Canadian Cat Skiing Options?

[TahoeJ]

Turned 38 a few weeks back, which got me to thinking about my 40th before too long. Tentatively planning to head up to BC / Canada and go cat skiing with a group of guys for several days, and I know many ops book up well in advance, which is why I'm thinking about this now. So which operation(s) would you recommend?

- Everyone likely to go is an expert (or at least good enough to feel confident in steep, technical terrain). Likely to have a small group (6 or less people) so don't want to get stuck with some people we don't know that will limit terrain options (happy to make new friends of course, but not at the expense of meadow skipping all day).

- Fun terrain with small (sub 15 foot) drops and variety, not just wide open slopes and/or glades.

- Terrain variety in case snowpack conditions are sketchy.

Best time to go? Late January / early February?

[el hefe]

" Likely to have a small group (6 or less people) so don't want to get stuck with some people we don't know that will limit terrain options (happy to make new friends of course, but not at the expense of meadow skipping all day)."

This is a good point but good luck. I would try rounding up more people. I think 12 is normal. I got a free trip a couple of years ago with a bud and ended up with 2 losers from N.Y. (http://hollywoodlife.com/celeb/bonnie-fuller/) who were the most high maintenance shit skiers I have ever been around, changed things dramatically.

[el hefe]

Monashee Pow and Mustang are great options, nice lodges and staff and wicked terrain and snow. Easy enough to get to from Kelowna's airport.

[TahoeJ]

This is a good point but good luck. I would try rounding up more people. I think 12 is normal. I got a free trip a couple of years ago with a bud and ended up with 2 losers from N.Y. (http://hollywoodlife.com/celeb/bonnie-fuller/) who were the most high maintenance shit skiers I have ever been around, changed things dramatically.

Yeah, this is really my biggest concern but I doubt I'm going to be able to put together a group that large with varying work schedules, etc. So I guess I'm looking for the operations that are least likely to attract the intermediates who think they're experts crowd? I imagine it's a problem everywhere.

I would do something like Golden Alpine Holidays, but not everyone likely to come is experienced with much backcountry and/or up for skinning a ton of vert. Fun as it looks. Will have to do that another time.

[hercule33]

If you don't mind earning your turns you may want to check out some backcountry ski lodges. They range from hard core (uphill wise) to pretty chill and go from rustic to pretty luxurious. As a bonus, they are much cheaper than Heli/Cat Skiing and usually the crowd is more chill.

For your group, check out Sol Mountain. Great food, beautiful lodge with all the amenities. It's not super hard core uphill wise, they have options for shorter tours and they have activities like cross country skiing if you want to take a day off from touring. Sol is big enough so they can have two groups according to ability levels. There are lodges with better terrain (longer sustained vertical) but that means that one more run is usually 1500 vertical feet of climbing and a more fit crowd.

http://solmountain.com/

I will be up at Valkyr in January so I can let you know how that is. Catered and guided these lodges are super nice. Wake up, eat breakfast, pack your lunch and go skiing all day (hopefully powder). Come back to snacks, wash up, eat dinner, sit in the sauna and repeat.

[el hefe]

^^^^ this is what I would do.

If you are looking for steeper terrain try Mustang or Retallack.

[TahoeJ]

Yeah, I have no problem earning my turns... I did about 50 / 50 BC to resort last season. Just need to get some of the potential group members more into it in advance. Of course, not everyone always has to go back for that extra lap or two.

[crashidy]

Mustang has a 6 person group that they offer which involves 5 percent hiking and 95 percent skiing. Also if you have shitty people show up they will make them sit out runs. My wife and i went on multiple trips there and they will ski to the higher level of the group. If you're shitty they will sit you out laps or move them to a different cat

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[TahoeJ]

Mustang has a 6 person group that they offer which involves 5 percent hiking and 95 percent skiing. Also if you have shitty people show up they will make them sit out runs. My wife and i went on multiple trips there and they will ski to the higher level of the group. If you're shitty they will sit you out laps or move them to a different cat

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This is great to hear! Thanks.

[LeeLau]

TahoeJ - are you averse to flying to your destination or must you drive?

[hercule33]

Another thing to keep in mind is that most likely in inner BC people won't limit terrain, avalanche danger will. They are far enough inland that PWL are a huge problem for both the backcountry lodges and CAT/Heli ski operations. That being said, the Canadians I think are the best at skiing safely in high avalanche conditions.

The guides know the terrain at these lodges so well that you can still have amazing powder skiing (i.e. not meadow skipping) in high avalanche danger. You are mostly limited to tree runs but they are still great fun. One day at Sol we skied terrain similar to trees of Chair 6 in KW during high avy conditions. No way I would do that without a guide.

Check out this pic from Sol when I was there back in 2015. This was in high avy conditions with a buried weak layer. The guides knew that the this slope did not have the weak layer and was safe to ski.

[TahoeJ]

TahoeJ - are you averse to flying to your destination or must you drive?

Oh, definitely planning to fly.

[reckless toboggan]

Monashee or Mustang.

If you can't fill 12 in a cat, then open the other spots to mags?

[TahoeJ]

Monashee or Mustang.

If you can't fill 12 in a cat, then open the other spots to mags?

Yeah, that idea occurred to me for sure...

[aragon]

I don't have much to add to the above, and echo the comments re: having a party of 6 in a cat that holds 12 is always a bit of a risk as you have no control over the ski ability of the "other" 6. Also, if you are staying multiple days you can skip avalanche training on subsequent days if the group stays together (i.e. you get to the goods quicker on days 2 and 3), but with mixed groups you usually have to meadow-skip near the weather plot (or worse at the lodge depending on the operation) while the newbies do their training.

