Snowcat Skiing: What Is It?
Backcountry skiers near Golden, British Columbia travel high into the Rocky Mountains in the warm comfort of snowcats. Traveling in groups of 12, lead by two qualified guides, skiers and snowboarders are carried to elevations of almost 10,000 ft., to ski and ride on a glacier or down great alpine bowls. The views across North America's continental divide are spectacular. Soft powder snow and fresh tracks is the expected norm, every run, every day. The small group of 14 skiers and riders make a small mark on the vast landscape.
Intermediate and expert skiers wanting a very special powder snow holiday experience generally have three options: backcountry touring, snowcat skiing and heli-skiing.
Backcountry touring is slow-paced and as relaxed as your want to make it. It usually requires quite a bit of time, a high level of physical fitness, considerable experience and specialized clothing and equipment.
Snowcat skiing is adapted to short holidays and many operators offer 3-day and 4-day full-service tour packages. Snowcat skiing is not normally weather-dependent and there is no "down-time". Every day is a good ski day. Good physical condition always makes a tour more enjoyable, but there is none of the climbing and walking of backcountry touring. Snowcat skiing provides a relaxed vacation that requires no prior experience or special equipment.
Heli-skiing is the "Cadillac" option for backcountry skiing. It is also the most expensive, being about twice the cost of snowcat skiing. It is also weather-dependent. To allow for "down-days", tours tend to be a few days longer than cat skiing tours. Heli-operators usually offer a guaranteed minimum amount of skiing. Significant additional cost can result if guests exceed the minimum, which often occurs with good weather.
Efficient operation of helicopters is an economic necessity for operators and helicopters are usually shared among groups. This can result in a pace of skiing influenced by factors other than the individual needs of each group. Unless guests pay for a dedicated helicopter, there is little opportunity to "sit out" a run. Typically, skiing groups can be as small as 4 and as large as 12, depending on the type of helicopter used.
Snowcat skiers enjoy a dedicated cat that moves according to the needs and ability of the group. Snowcat rides are warm, quiet, relaxed and very sociable. They give guests an opportunity to converse with their companions, to rest for the next run, and to adjust clothing. Guests wanting a longer rest can sit out a run and visit with the cat driver on the ride back down the mountain. Lunch is grazed on over the course of the day. Guests can leave extra clothing in the cat and adjust what they wear each run. If a guest wishes to quit early for the day, a staff member will take them back to the lodge on a snowmobile.
Heli-skiing operators use vast tenures covering many hundreds of sq. kms. This permits great access to "good" alpine snow under a variety of conditions. Snowcat operators use much less terrain. However, in Western Canada there are a number of snowcat operators that have tenures as large as 130 sq. km. These operators make effective use of the land and have more than enough area to provide consistently good skiing and "fresh tracks".
A number of operators have remote backcountry lodges. These offer a unique wilderness experience. Guests ride to the lodges in helicopters, by snowmobile or in snowcats. Lodges are very comfortable and typically offer double-occupancy bedrooms with private bathrooms, excellent cuisine, a games room, a well stocked bar, hot tubs and massage facilities. The first run of the day is nearby and guests often ski to the lodge door at the end of the day.
Remote lodges help guests relax and enjoy their vacation. Guests are isolated from telephones, TV and the bustle of civilization. Soaking in a hot tub, with refreshment in hand, guests watch the drifting snow or the last rays of sunlight leave the surrounding peaks. It's a relaxing way to cap a full day of powder skiing. The problem of the day becomes whether to have a massage before or after the hot tub (or perhaps to do the hot tub twice). Lodge life is very informal and there are no decisions about what to wear to dinner. You only brought one pair of sweatpants!
Most snowcat operators cater to 12, 24 or 36 clients, who ski from independent snowcats. Skiing tenures are sufficiently large that groups often won't see one another in the course of the skiing day, even at a distance. Each group determines its own pace. While keeping their group together, guides are expert at finding "lines" to challenge more competent skiers/riders while leading others on a more "mellow" path. Guides set the bounds on every run leaving guests ample opportunity to find "fresh tracks". Safety is always the first priority.
