If snow's fallen in Western Pennsylvania this month, can winter activities be far behind?

Not for Steel on Ice, Pittsburgh's African-American ski club.

The group, which has about 40 members, holds three local events a year, including a program for beginning skiers at Boyce Park, which will open for skiing sometime before Christmas, weather permitting. Seven Springs Mountain Resort opened for skiing last week.

But Steel on Ice will kick off the ski season in a few days with a trip to Winter Park, Colo. for the National Brotherhood of Skiers Eastern Region Early Season Warm Up.

"They have discounted learn-to-ski lessons and it's the first ski event of the season and it's focused basically on learning to ski and camaraderie," said Steel on Ice President Teresa Miller-Tucker.

The joy of skiing is also the emphasis behind the club's annual "Learn to Ski" event at Boyce Park, which will take place Jan. 24. It's open to youth and adult beginners.

Boyce Park is an ideal place because it's inexpensive. Weekend lift tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for youth. Group rates are $10 for adults and $8.50 for youth.

The club also conducts annual day trips to Hidden Valley (Feb. 14) and Seven Springs (March 14).

"We pick a time to meet and some people car pool together," Ms. Miller-Tucker said. "We ski during the day, break for lunch and ski a little more and head on home."

There's also an overnight trip being planned for Snowshoe, W.Va.

Steel on Ice, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary Dec. 12, was founded in 1988 by five African-Americans: Rodney Jones, Gene Jeter, Robert Edison, Wilburn Boykins and June Wormsley.

"It was mainly friends who wanted to ski together," said Ms. Miller-Tucker.

However, the club is open to all people, she added. Members meet at 6:30 p.m. the second Friday of every month at the Hill House in the Hill District.

Steel on Ice is the Pittsburgh affiliate of The National Brotherhood of Skiers, which consists of 80 clubs across the U.S. and one in England. Its objective is to support and encourage African-American involvement in winter sports, especially the youth.

The NBS also works to develop Olympic-caliber competitors. The organization was a huge supporter of Andre Horton, who made the U.S. Ski Team's developmental team before retiring in 2004, and of Ralph Green, the first African-American to make the U.S. Disabled Alpine Ski Team in 2003.

The NBS holds regional summits every two years, mini-summits and an annual week-long summit in Aspen that attracts close to 2,000 people.

"There are a variety of racing events and parties," Ms. Miller-Tucker said. "It's a big festive event."

There are also non-skiing activities, like snowmobiling and spa treatments.

This year's NBS summit is Jan. 31-Feb. 7.

Steel on Ice member Billy Jackson enjoys the summits.

"It's a good exchange of respect, regard and positive outlook," he said. "More often than not everybody is there to relax for a minute, to have fun."

Mr. Jackson has been skiing for about seven years.

"I lived in Boston for almost 20 years, skied about two or three times and I just never got back into it," he said.

Decades later, Mr. Jackson just decided to do it.

"I think you realize it's an opportunity to get outside, which is healthy and fresh," he said. "I've been in sports all my life so it was a nice challenge."

This year, he's heading up his club's youth committee. He's expecting about 12 youngsters to sign up, but would like to see more.

Even those who aren't athletically inclined can have a good time on the slopes, Mr. Jackson said.

"There's no big hurry, everybody falls," he said. "The thing is you learn how to fall and you get back up."

For more information on Steel on Ice, visit www.steelonice.com or call the club's hotline at 412-563-9864.