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FeedSnowcat Fever
Catching this bug is sure to keep you out of work for several days this winter. by Peter Bronski
The sun is rising over Mount Werner on a late February morning as I head deep into Routt National Forest east of Steamboat Springs. I’m riding on one of the snowcats belonging to Steamboat Powdercats (SPC), one of 10 or so operators in the state that offer guided cat skiing. Our destination is the terrain around Buffalo Pass alongside Wolf Creek and Monarch passes, routinely home to one of the deepest and lightest snowpacks in the state, which is one of the big reasons why I’m here. I wanted a different way to experience Steamboat’s trademark Champagne Powder. That, and I heard SPC was one of the best at what they do.
Though we’re all adults, we’re acting a lot like excited kids fidgeting in their seats on the school bus. During the ride up, our guides brief us on the day’s protocol, make sure our avalanche beacons are transmitting, and then crank up the tunes on the satellite radio. Most of us have our eyes glued to the view out the windows, watching the snow-covered evergreens pass by, eyeing potential lines we might ski.
Suddenly, the cat lurches to a stop high on a ridge near treeline. We spill out and onto a 104-inch base of snow. The views extend to the Park Range, Rabbit Ears Pass, and distant peaks in the Gore Range and Never Summer Mountains. “Murph,” a full-time guide in his sixth season with SPC, smiles and hands me my skis. He’s been working six days a week for nearly two months, but he looks as stoked as I am to be here.
One by one, the guides and guests drop off the ridge and down a slope that alternates between open snowfields and aspen glades. We carve graceful “S” turns and pop little airs off the rollovers and pillows. By the time we pull up alongside a snowpacked road in the valley below, I’m wearing a wide grin. The cat lumbers down the road to meet us, and we pile back in for the next lap.
And so the morning goes, hunting for the best conditions, the best slope aspects. There are three cats out today. SPC’s multiple vehicles allow it to match skiers of like abilities and find terrain suitable for the group. My cat features skiers (and a lone snowboarder) from the Front Range, the Vail Valley, Ohio, Illinois, and Connecticut, including a postal worker, a hotel manager, a subcontractor, and a horseshoer. True to SPC’s form, half of us are new guests, half are repeat clients.
It’s these recurring visitors in particular who are a testament, not only to Steamboat’s renowned snow, but to the experience SPC delivers. By lunchtime, we’ve logged six laps and 5,000 vertical feet. In the hut — a heated log cabin — we’re served hot apple cider and cocoa; chicken-and-white-bean chili; and steak with caramelized onions, mashed potatoes, and steamed veggies. That afternoon, we manage six more laps, for about 10,000 total vertical feet on the day. “This sure beats a day in the office,” I think — unless you’re a guide, in which case this is your office. Our bodies are tired, but we’re smiling. Every one of us agrees we’ll return for more.
Back at SPC headquarters near the base of the Steamboat ski resort, the day is winding down, but not before a little beer and wine and a slideshow from the day. An SPC photographer skied with us all day, and we each leave with a CD of photos. It’s a nice touch and a great way to take the phenomenal experience home with me. I’ll be back, for sure, but until then, I can relive my snowcat fever, one glorious powder shot at a time.
Snowcat Operators by Category
Backcountry Terrain far from the resorts and the crowds
Powder Addiction
Terrain: Jones Pass
powderaddiction.com
San Juan Snowcat
Terrain: San Juan Mountains
sanjuansnowcat.com
Silverton Powdercats
Terrain: Molas Pass
snowcat-powder.com
Steamboat Powdercats
Terrain: Buffalo Pass
steamboatpowdercats.com
Vail Powder Guides
Terrain: Ptarmigan Pass and Resolution Bowl
vailsnowcat.com
Sidecountry Terrain adjacent to a resort
Aspen Mountain Powder Tours
Terrain: north of Aspen Mountain
aspensnowmass.com
Chicago Ridge Snowcat Tours
Terrain: Chicago Ridge near Tennessee Pass
skicooper.com
Monarch Snowcat Tours
Terrain: Monarch Mountain outside the ski area
skimonarch.com
San Juan Ski Company
Terrain: north of Durango Mountain Resort, centered on Greyrock Peak
sanjuanski.com
In-Bounds Cat-served ski terrain in-bounds at a resort
Copper Mountain Snowcat
Terrain: Tucker Mountain
coppercolorado.com
Keystone Adventure Tours and Outback Shuttle
Terrain: The Outback or Independence Bowl
keystoneresort.com
