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Great Northern Snowcat Skiing
Trout Lake, British Columbia, Canada
=== DESCRIPTION === Great Northern Snow-Cat Skiing is a boutique cat skiing operation based near Trout Lake, British Columbia, in the Bad Shot Range of the Selkirk Mountains. Operating since 1979, it gives small groups of skiers and snowboarders two entire mountains to themselves: Great Northern Mountain and Mount Thompson. That's 75 square kilometres (7,500 hectares) of snow-covered backcountry, with more than 15 metres of snowfall in most years. The location was chosen deliberately. Founder Brent McCorquodale picked this corner of the Selkirks after studying snow records from the University of Calgary archives dating back to the 1800s, for one reason: it snows a lot here every year. Brent's approach set the tone that still defines Great Northern. There's no counting runs, no tracking vertical, and no watching the clock. The day is about skiing deep powder until the light fades or the group runs out of energy. In 2016, longtime regulars Stephen, Peter, and Andre took over ownership from Brent, with a commitment to keep that philosophy unchanged. The terrain covers forest glades, wide-open powder bowls, gullies, and chutes, suited to skiers and riders from confident intermediate to expert. Great Northern Mountain has rolling alpine meadows up top that drop into steep, well-spaced glades. Mount Thompson's runs are wide open and north-facing, so they hold snow well later in the season. Heated snowcats carry guests between runs, with rides of 15 to 20 minutes. Many runs carry names with a story behind them, usually involving a guest or a guide. Trips are all-inclusive packages of three, four, or seven days, covering meals, accommodations, taxes, and emergency medical and helicopter evacuation insurance while guests are at the lodge. The published 2026–27 schedule runs from mid-December through the end of March. Guests stay at the Great Northern Lodge, a rustic 18-room lodge reached by driving directly to its door, with no commercial flight transfers or helicopter shuttles required. Great Northern is a long-time member of the Canadian Avalanche Association and works with HeliCat Canada on safety and sustainability best practices.
Skeena Cat Skiing
Smithers, BC, Canada
Skeena Cat Skiing is a backcountry cat skiing operation in Northern British Columbia. Their tenure sits 80 km (50 miles) north of Smithers, BC, in the Skeena Mountains, about 200 km from the Alaska panhandle border. At more than 30,000 hectares, it's one of the largest cat skiing tenures in the province. Skeena describes itself as the only cat skiing operation in Northern BC, and that northern position is central to what sets it apart. At roughly 55.5°N, Skeena sits in a snow belt where warm, moist Pacific air collides with cold, dry interior air. Skeena cites ten years of climate data showing it runs about 3.5°C colder than the average BC cat skiing operation at a comparable elevation, with roughly 74% fewer above-freezing days per winter (about 5 days versus an average of about 20). The result is the cold, dry powder the region is known for. The terrain mixes wide-open alpine bowls with naturally gladed tree runs. On clear days, groups ski at and above treeline. When it's snowing, they drop into the trees for visibility. Over a full season, skiing splits roughly half alpine and half trees, and groups typically ski 10 to 15 runs per day. For the 2027 season, Skeena has opened a new zone in the Thomlinson Range, expanding their skiable terrain by approximately 40%. Skeena has been locally owned and operated since 2011, when founder Jevon Zyp started it after helping launch three other BC cat ski operations. In 2021, he partnered with an experienced ownership group: Gary Mathiesen, owner of Hudson Bay Mountain Resort; Nick Holmes-Smith, founder and past operator of Mustang Powder; and Colin Zacharias, an ACMG Mountain Guide who has been guiding since the late 1980s and leads guide training and terrain development. Every group skis with a lead guide and a tail guide. All guides are members of the ACMG or CSGA and the Canadian Avalanche Association, and Skeena is a member of HeliCat Canada. Skeena operates on the unceded traditional territories of the Gitxsan Nation. Guests stay at Skeena's remote Base Camp at treeline, reached by a helicopter transfer the afternoon before the first ski day. The season runs from January through late March, with 3-day and 4-day all-inclusive cat skiing trips. Skeena also offers early-season ski touring and late-season cat-assisted ski touring, including a women's-only cat-assisted touring week. Starting in 2027, Skeena is capping each snowcat at 8 guests to give groups more time on snow.