When skiers think about planning a cat skiing trip, snowfall is usually one of the first things they consider. How much snow does an operation get? How deep is the base? How often does it snow?
But there’s another part of the equation that matters just as much: what happens to that snow after it falls.
In Northern British Columbia, colder winter temperatures can help protect the snowpack from warming and mid-winter thaws, preserving snow quality between storms. And at Skeena, our northern location gives us a measurable advantage.
The Northern Advantage
Skeena Cat Skiing operates deep in the mountains of Northern BC, near the historic town of Smithers.
It’s a location that feels distinctly different from the more southerly ski regions of the province. Winters are colder, the mountains are remote, and the combination of northern latitude, elevation and Pacific weather systems creates the conditions we’re fortunate enough to ski each season.
But just how different are those temperatures?
Looking at 10 years of historical climate data across BC cat skiing destinations, Skeena averaged approximately 3.5°C colder than the competitive average when temperatures were compared at the same 1,600-metre elevation.
That’s a significant difference when you’re talking about winter snow.
It’s Not Just About How Much Snow Falls
Big storms get a lot of attention — understandably. There aren’t many things skiers love more than seeing snow pile up overnight. But snowfall totals only tell part of the story.
Once snow is on the ground, temperature plays an important role in what happens next. Extended periods above freezing can introduce moisture into the snowpack and contribute to melt-freeze cycles. Colder conditions can help preserve the snow between storms.
That’s where Skeena’s northern location becomes particularly interesting.
Over the same 10-year period, the data showed Skeena experiencing an average of approximately 5.3 winter thaw days, compared with approximately 20.3 days across the competitive set.
That’s roughly 74% fewer thaw days. For skiers, the significance isn’t simply that it’s colder. It’s that fewer warming events can help protect the snow that’s already there.
Elevation Isn’t the Whole Story
There’s a tendency in skiing to associate higher elevation with better or colder conditions. Elevation certainly matters, but latitude does too. The farther north you travel, the lower the treeline becomes.
At Skeena’s latitude, this means we can access the kind of alpine and subalpine terrain skiers seek out without relying solely on exceptionally high elevations. Our terrain extends from sheltered tree skiing to expansive alpine zones, giving guides options as weather and snow conditions change.
And with the addition of new terrain in the Thomlinson Range, Skeena now offers approximately 40% more skiable terrain, giving our guiding team even greater flexibility to find the best conditions on any given day.
Going North Is Part of the Experience
Of course, there’s more to skiing in Northern BC than temperature data. There’s something different about travelling farther north.
The towns get smaller. The roads get quieter. The mountains feel bigger. By the time you arrive at Skeena BaseCamp, you’re a long way from lift lines and resort villages. And that’s part of what cat skiing here is about.
You come north for the terrain, the powder and the experience of skiing somewhere that still feels genuinely remote.
The colder temperatures? Those are one more reason the journey north can be worth it.
Want to know how we arrived at the numbers? In our next story, The Science Behind Skeena’s Snow, we’ll take a closer look at 10 years of climate data, elevation-adjusted temperature comparisons and what fewer thaw days can mean for the snowpack.
