Let the gapers be

By Nate Peterson

There are many things that locals in ski towns excel at doing. Finding powder stashes. Not paying for drinks. Poaching hot tubs. Making fun of tourists. 

The last of these is not necessarily unique to resort communities in the mountains, a commonality that proves — despite objections to the contrary by fiercely proud locals — that one man’s personal plot of paradise isn’t as unique as he would like to think.

Of course, most locals in resort towns would never think of openly mocking the interlopers whose money they happily take to pay each month’s rent. They much prefer to ridicule tourists by never actually referring to them as such, instead using an in-the-know moniker among themselves, in private, that makes the dividing line clear between insiders and outsiders.

In Hawaii, and other surfing communities, bands of wave riders refer to those who don’t know proper etiquette out in the lineup as “kooks.” On the Jersey Shore, non-locals have long been known as “shoobies” (or “shoebies”), a derogatory term, according to Wikipedia, dating back to the ’20s to describe inlanders who brought everything to the beach in a shoebox. The list goes on, depending on your destination.

In Colorado’s ski towns, the accepted nomenclature for the obvious, oblivious tourist is “gaper”  —  a title whose etymology is straightforward. Gapers, as any true local can tell you, are the easy-to-spot tourists who camp out in spots on the mountain where they’re an accident waiting to happen — under jumps in the terrain park, below knolls on heavily-tracked runs — often staring, mouth agape, in unwitting bliss.

The definition also extends to one’s choice of on-mountain attire.

If you think Wranglers make for awesome snowpants, or still wear a one-piece you bought 20 years ago, you’re a gaper. If you prefer convenience-store sunglasses to Oakley A Frames, or old rear-entry ski boots over new rentals, you’re a gaper. If you carve GS turns down the middle of the halfpipe, yep — you’re a gaper.

Jeff Foxworthy could do a routine on the subject.

As previously stated, gapers — by in large — are generally unaware of their position in a ski town’s makeup, and are no worse for it. Most longtime locals are also keenly aware that they’d be jobless — or worse, passless and beerless — without free-spending tourists, and go to great lengths to cater to these guests, reserving any sort of ridicule for private conversations.

Most often, the most outspoken gaper-haters are those in a rush to prove themselves as bonafide locals — the former gapers trying to run from their redneck pasts.

And, as evidenced by what’s happened in Breckenridge in recent years, if you get enough of these newly self-minted locals together and add enough alcohol, one fun inside joke can quickly turn nasty.

Breck locals have celebrated “Gaper Day” on the first of April for numerous years, but for the last three, what was once known as a day for season pass holders to break out their best retro ski wear and get their gape on turned into a business owner’s nightmare.

The unruliness came to a head last April 1 when multiple incidents of locals throwing snowballs, hurling insults at tourists and public drunkenness were reported both on the mountain and in town.

Eric Mamula, a Breckenridge town councilman and the owner of the popular Main Street eatery and bar, Downstairs at Eric’s, was one of many longtime locals outraged by such behavior.

“The way this thing started, it was originally just everyone heading out in a one-piece to have a little fun,” says Mamula, who’s lived in Breckenridge for the last 23 years. “But the mean, nasty part of it, I just think it has no place. What have these people done to you?”

One story that left Mamula steaming was the account of a longtime local’s son, born and raised in Summit County, who was accosted on a public bus by a couple of young men.

“Honestly, I don’t even like the term gaper,” says Mamula. “I think April Fools Day can be fun-spirited, but I would rather not call it ‘Gaper Day.’ Who are these people kidding? Whenever they go somewhere on vacation, they’re gapers, too.”

In the wake of Breck’s infamous 2007 Gaper Day, Mamula and other local business officials stepped up to ensure such tomfoolery wouldn’t be tolerated this year. Local authorities were out in force in town, and hired security was put in place on the mountain. Resort officials also let it be known that they’d penalize pass holders with a two-year suspension for engaging in abusive behavior, offensive language and dress or illegal drinking. The threat had some locals participating in another favorite past time: Bagging on the big, bad resort.

Residents think “it’s fun, it’s tradition,” but it has gotten out of control in the last few years, Nicky DeFord, senior communications manager for Breckenridge, told the local Summit Daily News.

The plan to eradicate gaper hooliganism seemed to work, for the most part. There were a few incidents of locals defecating and urinating in public, including someone leaving a crap in the middle of a downtown bar, but otherwise, fun seemed to reign over malice. 

As for whether that continues to be the trend is anyone’s guess. One thing’s for sure: As long as tourists continue to wear jeans on the mountain, locals are going to continue to mock them.

To not do so would signify a loss in common values.