Colorado offers an abundance of ways to experience nature in the nude, from clothing-optional hot springs to nudist hiking groups. Add to the list an all-female ski festival where women strip down for a naked run on the mountain.
You heard that right: Boot Tan Fest is a sun’s out, buns out celebration of womanhood, coming to Sunlight Mountain Resort in Glenwood Springs April 10-12.
Now in its fifth year, the festival has grown to include multiple days of live music, comedy and snowsport workshops. The signature event, however, remains the naked lap, which happens at midday on Friday, April 11.
Attendees this year don’t need to worry about sharing the slopes with the general public. Boot Tan Fest rented out the entirety of Sunlight Mountain Resort, adding a layer of privacy for those who choose to strip down and shred.
Founder Jenny Verrochi accidentally started this now annual event in 2021, when she organized a casual, ladies-only naked lap at a small backcountry ski area in Kremmling. The idea proved so popular that Boot Tan Fest has steadily grown over the years, welcoming about 800 skiers and snowboarders in 2024.
For Verrochi, the festival’s popularity speaks to the desire to escape society’s expectations and let it all hang out in a judgment-free environment. It is open to all female-identifying and nonbinary individuals.
“This is the only event where there is no male gaze and it’s so freeing in a world where we’re told to cover up and what to wear,” Verrochi said.
What’s in store
For its fifth anniversary, Verrochi has planned what she touts as the best festival yet, complete with an all-female staff of bartenders, volunteers, lifties and security personnel.
The Boot Tan party starts at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, when the venue opens to ticket-holders. That evening there will be food trucks, a gear waxing clinic and a talent show spotlighting attendees who sign up to perform their unique skills. Live music closes out the kick-off party, with tunes starting at 9 p.m.
On Friday morning, early risers can join an uphill skiing clinic at 8 a.m. or grab a cup of joe at Verrochi’s Buck Wild Coffee lounge. The lifts open at 10 a.m., as do food trucks serving breakfast. At about noon, attendees start getting ready to meet for the naked lap, which takes off down the mountain around 1 p.m.
Sunlight’s lifts close at 3 p.m., but the resort offers uphill access around the clock. Afternoon entertainment includes a set by comedian Shanel Hughes, and live music continues throughout the evening. During the day, guests can peruse a vendor village featuring exclusively women-owned companies and artists, or jump in the onsite sauna and cold plunge. Tattoo artists will also be onsite to help guests permanently commemorate the festival.
The event concludes Saturday morning with a guided journaling session at 9 a.m.
So, how does this naked lap work?
A naked lap can be both intriguing and intimidating, and Verrochi said there is no obligation to ski in the buff. But come midday Friday, few people will be wearing clothes as they prepare to feel the wind on their unmentionables.
“The feeling of the collectiveness there is really powerful,” Verrochi said. “So we just encourage everybody to give it a try, to find their courage and experience it at least once in their life.”
Boot Tan attendees can either skin uphill or take the chairlift to the top of the mountain. Verrochi recommends changing into a robe ahead of time and bringing a backpack up to the top of the mountain so you can stash your coverup. Boot Tan Fest sells bathrobes, too, for those who don’t already have one.
Once at the top of the run, the group will collectively undress and descend, no matter the weather. In 2024, for example, it was dumping snow at the time of the naked lap, which added a chilly excitement to the event.
“Skiing brings everybody in a flow state – you’re outside, you’re in nature – and to add this element of no clothes on, it gives you permission to bring out your inner child,” Verrochi said.
Where to stay
Tickets to Boot Tan Fest cost $220, which includes a Friday lift ticket and the ability to car camp at the resort on Thursday and Friday nights. Access to all the entertainment and free beer are also included in the price.
To accommodate folks who do not have the appropriate gear to car camp, Boot Tan Fest partnered with two lodging facilities where attendees can get discounted rates. The first is Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs, located about 13 miles from the resort. (Call to receive 25% off your reservation.) The Brettelberg Condominiums, located at Sunlight Mountain Resort, offer another option within walking distance of the party. (Discounts vary by unit.)
For all the details and to buy tickets, visit boottanfest.com.