Skied 11 days with Selkirk powder this season and all were good / I would highly recommend Selkirk for anyone who loves backcountry skiing
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Many USA cat skiing operations that are attached to a ski resort are a bit ho-hum, but Selkirk Powder isn’t one of them - it’s one of the best snowcat outfits in the US. Akin to other USA cat skiing, Selkirk Powder isn’t in the same league as those high profile BC cat skiing operators that have luxury backcountry lodges, highly regulated safety procedures, and massive terrain, yet SPC still offers plenty of fun at a fraction of the investment.

Pros
- The location behind Schweitzer Ski Resort is ideal so that your vacation can combine cat skiing with resort skiing (and heli skiing).
- The easy access to the Selkirk Powder cat skiing terrain is a huge bonus. Rather than a long snowcat ride, it’s just a quick trip via a chairlift to get to the top of the first run.
- The speed of the day and the cat skiing terrain are marvellous for strong intermediate and advanced skiers and boarders.
- The guides know the area and any potential terrain hazards like the back of their hand.
- The snowcat cabin layout makes for a very social day.

Cons
- The terrain size is reasonable but not large, and we had plenty of fresh along with a good dose of tracked snow.

Pro or Con Depending On Your Perspective
- There’s minimal true expert terrain.
- Powder hungry skiers and snowboarders looking to score maximum vertical may not get their fill.

You can see our full Selkirk Powder Cat Skiing review for more information and also see our cat skiing ratings to see how it compares.
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My trip with Selkirk Powder Company in late February 2016 was my first cat ski adventure and was instantly one of my favorite experiences in my 25 years of skiing.

I was initially nervous (remember, first timer), but our guide, Ken, was outstanding and quickly put me at ease. He was full of energy ("right on!"), excited to introduce us to his mountains. He knew a ton about the area; in addition to providing helpful guidance about what to expect with the terrain ahead, he also gave us historical and geographical lessons - it's cool to learn about the area you're skiing. He really could not have been nicer or more encouraging.

The rest of the crew was great, too. Our booking and check-in experience was very smooth. The snacks and lunch they provided were tasty. And our cat driver was chill and safely/quickly transported us from the end of our runs up to various drop in points.

We had a beautiful bluebird day, so the views were terrific. Even though it had been a few days since the last snow, we had plenty of opportunity to lay down fresh tracks. Ken was great about tailoring the trip to his clients' skill level and interests.

This quote from Ken really summed up the attitude with which we attacked the day: "It's a big wide world, let's all go grab a slice of it and have a good time."
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I have skied with Selkirk Powder Company numerous times and it is consistently the best off piste skiing experience you can count on. They are friendly, happy to show off their vast terrain; they feed you (piping hot pizza if you want it) too! The logistics are the best I've experienced, you get your beacon and training in the main Lodge (Schweitzer Mountain Resort), jump on the Great Escape Quad zooming to the top of the Resort, then after counting heads and testing beacons you get to go through Selkirk Powder Company Gates onto the untouched shaded and gladed backside of the resort. Normally off piste, it's now yours, and just a few of your friends. This is a wonderful opportunity to see what all the fuss is about getting first tracks all day long, with no lines, no hurries and no worries. You will love this if it's your first experience in the back country, or one in a long list of great places to make deep turns. I'm booked for this year, watching videos from past trips, already excited for what will surely be another Great Trip with Selkirk Powder Company!
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SPC offers a complete backcountry experience. Access is super easy -- no long ride in on a bumpy cat road, just a quick ride up Schweitzer Mountain Resort's Great Escape high speed quad. At the top, you meet your guide and the day begins, ducking through a backcountry gate into SPC's vast acreage.

SPC'S terrain is primarily forested glades, both densely wooded and thinly wooded. While not offering any super steep terrain, SPC makes up for it with tremendously fun terrain, a virtual natural terrain park. There are no long traverses and boarders and skiers alike may have a pleasurable experience.

Guides are very familiar with the terrain and maximize the experience. The guides are enthusiastic backcountry riders and enhance the riding. As is true with all cat skiing operations, a group of good skiers will beat the cat down.

In six consecutive years of visits, snow quality has been consistently excellent. The guides are proficient at maximizing the fresh snow. Even after a week of no new snow, plenty of untracked can be found.

Insider tip: have the hot, pizza lunch delivered by skier to the snow cat for consumption on the ride back up. No wasted time, one more run in SPC's delicious powder!!


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Selkirk Powder Company is up there as one of the best cat skiing outfits in the USA. If you’re trying to decide on your next ski vacation destination in the US, I’d head to Schweitzer just so that you can go cat skiing!

Like other USA cat skiing operations, it’s not in the same league as most of the Canada cat skiing companies with regards to terrain size, run length and safety regulations, but it’s still a pretty remarkable experience.

We had such a great day out cat skiing with Selkirk Powder. None of the terrain was particularly challenging and the snow was delightfully silky, so it was fabulous for a relatively cruisy experience and a lot of fun.

Major pros of Selkirk Powder include: the guides know the terrain and all its intricacies really well; tree skiing with lots of variety in tree spacing; and fast easy access to the cat skiing terrain.

For more detail, see our Selkirk Powder Company review and our heli and cat ski ratings.





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