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Am I ready
for snowcat skiing in deep powder?
If you are a strong intermediate skier or boarder, able to ski with
confidence on blue (red in Europe) runs at ski resorts in varying
snow conditions (not necessarily powder), you are then ready for
snowcat skiing. You should have been skiing actively for several
consecutive years. Backcountry snowcat skiing is not recommended
for beginner skiers. First-time snowcat skiers are urged to sign
up for our Level I – Intermediate snowcat, where your guides
will be giving you as much assistance with gear, instruction and
picking you up out of the snow as necessary.
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What is the skiing like?
Our permitted terrain receives snowfall depths in the 500-inch range
every year, so you can expect to ski in deep powder from late December
to the end of March. In April the snow is mostly spring corn with
intermittent but massive storms. Runs vary in length from 600 to
1,600 vertical feet and in steepness between 20 and 45 degrees.
Skiing is done on open snowfields and in our world famous trees.
On stormy days the skiing generally takes place in the trees because
the visibility is much better.
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How many runs can I expect
to make in a day of snowcat skiing?
The number of runs you can expect to ski depends on the ability
level at which you ski. Intermediates can expect to make 8-12 runs,
while Experts generally make between 11 and 19 runs per day.
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Can I bring my own skis?
We recommend using our specialty powder skis and snowboards. We
make this equipment available to you because it is the right tool
for the job. Unless you own your own powder boards, your skis undoubtedly
perform very well in the conditions typically found at ski resorts,
however, in deep powder conditions our specialty skis and boards
will outperform any other gear. If you prefer to bring your own
equipment, we strongly encourage you to at least try our equipment
in order to judge the difference for yourself.
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Are snowboarders welcome?
Yes. The use of the word skiing is all-inclusive and alpine skiers,
telemark skiers, mono skiers and snowboarders are welcome. We predominantly
use the word skiing in its communication materials because "alpine,
telemark, or mono skiing and snowboarding" gets old pretty
quickly.
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How big is the group I will
ski with?
Our Bombardier snowcats have a 12-person passenger capacity, so
you can expect to ski with eleven other people.
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How do you divide people into
groups?
During the reservation process, we will be asking you several questions
regarding you and your group’s powder skiing ability. We ask
that when you make reservations as a group, you join the group that
ski and rides at the lowest ability level of your group so that
there will be no issues when we are in the cat. It is made very
clear that if someone overstates his or her ability level, our guides
will restrict that person from skiing for the entire day without
any kind of refund. So please be very attentive to this special
feature because no one wants to sit in the cat when the skiing and
riding is as good as it gets.
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What is the weather typically
like?
Colorado is known for its relatively mild winters. Temperatures
early in the morning are often around 10 degrees Fahrenheit (-12
degrees Celsius), while average daytime temperatures will be around
22 degrees Fahrenheit (-5 degrees Celsius).
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What happens if there is a
storm on the day of my trip?
Unlike helicopters, snowcats can operate in any weather. Some of
the very best skiing is done on the stormiest days when your tracks
are completely gone by the time you get back to the top of each
run. When it is foggy, windy or stormy outside, your guides will
do their best to find sheltered terrain that will allow you to continue
to enjoy the skiing throughout the day.
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What is the best time to come
snowcat skiing?
Steamboat Powdercats ski season begins in late December. By this
time, most regular ski areas have already been open for a few weeks.
The reason that we wait this long to begin our season is to be sure
that a sufficient amount of snow has fallen to offer you the powder
you are expecting. Steamboat's famous light, deep powder generally
continues to fall through the end of March. Spring skiing offers
a variety of snow conditions ranging from corn snow on south facing
slopes to powder on north facing slopes. In springtime, the days
are long and the temperatures are warmer, generally allowing for
more skiing than other times during the season. During April, we
ski primarily at the higher elevations and on north facing slopes.
To experienced snowcat skiers, corn snow is a precious commodity
that offers its own set of attractions. Unlike "spring slush,"
it is the most effortless of the various conditions you will encounter
at other times of the year.
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How should I dress for my day
of snowcat skiing?
Dress as you would for a full day of skiing at a ski resort. Wearing
several layers of insulating garments underneath a shell gives you
the freedom to adjust your clothes to changing weather conditions.
One-piece ski suits are a good choice for powder skiing if you have
one.
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What should I bring for my
day of powder skiing?
