“As soon as the first flake of snow falls, bookings at Mt Buller will go crazy,” says whiteOUT! spokesperson Daniel Lehrer. “That’s why it’s essential to get in as early as possible, before the whole mountain is booked out.”

Run by a dedicated team of volunteers, whiteOUT! is a four-day festival of snow, skiing and alpine events for the gay and lesbian community, held annually at the Mt Buller snowfields. An array of lunches and dinners at a range of venues ensure that there’s more than just skiing on the agenda, though naturally outdoors activities are central to the calendar of events.

“The mountain itself is very welcoming of gay culture,” Lehrer says, adding that whiteOUT! is a great way to break down barriers while simultaneously getting out and about on the slopes: “While it’s not necessarily the focus of people that come along, at the same time it’s probably a between the lines focus for some; certainly for me. I enjoy skiing but I am who I am.”

Moving away from the corporate ski market to more boutique accommodation has helped ensure a friendly welcome for whiteOUT! attendees.

“These private venues, gee, they’re more than happy to see their gay dollars coming through the door,” Lehrer laughs.

As a result, whiteOUT! has grown to the point where it can offer a range of activities for people based on their degree of expertise.

“We can group people into beginner, intermediate and advanced; some people will join those groups, others are up there with their friends anyway, and will just join us for the organised dinner and drink events. Whatever suits.”

WhiteOUT! 2008: Thursday July 24 – Sunday July 27. Bookings: High Country Reservations on 1800 039 049. www.whiteout.org.au

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