FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

You can call us to place a reservation or book online. If you book your cat trip online, please read our reservations and ability pages and carefully note the cancellation and refund policies before purchasing a trip. If you have a question, please leave a message or email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

We meet at 8 am sharp at our office in the plaza of Purgatory Resort.

Please check our online calendar and reservations.

We suggest that all our guests be comfortable skiing and riding tight trees and variable backcountry conditions. If it is storming or conditions are poor at higher elevation, we will be skiing and riding deep powder in the trees. We do not split the group based on abilities. If you have never skied or ridden trees, please contact us and we can discuss your ability and options.

Usually, slower skiers do not hold up the group since it takes the snowcat a while to get to the pickup zone. What generally does slow down the group is gear malfunctions, not following the guides’ instructions, skiing and riding below the snowcat or cat roads, and lost or buried equipment.

You do not need avalanche certification training to ski or ride with us. However, backcountry knowledge and awareness are a plus. Our guides are highly trained in avalanche awareness and wilderness medicine. Prior to each trip we provide essential avalanche equipment and instruction along with current weather and avalanche forecasts. Client safety is of utmost importance. Most of our terrain is in lesser avalanche prone areas and we actively mitigate potential hazard with snow control and bombing methods.

Since we are skiing and riding at high elevations—9,500 to 11,500 feet—guests should be in good physical condition. If you have any medical conditions, please let our guides know before heading out in the morning.

We meet at 8 am at our office and are on the slopes by 9 am depending on which are we are skiing and riding first. We return to the resort around 4:30. A picnic lunch is included.

Powder! Our terrain ranges from expansive bowls, to steep, tight trees, to open cruiser glades, undulating gullies and windlips. A short hike can access chutes. We have cliffs and cornice jumps. Our trees range from nicely spaced old-growth spruce to regenerated Forest Service clear cuts, where the sapling-size trees can be tight. All of our guides are proficient in pointing out the perfect lines, so be sure to follow their instructions for easy navigation of our expansive terrain. With so much terrain, consistent temperatures and an average 300+ inches of snow annually, we enjoy cold, light untracked powder weeks after the last storm. On stormy days, we usually ski and ride trees since the visibility is better. Once the storm clears out, we head up to the high alpine areas to ski and ride our more open terrain. Our massive tenure means we can move around to different aspects and elevations to ensure the best possible powder experience.

With so much terrain, consistent temperatures and an average 300+ inches of snow annually, we enjoy cold, light untracked powder weeks after the last storm. On stormy days, we usually ski and ride trees since the visibility is better. Once the storm clears out, we head up to the high alpine areas to ski and ride our more open terrain. Our massive tenure means we can move around to different aspects and elevations to ensure the best possible powder experience.

Our permitted area is north of Purgatory Resort—including Grayrock and Graysill Mountain, and west of Purgatory Resort, including Hotel Draw and Scotch Creek. Cascade Creek is our east boundary. The East Fork of Hermosa Creek is our south boundary. We do not ski or ride in terrain immediately adjacent to the ski area. Instead, the snowcat takes you deep into the San Juan backcountry.

We ride in our 15-person, 4×4 van equipped with Mattracks (like tank treads) to meet the snowcat. The van serves as a limo and clips along at 25 miles an hour. If we are skiing Cascade Creek, guests usually make their first powder turns around 30 minutes after loading in the van. If we are skiing up high or in Scotch Creek, the ride is a little longer.

Runs vary in length from 500 feet to almost 1,500 feet. Vertical depends on weather, conditions and what general area we are skiing or riding for the day. Typically, a guest can expect between 7 and 10 runs and between 9,000 to 11,000 vertical feet.

Yes, but if you do not have powder specific skis or a powder board we suggest that you utilize our available demos. These powder-derived shapes and designs are more playful, easy to ride, and are less demanding in deeper snow. They are included with the trip cost. If you are interested in a demo please note so in our online reservation, or mention it during your phone reservation. We will follow up with you regarding your binding settings.

We provide powder skis and/or board, avalanche safety gear, (BCA Tracker beacon, shovel, probe and shovel pack), sack lunch, water (bring your own bottle), snacks and one-way lift ticket.

Since the weather can change quickly, bring a small daypack with an extra layer, goggles/sunglasses, gloves/mitts as well as sunscreen and any personal items you might need. The aforementioned accessories and essentials are also for sale a couple of doors down from our office at Purgatory Sports. We strongly recommend you ski and ride with a helmet.

Yes, we can accommodate non-skiers and riders. The price for a seat is the same. Non-skiers and riders must accompany a guest who is skiing or riding.

We do not have an age limit. However, children should be advanced skiers or riders and comfortable skiing and riding in all conditions. We encourage families to rent the entire snowcat for an experience that will last a lifetime.

Denver – around six hours.  Longer if it is snowing.

Telluride – two hours. Longer if it is snowing.

Silverton – around 35  minutes, longer if it is snowing.

Durango – around 30 minutes, depending on if you are on the north or south side of town.

Pagosa Springs – allow two hours.