Bored with the usual? Take-the-lift-up-then-ski-down not quite thrilling enough? Try Cat-Skiing! Several operators near Rossland offer cat-skiing tours that will take adventurers up into the heavens where the snow's plentiful and the powder fresh.
Snow-Cat-Skiing in Rossland
A Snow Cat is an enormous, fully-tracked machine with an enclosed cabin (like a tank for snow!) used by mountain resorts to groom high-alpine runs or snowmobile tracks. Investigate Rossland and Red Mountain's real backcountry: five mountains with more than 7,500ha/18,500ac of backcountry skiing territory. Visitors looking for a unique winter ski experience will find incredible tree skiing, glades and wonderfully deep, pristine powder on a cat-ski tour.
Tours and Day Trips
- Big Red Cats, based out of Rossland, also partners with Red Mountain Resort and operates four Snow Cats. The company will tailor day trips or week-long tours for individual at three ability levels.
- Rossland Mountain Adventures provides guided backcountry tours and avalanche skills training.
- Snowwater, which is based out of nearby Nelson, offers cat-skiing, heli-skiing and heli-boarding tours for small groups.
- Valhalla Powdercats, (also in Nelson) will take guests deep into the Valhalla Mountains for cat-skiing and boarding on an area larger than the size of famous BC mountains Whistler and Blackcomb combined.
The cat- and heli-ski season generally runs from early December to mid-April, depending on weather conditions. Advance reservations for tours and accommodation are required.