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Big Red Cats - Day Cat Skiing

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Big Red Cats - Day Cat Skiing Enquire
Price p/p From price based on 1 day of cat skiing in early season 2022-23
Base/invoice currency is in CAD ex taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 439

GUIDED DAY CAT SKIING
6+ Runs | Various Group Abilities

Location: | Tour Focus: Guided | Terrain Focus: Backcountry
Ability: Intermediate to Expert
Price p/p From price based on 1 day of cat skiing in early season 2022-23
Base/invoice currency is in CAD ex taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 439
If you're heading to Rossland / Red Mountain you can't go past a day of cat skiing with Big Red Cats. You can join a group or pull together your own posse for private cat skiing. Spoil yourself to some untracked Kootenay cold smoke this winter!!
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Click here for rates, dates & availability
Future rates & dates are currently not yet available for this operator. Click here to enquire.
Future rates & dates are currently not yet available for this operator. Click here to enquire.
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Big Red Cats- Day Cat Skiing

Big Red Cats offer day cat skiing from Red Resort in Rossland, so it’s ideal if you don’t want to commit to a spendy multi-day trip staying in a remote backcountry lodge. You can do one day of cat skiing or as many days as you like (all those fresh tracks are very addictive!) and combine this with some resort skiing at Red Mountain or Whitewater.

The Big Red Cats cat skiing day packages include the guided snowcat skiing, lunch, snacks, use of backpack with shovel and probe, use of avalanche beacon, and transport between Red Mountain and the snowcat staging area.

You can rent powder skis and airbag packs from BRCs.

Conveniently you can grab breakfast at the café next door (not included in rates) and the café is also great for après ski drinks to keep the stoke going whilst reliving the day’s adventures (and checking out photos).

See the Big Red Cats overview for information on location and terrain and reviews.

You can make a booking request here.

A Typical Day at BRC

The day before, consider heading into BRC to sign your waiver and get rental skis organised, to save time on the morning of your cat skiing.

  • 0700 -0800 -If you need a great breakfast and/or coffee you can buy this at the café next door to the office.
  • 0800 - Be at the BRC office (2/4430 Red Mountain Rd) at 0800 (or 15 mins earlier if you are renting skis). You will be required to sign a liability waiver and assumption of risks form.
  • 0815 - The buses depart the office (or you can have the option to self-drive) to the cat staging area.
  • 0845 - Avalanche beacons are handed out, and some basic instruction and practice on how to use them is carried out. You will also be provided with a backpack, probe, and shovel and shown how to use it. If you have your own equipment and feel that you will be more competent with your own as you have practised with it, you can BYO instead.
  • 0900 - 0915 - Board the snowcat
  • 0945 – Ski/snowboard! Eat snacks and lunch between runs in the snowcat. There could be anything between 6 and 16 runs per day, depending on the group ability, size, snow speed, run selection, and time of season.
  • 1515 - Last run is called in.
  • 1600 - Get off the snowcat, return your transceivers, and jump on the bus back to the office. Return to the office and you can head next door for après ski and to look at footage of the day. You can buy drinks and food.

Lunch is provided. Please advise in advance if you are vegetarian, or have food allergies or aversions. You are welcome to bring additional snacks as well. Drinking alcohol during the day is not permitted, but you are welcome to bring cold cans of brew for the cat descent after your last run.

For those doing more than one day of cat skiing, you’ll be provided information about meeting time for subsequent days so that you don’t need to repeat the safety briefing.

Accommodation Options

Red Shutter Inn 
  • rustic budget style lodge with a ski club feel located in the heart of Red Mountain village
  • 6 bedrooms each sleeping 1-2 people (a double plus queen bed in each room)
  • some with private bathrooms
  • daily cooked breakfast
  • outdoor hot tub and sauna.
A-Frame Cabin 
  • inexpensive cosy little 2 bedroom self-contained cabin for up to 4 guests
  • 2 bedrooms with extra large single beds that can be pushed together if required
  • wood stove, cappuccino machine, flat screen TV
  • access to hot tub and sauna
Big Red Lodge
  • ideal for groups of up to 12 people (a full cat load!!)
  • rates based on 12-share - luxury appointed and very stylish
  • located in the middle of Red Mountain village
  • 6 bedrooms (2 high quality beds in each room), 2 living rooms, 3 bathrooms
  • hot tub, BBQ, TV, DVD, wireless internet, wood stove, gas fireplace and lots more...
Rams Head Inn 
  • cosy lodge style accommodation
  • located at the entrance to Red Resort
  • cooked breakfast
  • comfy rooms in a range of configurations
There are also many other options for accommodation at Red Mountain Resort and also in downtown Rossland. Just ask for details when you submit a booking request if none of the above suit, and BRC will be able to recommend other options.

