A panty tree (sometimes also referred to as a bra/panty or bra tree) is a tree underneath a ski lift decorated with bras, panties, and Mardi Gras beads cast off by skiers riding the chair lift.
The first panty tree appeared under the Bell Mountain ski lift at Aspen Mountain in Colorado by at least the 1980s, perhaps as early as the 1950s. This panty tree was soon copied at nearby Vail Ski Resort and then numerous other ski areas across North America.
Vail's panty tree became a local landmark; it was even featured in a 2005 Grand Marnier advertisement, which stated, "You just recognized a pair of panties in the Sun Down Bowl tree… The conversation is waiting." In 2010, the panty tree at Vail had to be chopped down to make way for a new ski lift.
Grand Marnier is not the only company to capitalize on attention-getting bra trees. In 2012, Axe ran an advertising campaign on ski lifts across Canada that stated, "Please Feed the Bra Tree."