So what if the only "fresh powder" here is at the Macy's or Bloomingdale's cosmetics counters? This thriving club more than lives up to its name, seeking out the best or most interesting places to ski around the globe.

This summer it was Argentina. Last year, St. Moritz, Switzerland. Earlier still, club members tackled the slopes way, way down under in New Zealand.

Raina Giddings / Special (ENLARGE)

Members of the Southern Snow Seekers ski club, on a recent trip to Argentina, took time out for tapas and drinks.

Raina Giddings / Special (ENLARGE)

Raina Giddings (foreground) and Diane Dixon of the Southern Snow Seekers take to the slopes in Argentina.

RELATED LINKS: • Photos: See the Seekers on the slopes

Started in 1983 with just 11 members, Southern Snow Seekers is a member of the National Brotherhood of Skiers, a Chicago-based organization that aims to bring people of color — of all ages — to the ski slopes. It is also a member of the Crescent Ski Council, which includes some 20 clubs along the East Coast.

The 400-plus members of the Atlanta-based group don't spend all their time schussing and snowboarding, though. There's a summer bowling league, golf clinics, sky diving and white-water rafting expeditions, as well as regular social gatherings. Beyond fun and games, a group of members volunteered on a project at the Jean Childs Young Middle School during Hands On Atlanta Day this month.

The group meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Auburn Avenue Research Library. Upcoming events include a skate party on Nov. 2 and a December holiday party. (The group's October monthly meeting, on Tuesday, will be held at another location because of a conflicting event at the library; check the club's Web site for details.)

Among scheduled ski trips this season are a week-long excursion to Breckenridge, Colo., in January, and a one-day beginners' trip to Cataloochee, N.C., in February.

For more information on membership and events: www.southernsnowseekers.org.

Here's the lineup of Southern Snow Seekers' trips for 2007-08 (for more information, see the club's Web site):

Dec. 1-8 or Dec. 4-8: Winter Park, Colo.

Jan. 12-19: Breckenridge, Colo.

Jan. 25-27: Beech Mountain, N.C.

Feb. 6-10: Heavenly Resort, Lake Tahoe, Calif.

Feb. 8-10: Hawksnest Mountain, N.C.

Feb. 22-24: Snowshoe, W.Va.

Feb. 28-March 2: Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec

Here's what some members had to say about their trip to Bariloche and Buenos Aires, Argentina, Aug. 27-Sept. 3.

• Al Scott: "I would have never thought, 12 to 14 years ago, that I would be skiing in Argentina. I've been to Innsbruck [Austria], I've even been to Alaska. But who the heck would have thought they'd find themselves skiing in Argentina in the middle of summer?"

• Nadine Phillips: "This was during that awful heat wave here, so it was kind of refreshing to leave Hotlanta behind and be in that cool atmosphere."

• Derrick Britton: "Argentina skiing ... is modeled after Europe. So their trails are not as clearly marked as we're used to in the U.S. If you're not an experienced skier, you can find yourself on a very challenging slope. You've just got to go with the flow, and ski carefully."

• Raina Giddings: "Beyond skiing, they were just beautiful cities, both of them. It was so interesting, because it seemed like Argentina was made up of a lot of different countries. A lot of the architecture seemed like it was adopted from France. A monument in the capital made me think, 'That's like D.C.' I'm not sure where the chocolate was from, but I definitely remember the chocolate and the wine."