In 1964, a group of skiing enthusiasts including Bob Wearn, Bill Shepard, Dick Reynolds and Peter Reinecke formed the Sitzmark Ski Club in Winston-Salem. Now, forty-seven years later, we remain one of the oldest and most active clubs in the southeast.

In 1961, southern skiing was in its infancy. Snow making machines were introduced in North Carolina that year. Blowing Rock Ski Lodge (now Appalachian Ski Mountain) opened in 1962, Seven Devils (later Hawksnest) in 1966, Beech Mountain in 1967 and Sugar Mountain opened in 1969.

With these resorts nearby, our club membership grew along with the sport and in 1967 we became the Winston-Salem Ski Club. Our early meetings focused primarily on skiing, with day trips to the local resorts as the main outings. Now we are involved in weekend trips, ski vacations, ski school, racing, and cross country skiing, just to name the winter activities.

During the rest of the year, our members are mountain biking, hiking, camping, backpacking, whitewater rafting, canoeing, golfing, and playing tennis. Annual events include "Bike & Hike/Wine & Dine in Damascus, VA", "Trip Alert!" Ski Season Kick-Off Party and the Crescent Ski Council's Spring Convention at Myrtle Beach, SC. Year-round we can be found at local establishments for a "Last Friday Social" after-work event celebrating the end of another month.

Other activities include gathering for our scheduled meetings each month, as well as partying together at frequent social events.

Our club is an active member of the Crescent Ski Council which is made up of individual ski clubs in the Southeastern United States ranging from West Virginia to Georgia and Alabama. These clubs work together to plan club races, group ski trips, and group activities.

The Crescent Ski Council is a charter member of the National Ski Council Federation which is made up of ski organizations representing one third of a million skiers belonging to ski clubs.  W-SSOC Members are eligible for benefits through NSCF.

In 1993, reflecting the increasing variety of our activities, we changed our name to the Winston-Salem Ski & Outing Club. We have evolved constantly since 1964, and with your help and interest, we will keep it growing.

To provide our members with fellowship surrounding skiing and other recreational activities and support our community with programs that promote our member's recreational interests.