2022-23 Rates, Inclusions & Add-Ons

Cat Skiing Rates (CAD ex Taxes)

Package Name  Early Season
Before Jan15
 High Season
Jan 15 - Mar 13
Late Season
After Mar13 
Adult Day - group cat skiing  $599  $699  $599
Full Cat Charter (up to 12 seats)  $6,000  $7,500  $6,000
  • private cat option pricing is for all on one bill with one payment
  • rates & invoicing are in Canadian dollars
  • rates exclude taxes & crown land user fee
  • cancellation insurance is C$100/seat
  • Convert to your currency here

Lodging

Packages including accommodation are available. You can request a quote for exact pricing:

Big Red Lodge - sleeps 12 - C$1,080/night when cat skiing, $1,200 if not cat skiing

Red Shutter Inn - 2-person rooms for C$189/night & singles $129/night - 12th person free.  

Red Shutter Cabin - sleeps 4 C$250/night & 6th night free

Josie Hotel - luxury from C$299 per night/room

Ramshead Inn - C$170+ per room/night Inclusions
  • Full day of cat skiing (6 - 16 runs)
  • Use of avalanche safety gear & tuition on how to use it
  • Guiding by qualified guides (max 6:1 ratio)
  • Lunch, water & snacks during the day
Add-ons
  • Fat ski / board rentals
  • Weather insurance - $100/day (makes ticket refundable if BRC recommend rescheduling)
  • Airbag rentals
  • Lodging
  • Optional shuttle b/n Red & staging area
Not Included

Big Red Cats Terms & Conditions

Waiver

All guests are required to sign a liability waiver and assumption of risks document on arrival.  It essentially eliminates the ability for you to take legal action on anyone for any reason, so it is important to be aware of that.  

Deposits, Refund Policy 

A 30% deposit is required at time of booking to reserve your seat.  The remainder will be billed to the card you authorized 90 days prior to your trip.  There are no refunds.  You may change the date of your reservation any time 90 days or more in advance of the trip, provided that space is still available.  After that time, date changes are only permitted if we subsequently fill the cat.

Your payment is for a cat skiing or package RESERVATION.  It is NOT REFUNDABLE IF YOU CHOOSE TO CHANGE PLANS, IF YOU ARE OFFERED, AND ACCEPT TO CHANGE DATES DUE TO HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS, OR IF SOMETHING OUT OF THE CONTROL OF BIG RED CATS, SUCH AS AN INJURY, CANCELS YOUR TRIP.   Your reservation is NOT locked in until after we have received your payment.  Once payment is processed, you have the reservation, and the payment is irrevocable.

In the event that the weather renders the skiing conditions hazardous, you may be given the option to reschedule to another date in the same or following season.   If you evaluate your options and do not want to opt for a rain check, that is fine, we will take you cat skiing, though the terrain on offer may be limited, and the experience may be less than desirable.  However, if we do offer a rain check, it is transferable, and it is likely that is a good choice to ski at the resort instead, and return another day.  We understand that when there is a widespread melt/freeze crust, skiing on groomed runs is a better use of your time and money.  Please understand that we cannot control the weather and we will always try to operate, but the option to ski at the resort instead and change your date is the best "ski guarantee" we can offer.

If you have a full cat booking, and you would like us to consider moving your whole group to another date, and running 5 cats to maximize a powder day or avoid a weather disaster, ask us.  It may or may not be possible, depending on our staffing, but it is worth asking, if you're in the area anyway.  We normally don't schedule 5 cats in advance so that such changes can be possible.

