Risque? Underwear Trees at Ski Areas
April 5, 2006
18 posts
14 users
7k+ views
Let's have a little fun with this, and both male and female opinions are essential if we are going to get to the bottom of the mystery.
What is the origin of the so called "underwear" or "bra" tree that is often seen at ski areas when riding a particular designated lift within throwing distance of the chosen tree?
Why is this done?
Does it designate any particular sexual activity while at the resort, or on the lift...now that would be cold, really impractical, but not totally impossible?
I saw my first tree while out west, but several years ago saw a much decorated tree at Seven Springs under the last lift over on the right from the bottom in the North Face area.
Are these decorations just for fun?
Do they have a different or hidden meaning for males and females?
Why no male underwear, would this denote a female triumph?
Any DCSkiers ever helped decorate a tree? Why? With what? From where? From who?
Is it always the same tree each year?
So, DCSkiers, what's the scoop?
The Colonel
One thing that I would like to add is that there always seems to be atleast one pair of lady's underwear that comes from a lady that you might not want to see without them on. It might not be a bad idea to take a rope skiing next time. When you are on the lift try your hardest to get them out with a pole. If you can fix the rope onto the underwear just right you would have the perfect kite to ski with on all the flats, while your buddies are pushing themselves behind you....Just an idea??
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Why no male underwear
I think this is virtually self-explanatory.
Most decorative trees are the aftermath of a so-called 'panty raid' in which you take the opposite (female) gender's undergarments. If it happens at a ski resort, as often does during springtime when the young adults come to party, they may decorate the mountain with those garments soon after.
Wisp must get panty raided nearly every year then. When taking lifts 2 & 3 up beside Squirrel Cage, look the the left just after passing Squirrel Cage and the trees are filled with panties, bras, beaded necklaces, etc. Happens year after year. For me it's a reminder of one of the worthwhile things that does occur in summer and the sights on the beaches. lol
My understanding is that the undergarment trees were sort of a "bragging post" where those who had "scored" the night before would brandish and display evidence of the previous night's "accomplishments."
"My understanding is that the undergarment trees were sort of a "bragging post" where those who had "scored" the night before would brandish and display evidence of the previous night's "accomplishments."
And most all of the underware WAS THEIR OWN. LOL
Thanks Rich. Now we are getting somewhere. The essence of my post initial post was to deterime the origin and traditions behind this activity. I suspect most of us believe it to be as you stated. But it had to start somewhere, and maybe our male minds look at it differently than our female fellow DCSkiers. By the way, I assume you mean the female scored vice her male partner since you indicated the undergarments usually were from the "scorer" self. Hmm...did that make any sense?
The Colonel
Not 100% sure but it seems like the female opinion on this topic is almost not existant leading me to beleive it's a guy thing. orr........... Any ladies want to own up?
Whatever the origin of the practice, how can you not love a sport that is as much fun as skiing/boarding, but also provides the opportunity to see frilly little undergarments hanging 30 feet up in a tree - does life get any better than this?
On the other hand, when I ski with my daughters (ages 13 and 10) I have fielded some uncomfortable questions on this subject.
My response is possible the most boring of all. I just assumed girls or guys went to K-Mart or some such store, bought the cheapese bra or underware they could find, stuff it in their parka pocket, and toss it on the tree on their way up the lift.
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My response is possible the most boring of all. I just assumed girls or guys went to K-Mart or some such store, bought the cheapese bra or underware they could find, stuff it in their parka pocket, and toss it on the tree on their way up the lift.
Agreed.
I don't remember underwear trees from 30-40 years ago...and all you 20-year-olds had to come from somewhere!
Here, as in a great many other areas, I think that the "scoring" myth is outweighed by the more mundane possibility that people just bought, found or brought underwear for the explicit purpose of decorating a tree at a ski area.
Bottom line (pun unintended) for me: harmless, happy and fun
A guy a few weeks ago at T-Line said he saw a young female in the chair ahead of him reach into her pocket and quickly throw an item on the tree. He also said T-Line management got many complaints about the tree decorations! I think the one that got the most attention was big yellow - located in the 2nd tree. It was a huge pair of yellow panties and the day I was there it was snowing and had been snowing during the night. Well, they were filling with snow and looked much like a baby's "loaded" diaper. It was still there at closing and many people on the lift were talking about how long it would hang in there.
No one will complain about the mardi gras forest or underwear glade at Moonshine Mountain (his and her glades, respectively). They will be gathered from winners and losers of the wet t-shirt contest and other events that officially (and unofficially) occur around the resort. And no one will have to guess where they came from- there will be a "cheapo went out and bought these at WalMart" tree, a "last year's present from dumped boyfriend" tree, a "last night's triumph" tree, etc.
Moonshine Mountain- more moon, more shine, more mountain.
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Agreed. Here, as in a great many other areas, I think that the "scoring" myth is outweighed by the more mundane possibility that people just bought, found or brought underwear for the explicit purpose of decorating a tree at a ski area.
I hope we can rule the "found" option out. I know when I find underwear I generally don't want to pick them up .
Unless you mean find in the bottom of your underwear drawer. I've got quite a few pair of boxers that need to be thrown on a tree or something .
I was just over at Murphy's house Sat night for the LSU debacle. His wife was talking about doing something with the vacant house's bushes next door before the new neighbor moved in. NOW WE KNOW what they're going to do!!!
Moonshine Mountain - The only place where the moon is that bright and looks that darn good!
If I remember correctly, Steamboat Springs, CO, is supposedly the first place to have the Mardi Gras Tree. I remember a shot/blurb about it in a '90's Warren Miller film. He called it the "infamous Mardi Gras Tree". One of the chairs goes over a gulch (which could never be skied to and rarely hiked) and the tree is just below the chair. It is loaded and has been for quite some time.
