Retallack
Retallack Cat Skiing, BC Canada
Are you addicted to skiing powder? Do you hate the sight of egg shell carton shaped ski runs? Thankfully at Retallack Cat Skiing there are no moguls to be found, just plenty of the awesome fresh powder that you’re obsessed with. Throw in loads of fun and steep tree skiing, and you’ve got one great cat ski operation.
Where is Retallack Cat Skiing Located?
Retallack is located in the Selkirk Mountains of BC Canada between the towns of Kaslo and New Denver, approximately 90km north of Nelson. A snowcat or helicopter is not required to get to Retallack Lodge - you can drive there on a well maintained highway.
Gateway airports include Castlegar (“Cancelgar”) which is about 2 hours away, or Spokane in Washington which is about a 5 hour drive. Whilst it’s not the easiest place to get to, the remote location is part of the appeal of cat skiing at Retallack.
Cat Ski Packages
Retallack offers cat ski packages that range from two to seven days in duration (or you can stay as long as you like so long as you’ve got the budget to support your powder addiction!). Accommodation is provided at Retallack Lodge which has rooms with a private bathroom. The lodge has plenty of areas for socialisation or relaxation, depending on what takes your fancy. Join the merriment in the bar, make the most of your competitive streak in the games rooms, retreat to the quiet lounge, soak in the hot tub, or enjoy a massage. It’s all good!
As a guide to rates, a 3 day package in high season costs $2,320 (2009-10 rate) which includes accommodation, 4 meals a day (including après food), the guided cat skiing, and use of an avalanche transceiver.
Retallack also offers day cat skiing on a standby arrangement. The cost is $315 per day in peak season (2009-10 rate).
Snow and Terrain
The reputation of the gnarly terrain and steep tree skiing at Retallack is well known amongst really strong skiers. Retallack cat skiing is definitely not for the un-fit, intermediate riders, or wimps! They normally cover 8 to 15 runs a day with an average run length of 600 metres of vertical. One of the great things about the terrain is that most of the runs consist of fall line skiing with a consistent steep pitch. There are no mellow run-outs to get to the snowcat.
Retallack receives between 7 and 13 metres of snowfall per season. The powder is often beautifully dry talcum powder – the stuff that just blows over your shoulders. And considering that a lot of the terrain is in the trees, the quality of the powder is well retained, and with 3,800 hectares of terrain there is enough room to provide plenty of fresh tracks.
More Reasons to Cat Ski with Retallack
In addition to a high emphasis on safety and challenging terrain, Retallack has a culture that is incredibly fun. The operation attracts people from a range of ages, but they have in common a sense of adventure and exuberance. It’s not surprising that this is a very popular cat skiing operation which is booked out at times.
The Powderhounds checked out Retallack in January 2010 – review coming soon. In the meantime check out the Retallack website for more information and bookings.
BTW “Retallack” is pronounced such that it rhymes with “metallic”.