Sherman's Travel

Although we were mildly horrified by the snowfall in New York City over Halloween weekend (how apropos), that quickly faded into elation: Ski season is coming! And with the inches already being laid down this year, it’s shaping up to be a doozy.

If you’re looking to hit the slopes with some gay and lesbian friends – or make new ones – but aren’t quite ready for the powder-and-party of a proper Gay Ski Week (check out last year’s post for a sample), then a Ski Bums (www.ski-bums.org) package is the way to go. Founded in 2005 with day trips from NYC, it has grown to become the world’s largest LGBT skier and snowboarder club with new chapters in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, and over 800 members worldwide (roughly 80 percent men and 20 percent women), a third of which are snowboarders, and everyone a heckuva lot of fun. Membership is free when you book a trip ($49 otherwise) and includes discounts of 30 to 50 percent off top-quality gear from Backcountry.com, plus typical savings of 15 percent off over booking the same trip independently. Book now for its eight major trips in 2012 (outlined below). Read more