Snow Girls’ is the name given to a group of women who get together regularly to cross country ski at Snow Farm NZ.  They have lessons and absolute beginners are very welcome. Its a very social group and the emphasis is on having fun.

 

Women have cross country skied at the Snow Farm since John and Mary Lee opened the area way back in the 1970s. Mary introduced Ladies Day in the 1990s – this involved a group of women going up to the Snow Farm for lessons and a day out. Ladies Day was once a week for five weeks. During the Covid years Ladies Day became Snow Girls. 

 

Snow Girls now get together on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the season and in 2024 nearly a hundred women have signed up. They meet up at the Snow Farm at 10am on any Tuesdays or Thursdays that suit, and ski in small groups of 6 or 8 women for a couple of hours and then have lunch together.

Each group has an instructor and they learn either the cross country classic skiing technique or the skating technique. There are three different levels of classes for both techniques and there’s always a group for first timers, so women can join in at any stage during the season. 

 

The instructors recommend skiers start with the classic technique so they learn how to balance on cross country skis, before going  on to the skating technique., if that’s what they want to do. However some people go straight to skating and others stay with classic for years.  Classic skis have ‘fish scales’ or ‘skins’ on the underside which stops skiers sliding backwards and gives them grip when they’re going uphill. Skate skis don’t have anything under the foot area and you can skate on them (in a style similar to ice skating).

 

Snow Girls is not a club and there are no strings attached. You just come when you want to and enjoy each others company.   Generally everyone loves Snow Girls – one women comes all the way from Wellington in her campervan and stays for a month of Snow Girls every year.

 

Snow Girls is not expensive – you can sign up for a teaser – which means you can go to 4 classes for just $198 (which includes ski hire, a day pass and the girls programme).  If you enjoy the classes you can transfer your pass to a season pass at the Early Bird rate, so that just costs another $274 and you can ski and attend Snow Girls for the whole season.

 

Snow Girls are encouraged to enter the Merino Muster and there is plenty support for them to do this.

 

Snow Girls can be of any age. Our current oldest girl is in her 80s.  Everyone is welcome.