Western US

The Western United States is home to many Cat Skiing operations, ranging from single day operators based in ski resort areas to full fledged backcountry lodges that you can only access via cat. Whether you want to add an extra day of backcountry fun to a resort trip or travel specifically for cat skiing, the Western United States have some incredible options.

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Cat Skiing in Western US

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Know Before You Go

Insider tips and perks for your trip to Western US, curated by our experts.

Tips

Tips for Your Trip

Book in advance. Particularly for multiday lodge based cat skiing packages. Many people wait until the ski season has started, or call the cat skiing operator once they've arrived at a ski town and there was a big storm the night before. You might occasionally get lucky and find a seat in the cat, but typically operations are booked out far in advance.
How big is your group? Do you have enough people to secure a private cat? A private cat means more control over your day, the terrain you ski and the pace because you know the group that you are going with. Cats can seat as few as 6 or as many as 12 guests, so it can be a great option for your group if you have enough skiers.
You'll need to decide between single day cat skiing and a multi day package. Typically, multi day packages will be all inclusive, providing lodging food and are worth traveling for the experience. Single day packages can be a great way to get some backcountry days in on a resort trip. There are several western ski resorts that offer single day (and even single ride) cat skiing options.

Perks

The Perks

Booking a cat skiing trip in the Western US has several benefits. A good thing about cat skiing out west is the variety in offerings. You can go more upscale, like Eleven Experience package in Crested Butte, where you'll have luxury accommodations, gourmet food, and incredible comfort paired with excellent skiing. Or you can go more for something like Park City Powder Cats, who offers single day cat skiing out at the ranch. The price will reflect the experience, but they all have untouched powder turns as part of the experience.
The price is another reason why people pick a cat skiing trip. The cost of cat skiing in Colorado, Utah, Montana or California can range from $600 to $900 USD for single day rates. Lodge based and multiday packages can range from $1,500 to $5,000 depending on the duration and the lodging. That is often substantially lower than the cost for the same number of days with a heli skiing trip, but you'll still be getting out into the backcountry.
There is also very little risk of down days. There may be conditions which are unsafe due to avalanche or visibility, but typically these operations have ways to avoid dangerous zones and find areas with safely skiable terrain. This means when you book your vacation, you can expect to ski the days you are there.
The cat skiing operations in the Western US are mostly found in the states with large ski resorts and backcountry terrain. Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah and Colorado are some of the most popular locations.

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