Epic the word is so overdone these days. But cat
skiing in Idaho is just that. 
Picture
a private snow cat, your million dollar mountain limousine for the day,
delivering you and seven lucky skiers to slope after slope of open snow
bowls, gorgeous deep and steep runs amid a scenic national forest. Big fat
powder skis are provided so you can float over fresh powder with the least effort.
And best of all, you can bring your kids cat skiing - provided they are
expert skiers (15+ recommended).
As
a pink tinged sun rises over the Salmon River Mountains, your two guides
debrief about snow safety, avalanche peeps and protocol. All the while, the
snow cat is rumbling up steep, un-skied terrain. No lifts, no lodges - just
you, your ride and your two expert guides. 19,000-acres of the Payette
National Forest is accessible from Brundage ski area's exclusive cat ski
operation.
Our first few runs were about 800 vertical each of fluffy Idaho snow in
open bowls funneling to glittery glades that we threaded
down to a snow
covered lake. Our cat fetched us up promptly, giving us time to rest, snack,
and suppress our huge smiles till we climbed to another peak to repeat.
The rumble of the cat during each ascent was in stark contrast to the serene
silence when we were left on top of panoramic Granite Mountain 8,478 and
stunning Slab Butte 8,225. The sweet sound of a million snow crystals
surrendering under skis as we descend in deep billowing snow was
occasionally interrupted by the hoot and holler from our ecstatic ski
buddies.
I
can't describe to you each run (there were 10 all scoring 10), we
bounced down beautiful snow soaked backcountry slopes, some steep and deep,
others wide open with pitch just perfect for powder shot turns. I didn't
intend to fly off that fluffy knoll but the landing was so soft I swore - in
a good way. That last 1,800 vertical run remains top in my memory, as do
the smiling faces of my cat ski friends. My son was beaming (and he
witnessed Mom's big jump).
The camaraderie that developed within our cat clutch was unquantifiable. A
desire for trust and a deep love of deep snow proved quick cement (okay bad
choice of words in snow country). Previous strangers thrown together in an
alpine-style tank miles from safety and civilization become allies in
adventure and adrenaline. First track powder privileges circled politely
through our group of five men and three women.
Idaho's magnificent mountains are outstanding, and the cat is where its at
to ski the pristine powder beyond Brundage's ski area boundaries. The only
downside to all this upcountry skiing is that snowmobilers are also stomping
this snowy stash. Today's sophisticated sleds ascend seriously steep
terrain. The Idaho Park Service is working to find a compromise between cat
skiing and snow-machining, since this clash of winter sports could cause
safety issues, never mind the obvious virgin snow wars.
Cat skiing is cool, its
poor man's heli skiingĀ at $199 for a half day, or
$299 for a full of day with a catered lunch in a cozy 7,800 mountaintop
wood fired yurt. You can sneak a day into your Idaho ski trip without
booking a big ticket heli-trip. Also, unlike heli-skiing, you can bring your
kids if they are expert skiers (of course you run the risk of spoiling them
with an expensive addiction).
Cat skiing in Idaho with fresh snow, new found friends and fantastic scenery
- Epic.
More Idaho Ski Reviews:
Idaho Iditarod l Brundage l Sun Valley l Soldier l Tamarack l Bogus Basin l Cat Skiing Idaho
Destinations l Colorado l Utah l Montana l California l Oregon l Wyoming l Canada l New England l Rockies l Top 10 Guides l Family
All Stories by Heather Burke
All Photography by Greg Burke
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