We will provide you with skis or a snowboard, but you should bring
your boots and poles. In addition we will supply you with an avalanche
beacon (you may not bring your own), and a small backpack containing
a shovel, an avalanche probe, a bottle of spring water and an energy
bar. You should bring sunscreen, goggles and sunglasses. Wearing
a helmet is not a bad idea and you should consider purchasing one
prior to your next ski vacation. As storage space in the snowcats
is extremely limited, we ask you not to bring your own backpacks
and to store any additional items in the office.
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Are there restroom facilities?
We have restrooms in our office at the base of the Steamboat Ski
Area. In addition, a heated restroom is available at our mid-mountain
cabin during lunch.
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Are there any age restrictions?
Yes. We can only accept skiers (or snowboarders) who are at least
12 years old. With young people it is typically not their skiing
ability that restricts them from being able to ski with us, but
their inability to comprehend fully the degree of risk that is involved
in backcountry snowcat skiing. Furthermore, their ability to assist
guides in case of an emergency is generally severely limited. With
private cats, we do make exceptions with regards to age limits,
depending on the child of course.
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Do you offer photography or
videography services on your trips?
Yes. We have a photographer in our skiing terrain every day. He
will get several action shots of every guest and is available during
lunch for portraits and other snapshots. Photographs will be ready
for your approval by the time you return to our office in the afternoon.
On request, we can also produce a video of your powder skiing adventure,
a service that is very popular with private and corporate groups.
In order to ensure availability of this service, please indicate
your interest at the time of booking.
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What should I do if I require
a special diet for medical reasons?
If you have special dietary requirements, please indicate at the
time of booking what your dietary needs will be. Our caterer will
make every effort to accommodate your needs.
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How can I have someone contact
me while I am skiing?
If you need to be contacted during your day of skiing, the office
can relay messages to you via your guide's radio. This communication
channel is for emergency use only and offers no privacy. Cellular
telephones do not work reliably in our terrain.
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Does Steamboat Powdercats have
a minimum guest policy?
Yes. Please realize that for our cats to operate, we require a five
person minimum. When making a reservation as an individual or a
group of less than five, if we do not reach the five person minimum
prior to your scheduled day, we may have to switch your day, merge
you into another cat or refund your moneys. Please review our real
time calendar of availability on this site or contact us prior to
your trip to see if there are going to be any difficulties in reaching
this minimum requirement.
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What is the payment procedure
when making reservations as a group?
When making a reservation for 2 or more people, we require that
the group leader pay for all those whom he or she is making the
reservation for. If the group leader is not interested in paying
the 50% deposit and the final payment for those in the group, then
the group leader needs to have all other interested parties contact
our reservation team and initiate the reservations on their own.
Group leaders may also coordinate credit cards for others in the
party and provide those for our reservation team at the time of
booking.
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What is your cancellation and
refund policy?
At the time of booking we require a 50% non refundable deposit. Final
payment is required 72-hours prior to your trip. If you cancel your
reservation outside of 72-hours you will forfeit the deposit. If
you cancel within 72-hours, you will lose the entire trip cost.
Due to this strict policy, we urge you to purchase
activity insurance, available for 10% of the activity cost, to protect
the investment you have made into your powder skiing adventure.
Our activity insurance is good for all reasons except for Mother
Nature, up to 72-hours prior to your trip. Within 72-hours, this
insurance will only allow you to cancel for a medical emergency.
A doctor's note will be required for all medical emergencies.
Please understand our strict cancellation policy
and respect our mutual commitment. We are reserving seats on our
snowcats for you and your group, turning away potential guests on
the day of your reservation, and you are coming on your selected
day.
You can only pick up the insurance within 24-hrs of making the reservation.
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What happens if a snowcat breaks has mechanical
problems during my trip?
If a mechanical breakdown occurs to one of our
snowcats during your trip, no refund is guaranteed. Every situation
is different and will be addressed accordingly.
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How do gratuities work?
Gratuities are accepted in the guiding industry,
including our snowcat skiing world. In general, a 10 - 20% gratuity
is appreciated, similar to any service related industry. Guides
work very hard to make sure your day is as perfect as it can be
and gratuities allow them to know that you've enjoyed the trip.
The guides will pool their tips, so by giving one of them a gratuity
at the end of the day, you'll know that all of your guides, lunch
staff and photographer will be included. Thanks for your understanding.
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