Selkirk Wilderness Skiing
Selkirk Wilderness Skiing (SWS) - welcome to the Powder Room! When you go cat skiing with Selkirk Wilderness Skiing, the powder is often so deep that you’ll get to powder your nose whether you like it or not.
SWS cat skiing is the original and the best! Selkirk Wilderness Skiing was the birthplace of
snowcat skiing back in 1975, and powderhounds have SWS to thank for introducing such a great powder skiing experience.
Cat Skiing Packages SWS offers 3 different cat skiing packages:
The Selkirk Classic - this package includes 6 nights of accommodation in the Selkirk Wilderness Lodge plus 5 days of cat skiing. The ultimate ski holiday starts on a Sunday afternoon and goes until the following Saturday morning.
The Selkirk Sampler - for those who are a bit time poor or who might want to see what this cat skiing caper is all about before comitting to a whole week, this package offers 3 nights of accommodation plus 3 days of cat skiing.
The Skier & Boarder Intro Package - if you have never skied deep powder before and want to give it a go, no fear; SWS now has 2 special dates for brand new powder hounds. The tour includes 3 days of cat skiing plus including instruction from certified instructors plus 3 nights accommodation.
Each package includes plenty of guided skiing and boarding, deep snow ski instruction, accommodation, and gourmet meals. The homely lodge has lots of great facilities, and relaxation is a high priority with an outdoor hot tub, sauna, and massages available – perfect for fatigued muscles after an epic day of cat skiing. With a maximum of 24 guests per week and 15 staff, the service is beautifully attentive.
Cat Ski Terrain Selkirk Wilderness Skiing has 7,800 hectares of terrain and over 15 metres of snowfall annually, so there’s plenty of opportunity for fresh tracks. The terrain includes bowls, chutes and tree skiing amongst well spaced trees. Each day includes 8 to 12 runs with 12,000 to 18,000 vertical feet (3,658 – 5,486 metres) of skiing or boarding.
Legend has it that Allan Drury was very considered in his quest to find the perfect spot for powder skiing – a protected area to “refrigerate” the snow and terrain with plenty of diversity. It seems that he found the right location as the terrain is an absolute highlight of this cat ski operation. See our
review of Selkirk Wilderness Skiing for more information.
Where is Selkirk Wilderness Skiing Located?SWS is located in the southeast corner of British Columbia in the Kootenay region, an area renowned for plentiful dry snow. The meeting place is in the little town of Meadow Creek, about 100km north of Nelson. From Meadow Creek, guests are transported via snowcat to the SWS lodge which overlooks the Kootenay Lake and the Purcell Mountains.
There are a couple of gateway airports for Selkirk Wilderness Skiing. From Spokane international airport (Washington, U.S.) it’s possible to rent a car and drive to Meadow Creek (5-6 hour drive). Castlegar airport is closer and is serviced by Air Canada Jazz with daily flights from Vancouver and Calgary. From the airport there are shuttle services to Nelson, and then SWS can arrange transport up to Meadow Creek. The disadvantage of using “Cancel-gar airport” is that flights are commonly cancelled because they don’t have sophisticated systems to aid landing in low visibility conditions.
More Reasons to Snowcat Ski or Cat Board with SWS This is the ultimate in cat skiing. Apart from the great skiing and boarding in pristine snow, SWS has a rich history and really friendly and welcoming hosts. Selkirk Wilderness Skiing is very cool for cats!
The Powderhounds have awarded SWS with an overall rating of 5 out of 5, so it must be really good! See our
Selkirk Wilderness Skiing review for more information on how the cat ski operation scores on various elements, and check out our
cat ski ratings to see how SWS fares against other operations.
Bookings & Information RequestsIf you have any questions or would like to enquire about a specific date
click here.