When conditions are deteriorating, we may be going day by day, or even hour by hour, but as long as it is safe to ski, we will make every effort to do so.  Full rain cheques aren't generally offered until the night before - or sometimes the morning of - the trip.  If you need clarity several days before the trip, in order to change flights, we will sometimes grant rescheduling in the SAME season, or the following low season, several days in advance, so that you don't have to travel here.  Note that in most cases, lodging will NOT be rain checked into a separate season - it is usually possible to come and ski at the resort on groomed runs if cat skiing is not safe.  So be aware that if you choose not to come because of conditions, the lodging payment may be forfeit if you don't come in the same season.  Ask your lodging provider at time of booking for written clarification.

In the event that conditions deteriorate DURING the day, here is the policy:  If you ski 1-3 runs, and the entire group is offered, and chooses unanimously to depart, there is a 50% credit for a future day of cat skiing.  4-5 runs and there is a 20% credit.  If the group skis 6 runs or more, there is no future credit.  If the group isn't unanimous, it will keep skiing.

There is a 4-person minimum in high season and a 5-person minimum in low season.  If there are fewer than that booked on a day in all cats, Big Red Cats may not run that cat.  In that case we will ask if you can go out on another day, or if not, this is the only case when we will refund a booking, as it is a business decision.  (ie if there are 2 people in one cat and 3 people in the other, the group will be merged and we will operate.  If, however, there are only 2 people booked in total, the day will be cancelled and refunded).  The easiest way to avoid this, especially in low season, is to book a group of 5.

We do not require deposits for any expressions of interest in cat skiing before Christmas, until the snow is actually on the ground and conditions look favourable, as it is 50/50 whether we can take you out in mid-December.

We strongly recommend that all guests from outside BC have in place their own travel and medical insurance, including trip cancellation and evacuation.  Remember that YOU are the only one who is responsible for your safety (and you'll be signing a waiver to acknowledge that), so if you fall over onto a buried tree stump and need to go to hospital, if you don't have insurance, or if you have a huge deductible, the buck stops with you.  We try to keep you safe and manage risks as best as we can, but some accidents are unforseeable, and accidents do happen.  Hospitalization can quickly run into the tens of thousands of dollars.  It happens very rarely, but it can happen.

Note:  Cancellation insurance will generally NOT cover if we recommend that you reschedule your trip due to unsafe conditions or mechanical, but it will help if you need to cancel due to health issues, etc.  IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO RESCHEDULE YOUR TRIP WHEN THE WEATHER IS BAD WE WILL STILL TAKE YOU.  In that case we may ask you if you would like to mix things up with things such as on-mountain BBQ and bonfire, and airboarding, if the skiing is sub-par, but we will not cancel the day if you don't want to reschedule.  It is meant as an optional courtesy, and is not mandatory.

Average Vertical & Vertical Guarantee

On most days, intermediate groups will get 6-8 runs, advanced will ski 8-12 runs, and experts 9-15 runs.  There is no daily maximum, so you'll get more runs in in March than in January because the days are longer.

There is a vertical guarantee of at least 6 runs: A $30 future credit will be placed on your account for each run less than 6 if we need to cancel due to mechanical failure to help to lower the cost of a future trip.  If the day is slowed because someone is lost or injured, the vertical guarantee does not apply, as our safety focus cannot be compromised.  If you are asked to sit out runs because you overestimated your own ability and booked yourself into the wrong ability group, this will not apply.

Alcohol and Drugs

Alcohol and drugs are strictly forbidden while you are still skiing and riding, and you will be "benched" if you are found to be drinking from a flask or toking up behind a tree.  There is a $50 fee if you need to return you to the resort early.  Safety is our first priority and we want all of our guests to have all of their faculties while out on the mountain, and we don't want anyone putting the rest of the group in danger, or disregarding instructions, getting lost, and ruining the day for the rest of the group.

If you are prone to motion sickness, we strongly discourage you from drinking very much the night before cat skiing, as the cat ride can be quite uncomfortable for the hung-over.

You are quite welcome to bring some cans of beer or a plastic bottle to enjoy after the last run of the day while the cat is heading back to the staging area.  A cool beverage after a hard-charging day in the pow can be a beautiful thing - but do remember that there are 12 people in the cat...