The Experience

At Skeena Cat Skiing, our #1 priority is your safety. We developed a comprehensive safety program and have put together a team of guides made up of some of the top and most influential professionals in the avalanche industry. All of our guides are members of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) or Canadian Ski Guide Association (CSGA), as well as the Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA), and many have been guiding for 20-plus years.

The most important factor in risk avoidance is planning and preparation and we have developed our safety program with this in mind. Skeena Cat Skiing is also a member of HeliCat Canada, ensuring that we meet a comprehensive set of operating guidelines. During your holiday you will be provided with an avalanche transceiver and a small avalanche airbag backpack. Inside the backpack will be a shovel and probe. On the first morning of your trip you will take part in a companion rescue training session.

Skeena has policies and practices in place that focus on reducing risks, but it is important that guests understand that wilderness activities involve risks, dangers and hazards. All guests are required to have read and agree to the Release of Liability and Waiver of Claims prior to Skeena Cat Skiing processing payment for your trip. Please click here to download the Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims, Assumption of Risks and Indemnity Agreement (“Release Agreement”)(English).

Skeena Cat Skiing has one of the largest tenures providing endless terrain to explore! Our terrain which is constantly being expanded offers a diverse range of runs, ensuring every skier can find their perfect adventure.

We offer a diverse range of challenging terrain alongside endless intermediate options. With more than 50 runs available, we’ve only begun to explore the possibilities. Skeena has opened up North Gail, Daddy Cool, and Babylon. While we have explored these areas in the past, we’ve now opened them up. We have also tripled the size of the South Park area this year and we will continue to open up more terrain. Endless wide-open bowls to explore, fresh tracks with the signature fluffy powder of the north. The experience and access we will be able to provide will be simply unbeatable.

From open alpine bowls to naturally gladed treed runs and everything in between, the following stats outline what we have to offer.

• Coordinates: 55°29’00.0″N 127°16’00.0″W
• Highest Elevation:  2,000 meters (7,000 feet).  Treeline is at around 1500 meters in the Skeena Mountains.
• Run Lengths: 300 meters to 600 vertical meters (1,000-2000 feet)
• Average Daily Runs: 10 to 15
• Average Daily Vertical: 3,600 meters to 4,600 meters (12,000 feet to 18,000 feet)

A ski holiday at Skeena will involve ski runs in wide-open alpine, and terrain below the tree line. The treed terrain is necessary for the cloudy and snowy days, as the trees create the visibility needed in a white-out. On clear days, we are up in the big alpine bowls and wide-open meadows, with unbeatable views. This terrain and snow is where Skeena really stands out as a truly unique experience.

Skeena Cat Skiing acknowledges and gives thanks to the Gitxsan Nation for allowing us to operate on their unceded traditional territories. We recognize and honour the Gitxsan peoples’ land rights and title, and are appreciative of all those fighting to protect the land, resources, and environment.

Skeena’s ski tenure is located 80km (50 miles) directly north of Smithers, BC, and approximately 200km from the Alaskan panhandle border. The tenured area is over 30,000 hectares — one of the largest in BC! This area has long been known by local loggers and powderhounds as a crazy snow belt. Here is where the warm, moist Pacific air collides with the cold, dry air from the interior creating huge dumps of perfect powder snow. The local mountains further enhance the accumulation. If it’s snowing anywhere in BC, it’s most likely snowing at Skeena Cat Skiing!

All of this is accessible in a short and affordable trip from Vancouver! No matter where you live, you can fly via Vancouver on a short 1.5 hour flight to either Terrace or Smithers to start your Skeena Cat Skiing adventure.

• Guests will be transported to Suskwa Staging Area in New Hazelton, BC by helicopter staging area by bus and to Base Camp by helicopter. The cost for the helicopter transfer is $450 (roundtrip) and is NOT included in your Skeena adventure cost. You will be invoiced separately for the helicopter and payment will be due prior to your travel dates.
• If weather prevents us from flying one or both ways, we will arrange travel to and/or from the Base Camp as required, by bus and snowcat. (at no cost).
• Flights home should be booked for the day following the last day of skiing to ensure connections are made.

Ski touring at Skeena is about slowing things down and experiencing the terrain in a different way. Away from the cat, the pace is quieter and more immersive. Guests can expect to climb through remote northern terrain, following the best snow and conditions of the day, and earning each descent with an experienced guide.

In mid-winter, cold temperatures and deep, dry snow create a classic northern touring experience. Routes are chosen day by day, giving guests the chance to explore Skeena’s backcountry when the mountains are at their quietest.

