How fit do you need to be for cat skiing?
You need legs for a full day of soft snow with short rests in the cab. Our first-week group skis 8 to 10 runs a day, and the fast group 12 to 14. If you can ski that many runs at a resort and still enjoy the last one, you're fit enough for the group that matches your skiing.
Cat Three, the first-week group
Coaching pace, wide glades · 8 to 10 runs a day
Aino Rautio leads, with a second guide
Cat Two, the steady group
Steady · 10 to 12 runs a day
Dev Tarrant leads, with a second guide
Cat One, the fast group
Fast · 12 to 14 runs a day
Ren Marchant leads, with a second guide
What a day asks of your legs
Deep snow makes two demands a groomed run never does. The snow pushes back on every turn, and every fall is a small workout to stand up from. Stack those across a day and the tank empties faster than people expect.
The bar is good pacing more than raw fitness. Plenty of our regulars are well into retirement and ski well all week. They ski within themselves, rest when the guide offers it, and finish the week strong. The cat helps, because you ride up warm between every run.
What tired legs cost you
Tired legs turn later, absorb less and put you on the snow more often, which tires you further. The guides watch for it and ease the group off before it becomes a problem.
The goal of training before a trip is to still have something left on the last run of the fourth day.
Getting ready in the weeks before
You need your legs and lungs ready for hard efforts with short recoveries. This list does it for most people.
- Legs: squats, lunges and step-ups two or three times a week.
- Lungs: anything that leaves you breathing hard for a few minutes, then recovering, then going again.
- Balance and core: single-leg work and planks, so your legs steer instead of just surviving.
- Time on your feet: a long hike or ride on the weekend, so your legs learn all-day efforts.
- The last week: rest up, so you arrive fresh instead of sore.
Snowboarders
Boards do well here. Deep snow rewards keeping your speed up and staying centred. Boards ride the fall-line glades. We lend telescopic poles for the two traverses. Tell us you ride when you book.