Has Après Gotten Bigger than Skiing Itself?

Après is a well-beloved activity of the ski community, but what happens when the traditional after-slope hours spread to social media? Well, a lot of people hitting the slopes, some who aren’t even skiing.

Resorts are being converted to day clubs and fans are doing anything to get there, including hiking through a snowstorm. Earlier this month, a winter storm in Vail, Colorado, created standstill traffic preventing cars from accessing the show, however, it didn’t stop the party goers who walked over six miles to make it to the set. It wasn’t just the foot traffic that was affected: a normal two-hour drive to the mountain took six that evening.

@brandonchungg♬ original sound – annikaa09

California’s Mammoth Mountain has gained traction over social media for their weekly après where Los Angeles DJs often perform. Now influencers and music lovers alike are making the trek just to catch a show and not even hit the slopes. Skiers and snowboarders reported waiting in line for over two hours to get to the après party when last year there were no lines at all. This massive line is an effect of scanning IDs to enter the event space, ensuring they aren’t serving minors. These seasoned skiers joked about watching the view from the top level because they couldn’t deal with the new crowd.

@gracehawkins shoutout our rooftop friends #mammoth #mammothapres #apres ♬ The Days – NOTION Remix – CHRYSTAL & NOTION

This past weekend, one of the most popular DJs, John Summit, held multiple shows in Tahoe, California, for his “Experts Only” festival. Included: a stage that was placed against a double black diamond hugged with moguls, an advanced request for skiers that led to comical TikToks but serious concerns for ski patrol.

@howtfwefeelin experts only baby😭 1000% worth it🤭 #johnsummit #tahoe #funny #skitok #edm #edmtok #rave #ravetok #housemusic #fyp #foryou #viral ♬ original sound – john summit

Sometimes these musical acts will set out a surprise set, unknowingly to other guests at the resort, creating unprecedented crowds for the other skiers.

@howtfwefeelin literally a man of the ppl… im obsessed with him.🥹😭 THE HAT AND C1G I CANT #johnsummit #vail #vailcolorado #edm #edmtok #rave #ravetok #fyp #foryou #viral ♬ original sound – john summit central

There is no doubt that après is a key component of skiing culture, but with the influx of music events, will the resorts be able to keep up? We’ll check in next season but until then, stay safe on the slopes and at the après.

@expertsonlyrecs there’s behind the booth & then there’s on top of the booth 😎@john summit @Max Styler ♬ original sound – Experts Only