NW Kids: Extreme Skiing with ‘Tweens and Teens
Adventures on Cat-Accessed Terrain
Story and Photos by Amy Whitley
Photo at right: Cat Ski Mt. Bailey in Southern Oregon takes up to 12 skiers at a time on day excursions.
Resort in-boundary skiing kept my three boys happy enough…for a while. Now that two of my three sons are teens however, groomed runs just aren’t cutting it anymore.
I decided it was time to man up (or “mom up,” perhaps?) and tackle cat-accessed terrain. Kids keep you young, right?
Our first trip out-of-bounds, I focused too much worry toward my teens and not enough on myself. After making my first turn of my first run, I looked uphill to see how everyone else fared and fell flat on my face.
Several long, peaceful tracks later, I found my groove.
Pacific Northwest skiers don’t have to travel far to find excellent off-piste terrain, but before you head out to buy an avalanche transceiver and shovel, try one of the following controlled, guided backcountry cat-skiing offerings—you’ll learn the basics from Northwest skiing experts.
Cascade Powder Cats
Stevens Pass, Leavenworth, Washington
These guys are the real deal. Committed to leaving a light carbon footprint on the environment, Cascade Powder Cats takes limited runs on its own terrain in the Stevens Pass region.
Skiers can book a day excursion, take a backcountry ski course (recommended for anyone with teens aiming to explore backcountry as they get older) or even overnight in a backcountry yurt.
Cat Ski Mt. Bailey
Diamond Lake, Oregon
On Mt. Bailey, skiers skip resort amenities and go straight for the powder.
Snowcat Resort Skiing
Families can make a weekend out of it with a stay at the lake resort or daytrip to Crater Lake National Park.
Brundage Mountain
McCall, Idaho
Brundage Mountain, 100 miles north of Boise, gives families the best of both worlds: in-bounds expert terrain that challenges, paired with resort-operated cat ski tours departing into the Payette National Forest with licensed guides.
Off-piste
Backcountry skiers in the U.S. use the more trendy European term, off-piste, to describe their out of area skiing. Whatever the name you impart to skiing on unmarked or unpatrolled areas, either inside or outside of a snow resort’s boundaries, families with teens need to consider the following—whether they’re with a cat-skiing operation or via hike or gate-accessed routes:
• Always observe local ski-resort boundary regulations. If skiing out-of-bounds, register at a backcountry office or let someone know your location.
• Never ski off-piste solo, and never allow kids to do so.
• Learn how to use the backcountry equipment you carry, such as avalanche kits or beacons. Take a course at your local outdoors store or ski shop.
• Know your ski level and your teens’ level and ability. Skiers or riders booking cat-ski adventures should parallel ski (in-line) and be able to ski all, or almost all, in-bounds runs through the Black Diamond level.
• Remember to hydrate while skiing backcountry, and bring extra dry clothing. A good ski pack is a must.
Amy Whitley of Medford, Ore., writes about her family adventures in NW Kids every edition in OutdoorsNW.
Miss a column? Log onto www.OutdoorsNW.com and search NW Kids. You can follow more of Amy’s adventures at www.PitStopsforKids.com
