The
Ultimate Skiing Experience by: Lachlan Brown
For downhill skiers, “powder snow”
provides the ultimate skiing experience. For most skiers however, good
powder skiing is a short-lived and infrequent event. Ski areas in some
geographic areas enjoy fairly frequent “powder days” but in most areas,
powder days are rare and the dryness and depth of snow is often marginal.
In most ski areas too, when powder
snow does occur, it is only a matter of hours before it is completely "tracked
out”, lumped up and beaten down. Only those few early birds that ride the
first chairs in the morning get the ultimate run of the day, in deep, consistent,
smooth, untracked snow.
For years, diehard powder snow enthusiasts
have headed for the backcountry to “ski the powder” among remote alpine
peaks, far from crowded ski areas. Many enjoy the peace and quiet of ski
touring and move and ski at a pace governed by their own physical fitness.
Others who may be less ambitious
or have less time, but who have ample disposable funds, have headed for
the backcountry in helicopters. For about $1000 per day or more, heli-operators
offer small groups of proficient skiers 5 to 7 days of guided skiing on
huge pristine slopes, high in the mountains. Guests stay in comfortable
lodges and spend their days being shuttled back and forth with their guides,
with each run on a fresh untracked slope. Heli skiing has its problems.
There are “down days” when storms make flying impossible and there is always
the inherent risk of all backcountry skiing: avalanche.
Avalanche risk depends on many factors.
All reputable backcountry operators provide highly qualified guides who
choose areas for skiing and a safe route down the hill. On days of poor
weather or unstable snow, guides may avoid alpine areas and restrict their
groups to "skiing the trees”. Tree skiing is a fixture of all mechanized
backcountry skiing and is preferred by some skiers to the more open “alpine”
skiing.
In recent years, a new type of mechanized
backcountry ski operator has emerged. Snowcat skiing operators use snowcats
to transport skiers and snowboarders into backcountry regions. Snowcats
are fitted with a large cab that seats clients in a warm, comfortable environment.
A snowcat typically carries a group of 12 clients, two guides and a driver.
Of course, snowcats are much slower
than helicopters. They are also much less expensive and guests can expect
to pay between $500 and $600 a day, including transportation, lodging,
meals, and guiding. As slow as snowcats may be, most clients will wear
themselves out every day and get just as much skiing as their group can
handle.
The great advantage of cat skiing
is that “down” days almost never occur. Clients ski every day and bad weather
can often mean extra-good snow. Cat skiing is more relaxed and “laid back”
than heli skiing as there is no need to share equipment between groups
or to maximize equipment usage. Cat skiing is very “client-friendly”. Each
group has a dedicated machine and it moves at the group’s pleasure. Weaker
skiers can feel at ease and not “pushed”.
Snowcats provide a relatively quiet,
comfortable, warm and relaxed environment in which the trip back up the
hill can be almost as much fun as the run down. Guests can “unbutton”,
dry out, warm up, converse and browse on sandwiches, cookies, cake and
drinks. If a guest gets tired, it’s easy to “sit out” a run and ride down
to the next pickup with the cat driver.
Snowcat skiing is more restricted
geographically than heli skiing. However, that has a drawback. Since they
can operate in a larger area, heli-operators may sometimes be less familiar
with changing snow conditions and risk factors than snowcat operators who
work in a more restricted area.
Most snowcat operators have ample
terrain to consistently provide good snow, even in periods of drought,
and to ensure that clients exhaust themselves every day. Chatter Creek
Mountain Lodges Ltd. operates in a 95 sq. km area and ski between the elevations
of 5400ft and 9500 ft. Monashee Powder Adventures advertises an area of
66 sq. km and operate between the elevations of 7800 ft and 3,000 ft..
Baldface Lodge uses over 140 sq km. Guests need not worry about running
out of terrain!
Snowcat skiing provides a wonderful
holiday for intermediate and advanced skiers alike. Individuals, family
groups, groups of friends, business associates can have a “trip to remember”.
Operators with remote lodges offer a real “backcountry” experience, usually
with good food and very comfortable accommodations.
About The Author
Lockie Brown is retired and lives
near Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He has cat skied for about 10 years, taking
groups of 12 and 24 friends to different cat ski venues in British Columbia.
He now takes his groups to Chatter
Creek near Golden, B.C.
Courtesy of http://www.ArticleCity.com/
