What guests ask first
Short answers, with links to the page that holds the full rule.
How good a skier do I need to be?
If you can link turns in soft snow, there's a group for you. We sort guests into three cats by pace: Cat Three coaches at 8 to 10 runs a day, Cat Two runs steady at 10 to 12, and Cat One goes fast at 12 to 14. Find your group on the home page: pick the line that sounds like you.
What if I'm in the wrong group?
The guides confirm every seat on the first morning's confirmation run. Anyone in the wrong cat moves, at no cost.
Do you take snowboarders?
Yes. Boards ride the fall-line glades, and we lend telescopic poles for the two traverses.
What does a day look like?
Breakfast is at 06:30 and the guest briefing at 07:30. The first cat rolls at 08:00, lunch is at 12:30 in the cab or the warming hut, and the last pickup is at 16:00. Dinner is at 19:00.
What's included in the price?
A day cat includes the day, the guides, the safety kit and lunch. The three-day cat and the cat week add the nights and all meals. Prices start at $720 CAD a guest for a day cat.
What happens if it storms?
The cats still run, and storm days are the deep days. If the helicopter can't fly, your heli add-on is refunded in full. If the cats can't run at all, you choose the whole day as credit or 60% of it in cash.
Is there a vertical guarantee on heli days?
Yes, 4,000 m. We aim for 4,500 to 6,000 m. If a heli day comes in short of 4,000 m, you get $150 in cash for every 1,000 m short. Past 6,000 m, the extra is billed at $160 per 1,000 m, and only if you said yes that morning.
How do deposits and cancelling work?
A 25% deposit holds your seat, and the balance is due 60 days before your first ski day. Cancel more than 90 days out for a full refund less $250. Between 90 and 60 days, your deposit becomes credit for any week in the next two seasons. Inside 60 days there's no refund, unless standby resells your seat, and then we refund you less $250.
What is Snow cover?
Snow cover costs 7% of your package. It makes your booking refundable in cash up to 14 days out, for any reason.
How do I get there?
Fly into Castlegar or Trail. Our shuttle to the lodge costs $180 return and takes about 1 hour 45 from Castlegar or 1 hour 30 from Trail. Kelowna is the fallback when fog closes Castlegar, $260 return.
What if my flight is cancelled?
If weather cancels your flight on arrival day, we hold your seat and give you the missed day as full credit.
I'm coming alone. Who do I room with?
We pair you with a roommate of the same gender. When a room is free you can have it to yourself for $95 a night.
Do you rent gear?
Powder skis and boards rent for $65 a day. We don't rent boots, so bring your own.
How much should I tip?
We suggest 10 to 15% of the package for the guides and staff. It's your decision, so our bill shows it beside the total and leaves it out.
Can you guarantee powder?
Nobody can. A typical winter brings 9 to 12 m of snow to the study plot where we measure it. Last winter the cats ran 109 of 113 days.
How safe is it?
We manage avalanche risk every morning, and nobody can remove it. The guides read the snow at 5:45, choose the runs from that, and every guest carries a transceiver, probe, shovel and airbag pack. Our safety page explains it in full, with a section for whoever worries about you at home.
How many people ski at once?
Up to 28 guests a day, in three cats of 8 to 10, on 9,700 ha that only our groups ski.
What's the luggage limit?
One soft duffel up to 23 kg, plus a ski bag.