Winter's recent reminder that Mother Nature, not the calendar, really decides what season it is may not have been welcomed by many who had already had enough winter wonderland for the year. For members of the Winterset Ski Club, though, the more white fluff that falls out of the sky, the merrier.

Well, there can be too much snow even for these cold-weather activity enthusiasts.

"Believe it or not, sometimes we get snowed out because we can't get there," Carolyn Eiseman, who is in charge of trip planning for the club, said of bus rides north.

During the ski season, day and overnight trips are offered. The club is open to all ages, and there are opportunities to race on the slopes. Because Winterset is a member of the Connecticut Ski Council, participants get ski trip discounts.

"We have club members of all levels," said Ms Eiseman, adding that Winterset draws a diverse group of people to share in a common interest. Most of the trips are to southern Vermont, but some are not so close, and offer opportunities to experience different culture.

There are day and weeklong trips to Vermont, out West, to the Canadian Rockies, and to Europe. Winterset had 53 members who went to Morzine, France, for a week in March, staying at Hotel Fleur des Neiges.

The club has access to housing for trips through its affiliation with the Sterling Ski Club from Stratford.

"I enjoy winter because of skiing. It gives me something to look forward to regardless of the cold brutal weather," said Kevin McNerney, of Newtown, who has been a member of the club for about 30 years.

The Winterset skiers closed out their season with a late-March trip to Mount Snow, in West Dover, Vt.

But as snow trades off for rain and, eventually, April showers give way to May flowers - and throughout the summer and beyond - the fun-filled activities continue.

Off-Season Fun

"The club offers a lot of opportunities for members to gather year-round with activities such as potlucks in the spring; over the summer we gather once a month for wing or pizza nights, trivia night at Veracious Brewing Company [in Monroe], a golf tournament in the fall, Warren Miller's film release in Hartford, and an open house in December," Ms Eiseman said.

Whether it is offseason activity or ski trips, there is something for a variety of ages and levels of skiers, and there are more than 400 members from Newtown and surrounding communities. Trips are made to mountains that offer both challenging and beginner-level trails to make everybody feel welcome. This also provides plenty of opportunities for families to go on trips.

"We're really trying to be cognizant of our members and what they're looking for," Ms Eiseman said.

There is plenty of time to partake in the club's many off-season activities with an eye on the next long winter season. Winterset welcomes new members, and discounts apply for families, as well as friends who sign up together.

The cost for a new member is $50 for the first adult, $25 for the second adult, and $5 for each child under the age of 22. Membership fees are $10 less for each adult after the initial term. Visit wintersetskiclub.org for more information.