test your skills, and a none-too-shabby vertical drop of 2,360 feet.

If cross-country's more your style, there are nearly 28 miles of groomed trails to explore and more than 18 miles of backcountry terrain. In keeping with its posh reputation, Stowe continues to give ritzy European ski resorts a run for their money, in recent years adding the state-of-the-art Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center and the ultra-luxurious Stowe Mountain Lodge.

Frosty and Fabulous

Stowe is also the proud host of Winter Rendezvous, the largest and longest-running LGBT ski event in the East. For more than 30 years, Winter Rendezvous has heated up Vermont with five days of skiing, boarding, parties and good times galore.

Kicking off January 20, 2016, the Rendezvous will feature a special performance by Sandra Bernhard, daily apr�s-ski parties, sleigh rides, dog sledding, a costume competition, parade and more. Lift tickets and rentals will be discounted for those who register, though Winter Rendezvous is a blast even if your last downhill adventure was on a toboggan in grade school. The Golden Eagle Resort is this year's official host hotel, but the Rendezvous website offers other lodging suggestions, too.