Doglotion.com - Freeskiing Community - cat skiing

Free Catskiing in BC - Name That Line Contest

J Dogg — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:37:33 -0500

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After writing about our epic cat skiing weekend up at Backcountry Snowcats, it's only fair we let you in on how to score your own FREE weekend up there, with their recently launched 'Name That Line' contest.

Just 2 years young, Backcountry Snowcats, located on the Hurley Pass north of Pemberton and south of the cult-classic snowmobiling hub of Bralorne, has more epic ski & snowboard terrain than they know what to do with. New cat roads and new lines are prepped every year, this year being no exception. With over 15,000 acres of alpine bowls, chutes, powdery pillows, glades, and burnt-tree badlands to explore in Backcountry Snowcats' tenure, they haven't gotten around to naming everything let alone riding it all.

They want your help, and you want a free cat skiing trip. Sound like a fair trade?

Enter the contest and come up with a name for one of the new lines, and if your line name is chosen, you win a weekend at Backcountry Snowcats to shred your new line, and many, many others. First explore www.snowcats.ca to learn about the zone and the company, then come up with a name that best suites this unnamed line. It's that easy.

Someone is going to score a weekend worth $898 CAD, with 2 nights at the Hurley Mountain Lodge, snowmobile or Snow Cat rides to and from Pemberton, 2 days cat skiing/riding, and hearty catered meals during your stay.

The unnamed line is one of several mouth-watering, feature-filled, powdery, 3000 ft lines in the North Ridge zone. Topping out at 2300m with views of Bralorne 20km away, it drops for a 1000m (3300ft) descent of epic skiing and riding. Weave the glades, slash the gully walls, or just point it down the center. If this line doesn’t get your heart pumping, you’re already dead.

Come up with a clever name that's as unique as the terrain, and if it’s chosen, you win a cat skiing trip. If you don't win, go anyways. You won’t regret it.

A close up look at the top of the line.

Dogs Chasing Snowcats - In Too Much Snow

J Dogg — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 11:12:22 -0500

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Is there such thing as too much snow? Unlikely, but we went to find out, and oh what a weekend it was. With a big juicy storm in the forecast, the Doglotion/VentureWeb crew packed our bags and headed up to visit our friends at Backcountry Snowcats, an awesome new(ish) cat skiing and riding operation just north of Whistler up on the Hurley Pass towards Bralorne. Owners Reg & Kathy Milne put blood, sweat, and tears into securing the tenure for the area, and these past 2 winters it's been paying off... in snow and good times.

With 15,000 acres all to themselves, and a retarded amount of new snow, things were looking good for us. Really good.

The weekend ruled before we even got to the lodge! Meeting at the base of the Hurley Pass road we were given a quiver of snowmobiles to bomb up the road in over a foot of fresh, at night. 3rd time riding a sled and mad faceshots were there for the taking anytime you drifted off the track.

Then out of nowhere came the lights from the Hurley Mountain lodge, where our warm beds and dinner venue were waiting.

With a ridiculous amount of new snow already out there and more overnight, it wasn't hard to wake anyone up in the morning. After a good feed we did the usual avalanche beacon practice, then hopped in the cat and went 'plowing'. You know it's going to be a deep weekend of skiing when the snowcat itself is getting faceshots...

With a high avi danger and deep roads to be plowed, we faired pretty good on day one, bagging some awesome runs through the burnt badlands trees and mid mountain gulleys.

But then came day two! Better stability, sun peeking out of the clouds and Kath's hard morning work of pre-plowing the roads before breakfast all paid off. Talk about good service.

We covered a bunch of different zones, every run better than the last, with glades, pillows, gulleys, chutes, small bowls, you name it. Oh and pow. Lots of it. No sign of a hardpack base no matter how deep you sunk... bringing true meaning to 'bottomless' pow.

With about 13,000 feet of vert for the day we wrapped it up before dark, super stoked on how much shredding we got on one of the shortest days of the year. With permagrins on everyone faces, we packed up to head for home, with amazing hospitality, good grub, and ridiculous ski memories all drifting through our heads.

The only consoling thought as the trip ended and we sledded back down to Pemberton, was of course... it's only going to be better when we come back in the spring. We'll be back, again, and again, until the snow dries up around the world and ski games on Ninetendo Wii is all we're left with. Until then, we, and you, should be making an annual pilgrimage to Backcountry Snowcats.

DETAILS

Location: Up on the Hurley Pass, just north of Pemberton
Getting There: Trips meet in Pemberton, just 2.5 hrs from Vancouver. It doesn't get any closer than that for a destination catskiing trip. From the meadows road in Pemberton, the snowmobile ride up the pass is a total bonus.

Price: What you get at a weekend with Backcountry Snowcats is a ridiculous bargain. Awesome value. Catskiing package details.
More Info: Check them out at www.snowcats.ca or 1-888-146-1111.

Cat Skiing Vacation North of Whistler

J Dogg — Mon, 1 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

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With 15,000 acres all to themselves, and a retarded amount of new snow, things were looking good for us. Really good.

Then out of nowhere came the lights from the Hurley Mountain lodge, where our warm beds and dinner venue were waiting.

With a high avi danger and deep roads to be plowed, we faired pretty good on day one, bagging some awesome runs through the burnt badlands trees and mid mountain gulleys.

But then came day two! Better stability, sun peeking out of the clouds and Kath's hard morning work of pre-plowing the roads before breakfast all paid off. Talk about good service.