Powder Snow
|
 |
| Wildhorse Catskiing has plenty of the white stuff for powder mining. The volume of snowfall (12.7 metres) isn’t as great as some other BC cat skiing operations, and the powder may not be as fluffy as in Hokkaido Japan or Utah, but it’s still pretty impressive. The snow on the lightly treed south facing slopes may become somewhat softened, but the terrain size is large enough for the guides to have plenty of other runs to choose from.
|
Overall Terrain
|
|
| Wildhorse has a good variety of terrain on north and south facing aspects. Run types include steep alpine, steep trees, moderately pitched trees, and plenty of mellow meadows that have abundant pillows of fun. The amount of vertical skiing covered each day is reasonably average for cat skiing. They can’t really cover more vertical considering the time requirements to get up the mountain each day. |
| Alpine Terrain |
 |
| The Wildhorse area has some great alpine terrain, some of which is delightfully steep. Considering the pitch and absence of avalanche control work, the only problem is that it’s not always possible to access significant parts of the alpine due to snowpack issues. |
| Tree Skiing |
|
| Much of the terrain consists of fall line runs with gladed areas. Occasionally the trees are tight but most of the trees are well spaced so you can let your board/s fly. The terrain has a few quarter pipe gullies and there are smatterings of cliffs and cliffettes for a hucking good time. Of course the guides will steer you away from the drops if you don’t want air time. |
Strong Intermediate Terrain
|
|
| Wildhorse has some mellow areas that would be suitable for very strong intermediates. However with only one snowcat, the likelihood of being grouped with other strong intermediate riders would be low unless you booked out the cat with a group of intermediate friends. |
Advanced Terrain
|
 |
| Wildhorse is perfect for advanced skiers and boarders who like to canter. The combination of glades and awesome alpine bowls and variety in terrain score them the full powderhounds paws. |
Expert & Extreme Terrain
|
|
| Those who like to gallop and do show jumping may be better placed at a backcountry skiing operation that has multiple snowcats. However if you do book out the cat with other extreme mates, Wildhorse can probably accommodate your needs. The tenure has some small cliffs as well as larger drops that will get the palms very sweaty. |
| Guiding |
 |
| The guiding is laid back but they do an awesome job of providing simple clear instructions that minimise risk. They re-group appropriately, remind guests to have a tree buddy, and have plenty of personality which adds to the experience. |
| Snowcat |
|
| The snowcat cabin set up is very simple and no frills, but it seems to work. The side entry is a little difficult to get into and the cabin doesn’t have any windows in the rear so there may be a bit of snow in the back, and occasionally the person sitting on the outside seat has to duck when the cat passes close to trees! Temperature is not as issue though, because the cat has a great heater. The snowcat has two rows of bench seats that face forwards, so this is comfortable and it seems to add to the social aspects of cat skiing. Wildhorse only has one snowcat, so in the event of mechanical failure they don’t have a backup plan. |
Avalanche Mitigation Strategies
|
|
| The guides use slope selection and a little on-site snowpack testing. Otherwise if they utilise any other avalanche mitigation strategies, these are not communicated to guests during the day or on their website. |
Safety Briefing
|
 |
| The very short safety briefing managed to cover most aspects of backcountry and avalanche safety, and the use of an avalanche transponder. The briefing did not include training on the use of a shovel and probe, and more detail on what to do in the event of an avalanche would have scored them more paws here.
|
Frills
|
|
Wildhorse cat skiing is an operation of contradictions when it comes to frills. On one hand it’s a rustic affair with no windows in the cat and the initial ride in a plastic sled with corrugated iron over the front to keep you warm (this is a big step up from 2009 where wooden sleds minus any shelter were used to get up the mountain). On the other hand, Trevor frequently pulls out all the stops to demonstrate fantastic hospitality and add the “little extras”. The day starts with a delightfully hearty breakfast at the Ymir Palace. Lunch is very reasonable, and the hot chocolates with whipped cream in the afternoon take the cake. And the guides generally rev everyone up for après drinks at the Ymir Hotel or back at the palace.
A professional photographer is available most days to help capture memories of the great day out. If you’re not a fabulous skier, she can probably photo-shop it to make you look like a pro!
|
| Accommodation |
|
The Ymir Palace certainly isn’t as palatial as some of the opulent BC cat skiing lodges but it’s incredibly charming and has plenty of character. The Ymir Palace is an old “guest” house that has been lovingly restored. The accommodation is budget in price, but far from budget in quality. The rooms are somewhat simple and have shared bathrooms, but the antique furnishings, the heritage of the building, and the hospitality of the hosts adds to the attractiveness of this quaint accommodation.
The lodge has an outdoor hot tub for R&R and the on-site masseuse can really get the muscles in ship-shape condition for the next day of cat skiing.
The dining room is beautiful and has grand throne-like chairs where you’ll get fed like a king (or princess).
|
Value for Money
|
|
| This is the best value cat skiing in North America! Day skiing is inexpensive and includes breakfast. However when you book a multi-day package that includes accommodation and meals, the value is really apparent. As an example, it only costs CA$1,350 for a 3 day and 3 night package (or $1,215 if pre-booked prior to April). And Wildhorse has great standby rates for day skiing if you book within 48 hours (only $275 - 2010 rate). |