Occupy the White Room. Photo: Courtesy Powder Addiction
Powder Addiction
The Terrain: It’s hard to belive that you can get up in terrain this good without having to drive through the Eisnehower Tunnel or over Berthoud Pass. But the Jones Pass area serves up full-on big mountain skiing and pow stashes close to home. As the name implies this is a core skier and rider operation. Guides who cut their teeth on Berthoud Pass will get you into blown-in goods and challenging terrain.
The Cost: A single seat costs $400 in the high season, but if you are a true addict, you can buy five full-price seats and get the sixth free. Or just rent the whole cat out for the day for $4,000.
The Classic Run: Bobtail Peak
Contact: 970-726-5442; powderaddiction.com
Vail Powder Guides
The Terrain: With a 3,500-acre permit area that spans the valleys between Vail Pass and Camp Hale, VPG has the ability to find the soft stuff even during bony winters. The place holds good snow, much like Vail’s Blue Sky Basin, which you can see from VPG’s terrain—but there are no crowds here. Owners Ben and Jenna have been working this spot for 18 years so they know how to find the goods and provide a laid-back atmosphere for advanced skiers and riders.
The Cost: $400 per person or rent the whole cat (12 seats) for $4,400
The Classic Run: The Road to Utah
Contact: 719-486-6266; vailsnowcat.com
Monarch
The Terrain: You won’t find low-angle terrain and guides who are obssesive about carefully farming powder here. The Monarch Snowcat Tour experience gives you your money’s worth in true expert terrain and powder-stash tree skiing.
The Cost: The cat is a good deal at $275 per person in the high season and $210 early and late in the year. Rent the whole cat for $3,000 or $2,300 in the side seasons.
The Classic Run: The Dog Chutes
Contact: 888-996-7669 x 5102; skimonarch.com
Steamboat
The Terrain: The area surrounding Buffalo Pass claims some of the best snow in the state and Steamboat Powder Cats puts you out into 10,000 acres of the deep stuff according to your ability level—the operation rates its terrain and trips as Level 1, 2 and 3.
The Cost: $450 in the high season or $4,500 to rent out the whole cat
The Classic Run: Soda Mountain
Contact: 800-288-0543; steamboatpowdercats.com
Keystone
The Terrain: You don’t often think of Keystone for big-mountain terrain, but the Keystone Adventure Tours snowcat takes you to the wonders of neighboring Independence Bowl, a massive area full of untracked lines, chutes, open slopes and trees.
The Cost: At $240 per person the cat costs less than skiing three days at the area. $2,640 for 12.
The Classic Run: Two If By Sea
Contact: 970-496-4386; keystoneresort.com
Chicago Ridge
The Terrain: Ski Cooper’s cat operation gets you out to the top of the Continental divide and down into 2,460 acres of trees and high, dry pow stashes.
The Cost: $275 per person, $2,800 full cat
The Classic Run: Sawmill Glades
Contact: 800-707-6114; skicooper.com
