Cat Skiing
Colorado Cat Skiing & USA Cat Skiing When it’s snowing cats and dogs, snow-cats and powderhounds go together perfectly. Cat skiing is pure heaven for powderhounds.
Cat skiing is backcountry skiing where skiers are transported to the top of the run via a “cat”, which is a large grooming style machine. The name “snowcat” originates from the 1940s trademark of Tucker Sno-Cat Corporation from Oregon. The brand name became synonymous with all such generic machines, and now they’re all known as snowcats. Depending upon what country you’re from, it’s the same as an air mattress being known as a lilo, sheepskin boots are known as Ugg boots (touchy subject with the Australians), and Sildenafil citrate being known as Viagra.
So considering that the real snow-cats originated in the USA, we can thank the United States for
cat skiing (even though the sport was pioneered in Canada).
Types of Cat Skiing in the USThe style of cat skiing in the USA is quite different to that of
Canada cat skiing. Instead of multi-day trips that offer remote backcountry lodging, all US cat ski operations offer single day trips. A couple offer overnight stays in their mountain yurts, but these are a far cry from some of the luxurious lodges in British Columbia. Generally in the US, any accommodation package on offer is within a ski resort.
There are many advantages to the typical U.S. style of single day trips where you can pick your own accommodation. You can choose the budget of your lodgings and don’t have to be locked into potentially expensive multi-day packages. You can also choose who you want to stay with, rather than being stuck out in a remote lodge with a few people you don’t know. Another major bonus is that you can mix and match your ski holiday by combining some resort skiing with cat skiing.
There are three basic types of cat-skiing in the US. The first type is in-resort cat skiing which may be included with the lift ticket, or is associated with a small fee per ride. This form of shuttle catskiing is not guided, and generally only provides access to a small area which means that fresh tracks are far from guaranteed. Examples include
Copper Mountain,
Powder Mountain and
Keystone, with the latter two also providing the second form of catskiing.
The second and most common type of cat skiing in the US is still attached to a ski resort, whereby a backcountry bowl or two are dedicated to cat skiing. Examples include
Keystone kat skiing,
Aspen Powder Tours and
Chicago Ridge. Guided day trips are offered for as little as $225 per day (and up to about $310), but many of the operations only provide a small amount of terrain with approximately 300-375 acres (121-152 hectares). A couple offer 1,000-2,500 acres but this is still a fraction of what typical
BC cat skiing provides.
The third type are independent stand-alone cat skiing operations. Examples include
Steamboat Powdercats and
Silverton Powdercats. Most of the cat skiing companies in this third category are still near ski resorts, which is quite different to Canada where the cat skiing is generally in very isolated areas. The reason for this may simply be that there isn’t adequate remote space in the U.S. when compared to Canada. The US has a population ten times greater than Canada, and many less square miles covered in snow. Chances are that any good ski terrain has already been identified by a developer who has built a ski resort on the land!
A couple of USA cat skiing operations offer significant terrain (e.g.
San Juan Ski Co) but not all do, so check out what is
on offer before paying the big bucks, which can range from about
$300-$450 for a day trip. Check out our
US cat skiing comparison document, which compares cat ski operators on cost, size and vertical.
Benefits of Cat SkiingCat skiing provides the fresh powder in backcountry terrain that is often difficult to find in a resort. Thankfully it also comes without the effort required with hiking or ski touring. Cat skiing provides some of the best powder skiing possible without having to be self sufficient. For the guided cat skiing, you can rely on experienced guides to minimise associated risks such as avalanches and getting lost.
Some people have called cat skiing “poor man’s heli-skiing”. Sure cat skiing is cheaper, but it has some advantages over
heli-skiing. When choppers are grounded due to inclement weather, the cats can still get out there, and that’s when the likelihood of fresh powder may be the greatest. Cat operators also know their terrain well which minimises risk factors, and snowmobiles can be used to implement snow testing and slope stabilization measures.
You won’t cover as much vertical with cat skiing, but it is more than adequate for most mere mortals. Plenty of people prefer the opportunity to rest the thighs in the cat between runs, warm up and enjoy a drink and snack. And of course if you’re afraid of flying, then heli-skiing won’t be too enjoyable.
Where is Cat Skiing?Cat skiing is located across many states within the US. Colorado has eleven cat ski operators and there are three in Utah where there is legendary light snow that falls in abundance. Other states that have at least one cat skiing opportunity include Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, California, Montana, Washington and Wyoming. See our
US cat ski comparison document for locations of the snowcat skiing operators.
Colorado Cat Skiing Colorado has the biggest concentration of snowcat skiing with at least eleven operators that provide cat skiing. High profile cat ski companies include
Steamboat Powdercats and Vail Powder Guides. Relative to these big boys, there are also various operations that fly under the radar and as such have lower rates. Examples can be found in the Powderhounds corner of Colorado including
San Juan Ski Company,
San Juan Snowcat, and
Silverton Powdercats.
Where is the Best Colorado Cat Skiing? When choosing the best cat skiing operation for your next snow holiday, everyone has different factors that are important in the decision making process. For some the choice is largely based on location, but for others it may be about the quality of the tree skiing, the amount of advanced terrain, the emphasis on safety, or value for money. To help you choose the best cat skiing experience for you, we have provided ratings on various operations in Colorado, Canada, and Chile, and broken the ratings into various determinants including the most important factor of all….the powder! See our Powderhounds
cat ski and heli skiing ratings for more information.
Go Cat Skiing If you haven’t been cat skiing before, definitely try it. The only problem is that once you do it, you’ll want to keep going back for more. Powder is an addiction.
Cat Ski Operators in the USA
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San Juan Snowcat - Creede
With over four times the terrain of Wolf Creek; and increadibly diverse terrain at that, San Juan Snowcat will give you an experience of a lifetime. Only 20 mins from South Fork.
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Silverton Powdercats - Silverton
Why spend all of your energy walking to the top when you can be whisked to the top in minutes in a comfy snowcat? Silverton Powdercats is an awesome day to remember. Great terrain & pristine San Juan powder.
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San Juan Ski Co - Durango Mountain
Want to ski knee-deep powder; run after run after run? Go cat skiing with San Juan Ski Co and have all the POW you can eat! Operates from Durango Mtn Resort. Bookings essential.
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Steamboat Powdercats - Steamboat
Want guaranteed fresh lines every run? Come & play with Steamboat Powdercats located only 25 mins drive from Steamboat Springs. So if you are in town, don't miss this amazing experience!
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