I would also add a STRONG recommendation and shout-out to K3 catskiing (www.k3catski.com). If your group is more skiing oriented, K3 runs an operation without a lodge (that may change in the next couple years as they confirm their tenure) right next to Mustang Powdercats. So you get to access the same amazing terrain for 1/3 the price. You do have to stay in Revy/Sicamous and shuttle up to the hill each day, but for the extra several grand in your pocket, its not a bad tradeoff. Amazing guides, new cats, and extensive terrain (likely the best tree skiing... anywhere?) are the highlights. (I am not endorsed, paid or otherwise sponsored by K3, but open to kickbacks for this years trip... )

This video is old and was produced for K3


These pictures are from the last couple year's trips:

[hercule33]

For those Canadians what do you think are the chances of being able to ski steep chutes in January/February. From my time going to inner BC, Jan/Feb seems to be prime time for PWL. March/Spring is usually seems like a better bet for steep technical terrain. Any thoughts?

And K3 Cat Skiing seems pretty sweet!

[TAFKALVS]

K3 looks rad and affordable. I'd do 3 days in January or February if this drought keeps up in the PNW...

[GoldMember]

Echoing Mustang, Retallack, and Monashee. I haven't skied Monashee but my group has and have raved about it. Here's some video from Mustang and Retallack from a few years ago. I would also recommend getting at least 11 together for a group. They'll fill the 12th spot with an additional guide or employee which works well. You've got your 6, fill the other spots with some mags from the area who you're certain can keep up.

[reckless toboggan]

aragon is right about K3. A hidden gem.

[GoldMember]

^^ Yeah, I haven't skied K3 but have also heard great things from my group that has.

[2FUNKY]

K3 looks rad and affordable. I'd do 3 days in January or February if this drought keeps up in the PNW...

I was thinking the same. Only issue is very few dates avail in Jan and nothing in feb with a couple days avail in March.

[Tor-tour]

We did Island Lake Lodge many years ago, great terrain and the lodge is pretty stellar
http://islandlakecatskiing.com

[TahoeJ]

Forgot about Island Lake... that MSP powder segment there way back in the day was ridiculous.

[aragon]

For those Canadians what do you think are the chances of being able to ski steep chutes in January/February. From my time going to inner BC, Jan/Feb seems to be prime time for PWL. March/Spring is usually seems like a better bet for steep technical terrain. Any thoughts?

And K3 Cat Skiing seems pretty sweet!

I've only skied K3 in March, so I'm speaking a bit out of turn on early season details. However, speaking to others who have skied earlier and the guides/operators, I would say that most (all?) catskiing operations in central BC have a solid base anytime they are letting guests go skiing. The stability might be better later in the season, but you will still be skiing stuff at the far edges of your groups ability (providing the guide trusts you - one of the best tips I ever received about guided skiing - be polite, listen AND FOLLOW any instructions/guidance on the first couple runs even if she/he takes you meadow skipping. Once you build trust he/she will take your group to the good stuff later in the week!! For us, this included a first descent (for guests) of a new area they were exploring - it was decent... (picture from K3)

Attachment 218867

Echoing Mustang, Retallack, and Monashee. I haven't skied Monashee but my group has and have raved about it. Here's some video from Mustang and Retallack from a few years ago. I would also recommend getting at least 11 together for a group. They'll fill the 12th spot with an additional guide or employee which works well. You've got your 6, fill the other spots with some mags from the area who you're certain can keep up.

[video=yo[/video]

We did Island Lake Lodge many years ago, great terrain and the lodge is pretty stellar
http://islandlakecatskiing.com

There are a bunch of really good cat-ski operations in BC to choose from. All of the listed options are 5* lodging and 5* dining to go with the 5* price. They are all awesome experiences and if it was a once-a-lifetime vs once-a-season experience, I would likely go to one them! I have a buddy who spent a year bartending at Island Lake back in the day... needless to say it was a fun year.

However, I like the "basic" ski-first feel of K3 and have built up some relationships with repeat visits (its our 5th year this year). Also, you can do day trips with K3, so if conditions are mediocre at the Resorts, you can hop up for a day...

^^ Yeah, I haven't skied K3 but have also heard great things from my group that has.

I was thinking the same. Only issue is very few dates avail in Jan and nothing in feb with a couple days avail in March.

K3 looks rad and affordable. I'd do 3 days in January or February if this drought keeps up in the PNW...

If you (anyone) need any details on guides/runs/fun at K3, ask away or send me a PM...

[hercule33]

Last time I went to Canada was in March. We lucked out with the weather where it was cold and it snowed. At that time the snowpack was stable so on the bluebird days we were able to summit and even jump of cornices as well as ski steep wide open bowls.

I do totally agree with what aragon said about guides. You need to build trust with them. Follow their instructions to the letter. If they say, stop above me always stop above them. If they say ski to the left of my tracks, ski to the left of their tracks. You would be surprised how many people don't follow the guide's directions and then they are reluctant to take you into more advanced terrain. All guides "test" the group in the beginning so don't get too excited on the first day and make sure to pay attention.

Also being aware of avy conditions instead of asking "when can we ski gnarly terrain" will go a long way with building trust. If you want to sound like a resort skier, just keep asking guides when you can ski some gnarly stuff. LOL, one guide told me someone wanted a guarantee months in advance that if they booked a backcountry ski trip they would be able ski "gnarly terrain." The guide told them to book elsewhere.