Cat boarding/skiing Recommendations

A group of us are looking to go cat boarding/skiing next year. We have been
looking at Baldface (B.C., Canada) and Peak Snowcats (ID). Does anyone have
any other recommendations or info on some good options. We are all strong
intermediates/expert with some powder experience. Looking for combo of open
bowls and tree runs (my personal favorite!) Prefer more boarder friendly
operations. I don't want to have to post hole a hundred yards at the end of
each run. Hey, I remember, thats why I invite a couple of skiers so they
can pull me through the flats!!

Thanks

While pondering the Universe, (tg) wrote
:

A group of us are looking to go cat boarding/skiing next year. We have
been looking at Baldface (B.C., Canada) and Peak Snowcats (ID). Does
anyone have any other recommendations or info on some good options. We

The most recent issue of Frequency had a large section on heli and
cat operations. Should be a good starting point looking for alternatives.

mike

Only place I've been is Island Lake Lodge. I recommend it highly but I
understand there's a waiting list.

Neil

A group of us are looking to go cat boarding/skiing next year. We have
been
looking at Baldface (B.C., Canada) and Peak Snowcats (ID). Does anyone
have
any other recommendations or info on some good options. We are all strong
intermediates/expert with some powder experience. Looking for combo of
open
bowls and tree runs (my personal favorite!) Prefer more boarder friendly
operations. I don't want to have to post hole a hundred yards at the end
of
each run. Hey, I remember, thats why I invite a couple of skiers so they
can pull me through the flats!!

Thanks

I haven't ridden either of the two you mention, but I *have* ridden at
Targhee the last two years. Peak seemed pretty inexpensive ($225 a day),
which is cool. I don't know a lot about the St. Joe mountains, although I
have a friend from Lewiston I can probe for info. Baldface is epic, and the
$450 a day doesn't sound too bad when it includes food and lodging as well.
Definitely the more luxurious option.

For the money, i'd highly, highly recommend Grand Targhee. They average
over 500 inches a year, and the first year I went we got 3.5 *feet* of snow
over the weekend! I have pictures to prove it.
None of the guides i've ridden with have been on snowboards, but both times
my groups have been well over half knuckle draggers. The guides know their
****, and there's a lot of different terrain to cover. Some smallish
treeless rolly bowls, and then the next run you get 1500 vert of trees and
rocks. I appreciated how the guides tailored our runs for what and how we
liked to ride, even suggesting an area because it had some good cliffs for
taking photo's, and then pointing out the best hits. We got between 10 and
13 runs in a day, with two guides, a pretty decent hot lunch and wine and
cheese at the end all for $299 a day. That doesn't include lodging; rooms
start at around $60 I seem to recall. It's an hour from Jackson Hole, so
you can ride at Targhee or JH inbounds the next day. Oh and there aren't
any flats, but if it dumps, you better have some endurance, cuz all that
powder makes for some serious energy spent! Both times i've gone we've had
people drop out before 4pm because of exhaustion. It really was the best
powder experience of my life, and I've had more than my share living in Utah
and working in the industry. If you need more info about airports,
accessibility or whatever, holler at me.

damn, i should get a kick back from Targhee for this post! heh
paul

You might want to check out Mt. Bailey here in Central Oregon. I
scheduled to a trip for some of our shop crew with them this spring
but the weather got warm and we decided to cancel. I have seen video
footage of their terrain and it seems pretty nice. I do know that
they get a TON of snow every year, so finding fresh powder should not
be a problem.

Chris Stringer
RDCShop.com Online Board Shop
Bend Ski and Board Sport
1009 NW Galveston
Bend, OR 97701
Email:
Web: http://www.rdcshop.com
Fax: 541.389.4667
Local Phone: 541.389.4667
Toll Free Phone: 1.877.BEND.SKI

**Offering FREE shipping on orders over $175 within the US**

Oops, forgot to post their URL.

http://www.mountbailey.com/

Chris Stringer
RDCShop.com Online Board Shop
Bend Ski and Board Sport
1009 NW Galveston
Bend, OR 97701
Email:
Web: http://www.rdcshop.com
Fax: 541.389.4667
Local Phone: 541.389.4667
Toll Free Phone: 1.877.BEND.SKI

**Offering FREE shipping on orders over $175 within the US**

Thanks to everyone who sent some info. I also saw Bob Holts post on his pics
and his web site has a recommendation on Island Lake Lodge. Now just have to
see which ones have dates open for us.

Thanks, Tim
"paul m" wrote in message
...
A group of us are looking to go cat boarding/skiing next year. We have
been
looking at Baldface (B.C., Canada) and Peak Snowcats (ID). Does anyone
have
any other recommendations or info on some good options. We are all
strong
intermediates/expert with some powder experience. Looking for combo of
open
bowls and tree runs (my personal favorite!) Prefer more boarder friendly
operations. I don't want to have to post hole a hundred yards at the end
of
each run. Hey, I remember, thats why I invite a couple of skiers so
they
can pull me through the flats!!

Thanks

I haven't ridden either of the two you mention, but I *have* ridden at
Targhee the last two years. Peak seemed pretty inexpensive ($225 a day),
which is cool. I don't know a lot about the St. Joe mountains, although I
have a friend from Lewiston I can probe for info. Baldface is epic, and
the
$450 a day doesn't sound too bad when it includes food and lodging as
well.
Definitely the more luxurious option.

For the money, i'd highly, highly recommend Grand Targhee. They average
over 500 inches a year, and the first year I went we got 3.5 *feet* of
snow
over the weekend! I have pictures to prove it.
None of the guides i've ridden with have been on snowboards, but both
times
my groups have been well over half knuckle draggers. The guides know
their
****, and there's a lot of different terrain to cover. Some smallish
treeless rolly bowls, and then the next run you get 1500 vert of trees and
rocks. I appreciated how the guides tailored our runs for what and how we
liked to ride, even suggesting an area because it had some good cliffs for
taking photo's, and then pointing out the best hits. We got between 10
and
13 runs in a day, with two guides, a pretty decent hot lunch and wine and
cheese at the end all for $299 a day. That doesn't include lodging; rooms
start at around $60 I seem to recall. It's an hour from Jackson Hole, so
you can ride at Targhee or JH inbounds the next day. Oh and there aren't
any flats, but if it dumps, you better have some endurance, cuz all that
powder makes for some serious energy spent! Both times i've gone we've
had
people drop out before 4pm because of exhaustion. It really was the best
powder experience of my life, and I've had more than my share living in
Utah
and working in the industry. If you need more info about airports,
accessibility or whatever, holler at me.

damn, i should get a kick back from Targhee for this post! heh
paul

The cat operation out of Whistler is run by boarders, and might be a
good option if you're looking for something tied to a resort.

(phil) wrote in message . com...
The cat operation out of Whistler is run by boarders, and might be a
good option if you're looking for something tied to a resort.

The first issue of Snowboard Journal
http://www.snowboardjournal.com/
had a great article on snowcat boarding and links to several operations.

We're looking at a BC trip ourselves next year so any info you find would
be appreciated.

I'm looking for any book, website, person, etc., that can give a review
of the dozens of BC cat operations available. It'd be nice if someone
had filtered all this down by price, terrain, accomodations, guides,
bar, food, etc...

Any feedback appreciated,
-todd