With its Monashee Mountain setting, Silver Star Mountain Resort seems worlds apart from sand dunes and cacti.

Yet the self-contained village above Vernon sits at the tip of the Great Sonora Desert that stretches south through the western United States into Mexico. Ponder that as you grab a handful of dry powder snow; its floury consistency may not be best for snowballs, but it suits Nordic skiers just fine. Since cross-country trails were first brushed out in 1981 in this Okanagan setting, Silver Star's track-set network has expanded to cover more than 63 kilometres (38 miles) of challenging terrain. And when you couple that with more than 50 kilometres (31 miles) of neighbouring Sovereign Lake Nordic Club trails, this duo makes up one of the largest Nordic ski hubs in North America, drawing both recreational and elite athletes for high-performance training or just plain old-fashioned fun. Fitting then that fitness and fun are what define Mountain Girls Nordic Bootcamps and Women's Nordic Retreat weekends: slated for February and March, the two-day sessions pair coaching clinics with cocktail-mixing seminars and spa treatments. And should margaritas and mojitos fail to provide required stress relief, stretch classes and massages can be counted on to supply a cure for tired minds and bodies in this outdoor oasis. www.skisilverstar.com