Some guests organize their own group of 12 skiers, so they are ensured a compatible skiing group of people they know. Many operators offer group organizers a significant discount for their efforts. However, most clients arrive singly, or in pairs and operators work hard to find compatible skiing groups for everyone. New friends are made very quickly.
Most cat skiing operators recommend their clients be at least "strong intermediates". However, depending on the nature of their terrain, some operators can accommodate less experienced intermediate skiers who are in good physical condition. Potential clients should discuss concerns with operators.
Backcountry skiing usually offers consistently soft powder snow. Sometimes, areas of "wind crust" or "sun crust" will develop, but guides try to avoid these and quickly find better snow. There is no tracked and "lumpy" snow to contend with, and "moguls" are unheard of. The short, fat "powder skis" rented by operators are forgiving and easy to turn. People having little "off-piste" experience find they learn very quickly. Again, fitness is a great asset.
"Tree skiing" is a fixture of all backcountry skiing. When the weather is stormy, snowcat skiers and boarders just head for the trees, where the protected snow is softest and deepest and the visibility is best. Skiers with little experience "in the trees" find that the consistent snow and the powder skis not only allow them to "do it", but that it's great fun. Many cat skiers prefer tree skiing to the open alpine slopes.
Snowcat skiers in North America tend to ski between mid-January and the end of March. However, excellent skiing and reduced rates can often be found in December and in April (when longer spring days can mean more skiing). While a few cat operators offer day-trips, most provide multi-day full-service packages. These require a booking at least a year in advance, although shoulder-season tours can be booked on much shorter notice. Cancellations also accommodate short-notice bookings, sometimes at a reduced rate.
The amount of skiing done in a day depends on the group. Typically, 9 to 15 runs will be skied for a "total vertical" between 9,000ft. and 16,000 ft. Individual runs vary in vertical drop between about 800 ft and 2000ft. Long cat rides are usually broken up into a number of short "hops" that provide short rests between runs but keep guests active. The lack of any skiing "minimums" allows guides to focus on the needs of their group and on finding the best skiing. There is no need to "rack up the vertical".
Overseas visitors might consider combining resort skiing with snowcat skiing. For example, visitors to Kicking Horse Resort in Golden BC could break their visit with a 3-day or 4-day tour at nearby Chatter Creek Mountain Lodges (http://www.chattercreekcat skiing.com/). Also, visitors to Whistler-Blackcomb can do cat skiing day-trips with Powder Mountain Catskiing. Many other snowcat operators are located near excellent ski areas.
The Chatter News Web site (http://powder-skiing.blogspot.com/) provides a client's view of snowcat skiing at Chatter Creek. This photo journal provides many pictures and descriptions of different aspects of cat skiing and boarding.
In Western Canada, the BC Helicopter & Snowcat Skiing Operators Association (http://www.bchssoa.com/) lists snowcat skiing tour operators who operate under its stringent safety guidelines.
About The Author
Lockie Brown is a cat skiing client who lives in Vancouver. He has organized annual tours for friends to number of British Columbia cat skiing venues. He has written articles about the snowcat skiing he has experienced at Chatter Creek (http://www.backcountrywintervacations.com/ski-articles.html) and elsewhere.
Related Articles:
How to Wax a Snowboard
Waxing is the easiest tuning job for snowboards and offers immediate results. Since wax makes it easier for snowboards to glide over snow, a waxed board will slide faster and turn easier. Waxing also protects the base form the harmful effects of moisture, UV rays, snow contaminants, and dirt.
Safety Tips for Skiing Snowboarding
Snowboarding can certainly be considered an extreme sport & therefore carries with it the threat of injury both minor & sometimes more serious. Recognising your limitations & the tell-tale signs can be vital in reducing the risks of serious injury - this article helps identify some areas to consider 7 look out for.