Later in the season, longer days open up another way to experience the terrain through our Cat-Assisted Ski Touring Program. Guests are dropped off in the morning at a high peak or ridge, and then two cat rides in late afternoon on the way home to Base Camp.  The integrity of a  quiet ski touring day remains the theme of the experience, but with 3 extra ski runs in the snowcat – which means approximately  3000-4000 (900-1200 meters) extra vertical feet of downhill skiing each day.  The long days of late March in Northern BC is an excellent time of year to enjoy cat assisted ski touring.

Whether you join us in the heart of winter or for late-season cat-assisted touring, the focus stays the same: good snow, remote terrain, small groups and long days in the mountains.

View Calendar for Ski Touring Dates

At Skeena, we operate with Pisten Bully (PB), Prinoth, and Bombardier snowcats. We have two big red PB 600’s as our main group cats, one Prinoth 350 for road building, two BR 275’s and one older BR 400.  Only two group cats go skiing each day, so in the event of a cat breakdown, we have plenty of backup snowcats to keep guests skiing while repairs are made.

Pisten Bully snowcats are made in Germany and are like German cars: Great performers, fun to drive, but expensive to repair. The closed profile track grousers allow these machines to climb well, and they are fast (well, fast for a snowcat!). Our 2 main cats are mid-hour machines and with their enormous engines are the kings of the snowcat industry. Some of the snowcat photos on this website show the older Bombardier snowcats.   Please know that we now use the faster, newer and smoother Pisten Bullies.

Another great quality of these machines is their suspension system. When you spend a few hours a day with the cat, this becomes a very important factor. It makes it much quieter in the back and easier to talk about how great your last run was.

The engine in the PB600 is a 400 HP Mercedes diesel with 1900 ft-lbs of torque,  in the PR 350 we have the 350 Horsepower cat engine. This is more than adequate power to get groups quickly to the tops of the runs. They aren’t racing machines, but they can sure climb.

Our mechanic spends evenings checking over the snowcats and doing any repairs and services that may be needed. In the off-season, we do a comprehensive summer service to all the snowcats. This proactive maintenance work minimizes breakdowns during the winter. If you are the sort of person who is interested in machinery, during your ski holiday don’t hesitate to talk to Jevon about cats and machinery.

To find out more details on these snowcats, you can go to the PistenBully website and the Prinoth website: Snow Groomers Prinoth Corporate Groomers.

Skeena Cat Skiing Base Camp is positioned at approximately 1,500 meters (5000 feet), halfway up the Gail Ridge ski area. The trees and land formations provide sufficient shelter for the camp, and the nearby glacial stream provides the camp with water and power generation that supplies electricity to the entire camp.

Our Base Camp consists of a very large main lodge hut warm insulated 12’ x 12’ bedroom Quonset Huts, a drying hut and the shower house. Most guests will share a hut with a friend, but there are several single-bedroom tents that are allotted to solo travelers and other guests on a first-come-first-served basis.

• The main lodge hut features the kitchen, dining, and lounging areas, along with ambient lighting throughout the camp. We’ve also enhanced comfort at the Base Camp with a new propane furnace and an upgraded wood-burning fireplace.
• The drying hut provides a heated room to dry out your boots, gloves and outdoor apparel.
• The heated bedroom huts each have two single beds or one queen with comfortable mattresses, warm bedding, fluffy pillows, a coat rack, night table, lamp, electrical outlets, and a porta-potty toilet.
• The shower house has shower stalls, sinks and flush toilets. We supply towels, shampoo, conditioner, and soap.
• We’ve also added a new sauna to our Base Camp facilities, providing a perfect way to unwind and relax after a day on the slopes.

All of our meals are prepared on-site from scratch by our talented chefs, using organic ingredients, locally grown meat, and seafood sourced from local First Nations. The breakfast buffet includes homemade apple and cinnamon oat porridge, yogurt, granola, and fruit and a hot breakfast. Lunches are made fresh every morning. We do not have a scheduled stop for lunch on ski days, guests eat and snack in the cat cab between runs. Upon returning to Base Camp after your day of skiing, hors d’oeuvres are served in the main lodge tent. Around 7 pm, a three or four-course plated dinner is served, featuring soup or salad, an entree, and dessert. Bar snacks are available during the evening. Non-alcoholic beverages are included. 

Our Skeena Cat Skiing Guest Booklet has everything you need to plan your Skeena adventure with ease. From travel logistics and what to pack, to what to expect at basecamp, it’s your go-to resource for a smooth and unforgettable stay.