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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.
Iwanai Resort
Iwanai, Hokkaido, Japan
Iwanai Resort is a snowcat skiing operator on Mount Iwanai, on the west coast of Hokkaido, Japan, about 40 minutes' drive from Niseko. The mountain rises to 1,086 metres straight off the Sea of Japan — a former lift-served ski area now given over almost entirely to cat skiing, with the old chairs and huts still standing on the hill. It sits well outside the Niseko crowds, which is much of the point. Their terrain covers wide former course runs, old-growth glades, steep tree lines and open bowls, and the guides pick the day's zones based on conditions and the group's ability. A mixed-group day runs 7–9 runs and 4,500–5,000 vertical metres. Iwanai runs roughly December through March, with early season (about December 20 to January 10) limited to course runs and glades on a single cat, and terrain opening up through mid-January to the end of February as storms build the snowpack and the upper drop point and secondary cat road come into play. The day itself is built around the base lodge. Guests check in on the second floor by 8:30 AM for a briefing and beacon check, and the cat pushes off around 9:00. Coffee and homemade sweets get passed around in the cabin between runs, lunch is a sit-down at the on-mountain Three Birds Restaurant with Japanese and Western menus, and the afternoon runs out until around 3:30 PM. Après follows by the fire — appetisers, hot sake, cold Sapporo — and on a clear day the last run down drops toward a sunset over the ocean. For the 2026–27 season Iwanai is running three formats: a Mixed Group CAT seat, a Private CAT for a group of up to 12, and a full Private Resort takeover. There are no fixed multi-day packages this season — guests build their own by stringing cat days together and staying at Raiden Resort & Spa nearby, with the skiing and the accommodation booked separately. Cat availability is limited and the private formats book a long way out.
Mustang Powder
Malakwa, British Columbia, Canada
Mustang Powder is a remote, lodge-based cat skiing operation in the northern Monashee Mountains of British Columbia, northwest of Revelstoke. Its tenure sits on the western edge of the Monashees, which means incoming storms hit it first. The operation reports knee-deep powder on an average day and considerably more after a storm. Guests stay at the timber-frame Mustang Lodge at 1,740 m (5,700 ft), and the first drop-off of the day is just 5 to 10 minutes from the lodge. What sets Mustang Powder apart is who it's built for. The operation openly caters to strong, keen skiers and snowboarders who ski a lot each season and want to maximize their time on snow rather than keep a relaxed pace. Many groups ski more than 20,000 vertical feet in a day. On February 27, 2017, a group of 12 guests logged 30,145 vertical feet in just over eight hours. The terrain supports that pace. It mixes large alpine bowls, steep lines and gladed old-growth forest, with many runs over 1,000 m (3,200 ft) of vertical. Extensive north-facing terrain holds untracked snow through dry spells, and new tree runs are gladed every summer. On clear, stable days, guides can open signature alpine descents such as 5th Dimension, which starts on top of the Mustang Glacier and runs all the way to the valley floor. Mustang Powder runs four programs out of the lodge, all using Pisten Bully snowcats, with backup cats on hand so mechanical issues don't stall the day: Classic Cat Skiing puts 12 or 13 guests in a cat. Solo travelers and smaller parties are matched with groups of similar ability and fitness. Small Groups, Steep Chutes takes six expert skiers and riders into the tenure's most technical terrain, including couloir lines. Occasional short skin tours are needed to reach run entrances. Small Group Private Cat gives a single party of six to seven its own cat for the trip. Cat Assisted Ski Touring replaces the classic program in the early season. It pairs cat access with guided touring and is aimed at advanced skiers, with no prior backcountry experience required. Trips run on fixed three- and four-day dates from late November into early April. Guiding is handled by members of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) and the Canadian Ski Guide Association (CSGA), and by professionals with the Canadian Avalanche Association. Off the snow, the lodge's chefs and bakers prepare multi-course dinners built around locally raised meats and fish. The wine list has more than 125 wines, drawn entirely from BC's Okanagan Valley. Peak dates book out quickly, often with returning guests, so inquiring a year ahead is recommended. Contact Heli to check availability and book.
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.