Snowboarding Tricks - Can You Really Get Snowboarding Tips Online? Shocking Discovery!
Snowboarding tricks are what every snowboarding fanatic has a passion for, we all want to learn the freestyle tricks, that we see the professionals do with ease, but can we really feed our passion and take our snowboarding to the next level, by simply searching the search engines for help and advice with snowboarding tricks and tips.
Snowboard Snowboarding: What Stance Should You Use?
As with most sports method & technique are essential to your performance, snowboarding is certainly no different and stance is everything in this game, here we give some pointers to consider for getting your stance just right.
The Thrills & Spills of Extreme Snowboarding
Snowboarding has grown massively in popularity over recent years, in this article we cover the more extreme side of the sport, just to give a flavour of what some of the more experienced snowboarders get up to during the season.
Want to Know More About Sand Skiing? Read On.
Are you so in love with the slopes that winter flies by much too fast leaving you with ski withdrawal symptoms long before you are ready to give it up? If you just can't get enough of winter skiing, you just might be interested in a relatively new phenomenon slowly sweeping the world - sand skiing.
Skiing Exercises for Recreational Skiers
If you exercise often, you'll begin to build your strength and enhance your endurance in the muscle groups used in downhill skiing. You'll be preparing yourself for the rigors of
skiing in the expert zones where both staying power and explosive power are of the utmost importance.
Snowcat Skiing: What Is It?
Backcountry skiers near Golden, British Columbia travel high into the Rocky Mountains in the warm comfort of snowcats. Traveling in groups of 12, lead by two qualified guides, skiers and snowboarders are carried to elevations of almost 10,000 ft.
Cross Country Skiing 101
Are you looking for a way to stay fit and have fun in the winter? Consider cross-country skiing! Depending on your weight, the intensity of your skiing, and whether or not you choose to ski hills, cross country skiing may burn between 400 and 1400 calories per hour. In fact, since cross-country skiing involves a simultaneous use of the arms and legs, many exercise physiologists consider it to be the best form of aerobic exercise. The main difference between cross country Skiing and alpine or downhill skiing is that cross country skiing, the skier is attached to the ski only with the toe of the boot.. In alpine skiing, the entire boot is attached to the ski. The free heel allows cross-country skiers to climb uphill which is not very comforta ...
Untracked Guides Launches New Website Focused on Heli Skiing, Snowcat Skiing, Backcountry Skiing & Snowboarding
The new Untracked Guides website provides readers with a window into the world of backcountry skiing. Enjoy heli and cat skiing articles, news, interviews, and more. The online heliskiing guidebook, serves as a comprehensive cat skiing and heli skiing operator directory.
Which Snowboard
When buying snowboarding equipment the first item on most minds is the snowboard. So what are the basic 'need to knows' of the snowboard types?
Ski Equipment: Strong Implements of Sport
The beauty of the snow and the turmoil of skiing beckon the wild in the hearts of men and women It is the lighthouse for physical, emotional, and even spiritual rehabilitation
Different Kinds of Snow Skis
Skiing is a very popular winter sport and there are a lot of different types of skiing These different types of skiing activities require the use of different kinds of skis
Learning How to Snowboard
Snowboarding is a winter sport that has seen a remarkable increase in popularity over the years Learning to snowboard can seem difficult to the novice, but with a little motivation and patience, one will soon discover the fun and excitement of snowboarding down a hill
Directline-skiing.co.uk Re-Launched with Help from Google Optimiser
directline-holidays.co.uk has updated its skiing site with upgraded functionality, an enlarged product range and discounts for all bookings made online. The improvements derive from a 6 month study of user interaction with their holiday website (directline-holidays.co.uk) using Google's optimiser tool. In using their beach holiday site as a test-ground, it enabled the directline-skiing team to conduct real time 'scenario testing' during the skiing 'off season'.