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Published: November 18 2011

Snow skiing? In Fort Lauderdale?

Well, a snow ski club, anyway. And not just any one -- the Fort Lauderdale Snow Ski Club is one of the biggest in Florida, if not in the nation.

That might seem odd in a snowless city, but as the club's members like to say, "Where do we ski in Florida? All over the world."

The club's been around since 1965, offering connections and camaraderie on and off the slopes. It boasts an ever-growing assortment of lawyers, teachers, Realtors, truckers, and just about every other occupation you can think of, all sharing a shared passion for snow, skis, and fun.

They also enjoy warm-weather events in South Florida such as golf, scuba diving, tennis, bike riding, boating, and ballroom dancing.

Naturally, though, the main focus is on skiing.

Winter's arrival means it's time for checking snow reports, getting skis waxed and sharpened, and heading for the mountains. In 2012 the club will be attending several trips along with other member groups in the Florida Ski Council.

The upcoming trips include week-long ski packages to

• Steamboat, Colo., from January 21-28;

• Banff, Canada, from February 25 to March 3; and

• an Easter week get-together at Beavercreek/Vail, Colo., from March 31 through April 7.

As many as 900 members are expected on the trips, and one of the big advantages of being part of the club is not just sharing a passion for downhill, but the discounts the group packages offer.

The steam boat trip, for example, includes round-trip airfare, seven nights at a ski-in ski-out lodge on the slope and five days of lift passes for $1,499 per person.

For more information about the Fort Lauderdale Snow Skiing club, visit http://www.fortlauderdaleskiclub.com/