Chatter Creek

Chatter Creek is one of Western Canada’s largest and most spectacular cat and heli skiing destinations!

 

The cat skiing terrain at Chatter Creek comprises of 238 square kilometres of mountain terrain that extends from 1500m (5,000 feet) elevation to almost 3000m (10,000 feet). That is equivalent to 92 square miles and is in excess of 58,000 acres.

 

Chatter Creek’s Rockies’ location enjoys a unique air mass, which produces some of the lightest, driest powder snow in the world. Our varied terrain encompasses a mix of tree skiing, vast alpine bowls and spectacular glaciers. The views of the Rockies to the East and the Columbia and Clemenceau ice fields are unparalleled.

 

At any one time, this vast area is shared by no more than 36 skiers and boarders plus their 6 guides. This amazing place, Chatter Creek, is only 3 hours away from Canada’s fourth largest city: Calgary.

 

There are many places to cat board but there is only one Chatter Creek!

Opening Date:	December 2007
Closing Date:	April 2008

Chatter Creek’s cat skiing and cat boarding terrain extends over 238 square kilometers and consists of tree runs, old burns, wide open alpine areas and glacier skiing. Our Vertebrae Glacier is one of the most outstanding glacier skiing experiences in the world! Few cat skiing operations have access to such an incredible wonder! Guests enjoy runs of up to 2500’ of uninterrupted vertical descent while enjoying the most amazing views of the Sullivan fault, the Clemenceau glacier and Mt. Columbia! The turn around times for pick up are extremely fast as the road glides through the glacier, and before you make it to the bottom, our cat operator is ready to take you up for yet another outstanding run. On a beautiful day, to ski the Vertebrae Glacier brings new meaning to the “mountain high” experience!

The guides at Chatter Creek choose where to take our guests based upon snow stability, weather conditions and the ability of the group. We ask that our guests be strong intermediate skiers / boarders or better. Whether you are in the trees or high up in the alpine you can always expect to find lots of untracked powder!

Most of Chatter Creek's ski terrain is between 1500m and 2900m (4900' and 9500') above sea level. This higher elevation ensures that the temperatures remains colder, the snow stays light and dry and is ideal for skiing or snowboarding. You get the snow you want and lots of it!
Ski Terrain Facts:

    * 238 Square Km skiing area
    * Over 50 km's of active snow roads (more being added for this season)
    * 3+ meters of settled snow on average
    * Average daily vertical 10000 - 14000 feet

At Chatter Creek each group of cat skiers and cat boarders is accompanied by two guides. The lead guides are professionally trained and have vast experience in the mountains of British Columbia. All guides undergo a strict education program and time in the field to gain experience to lead guests safely in the mountains.

A guide’s day starts early with the evaluation of weather and snow data. Using this information guides can determine which areas are the best for skiing for that day as it pertains to the snow conditions. Chatter Creek is pleased that all our guides that guided last year are returning this year to Chatter Creek.

Andrew Prosser and Gord Irwin are our lead guides and are ACMG and UIAGM qualified and have been with our company for the past seven years respectively. The rest of the team includes Ken Black, Don Steedman, and Josh Milligan.

At Chatter Creek you have the choice of either Helicopter, Snow Cat or Snowmobile to transport you on your backcountry boarding adventure.

A typical tour at Chatter Creek starts at the airport in Golden BC in the afternoon before the first day of skiing (between 1.30pm and 4pm MST, depending on the time of the year). Alpine Helicopters transports our guests and their gear to and from the lodge, on a first come first serve basis. Our guests enjoy a spectacular flight and 30 minutes later, are greeted by Chatter Creek staff. After a brief orientation, guests can immediately start relaxing in one of our lounges until dinner is served at 6:30pm.

 

The First Day of Skiing
Guests awake at 7am to the smell of our homemade bread, and can enjoy our freshly roasted coffee or gourmet tea in the dining room. Our breakfast buffet can be enjoyed from 7:30. At 8:15, a stretching session is held in our 3rd floor lounge. By 8:45am, guests start the avalanche and safety briefing on how to use avalanche safety equipment and about safety around the snow cat as well as out on the slopes. The snow cats head out at 9:45 AM for a great day of skiing and snowboarding. After each run, skiers and snowboarders can dry off and have a snack and lunch before they fill up with powder and adrenaline again!

In the late afternoon, the snow cats arrive back at the lodge between 4:00 and 4:30. The fun continues: enjoy drinks in the bar, a hot tub, relax with a massage or read a book in a quiet corner.

The Remaining Ski Days
The remaining days of the tour, are like the first, except there is no safety briefing in the morning, so the Cats depart at 9am. On the final day of the tour, guests pack their belongings before going skiing for the day. The snow Cats arrive back at the lodge in the afternoon and guests prepare to fly back to Golden.

• • Chatter Creek
    PO Box 333
    Golden, British Columbia, BC V0A1H0
    
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• • Phone: 250-344-7199
    
  • Fax: 250-344-2229
    
  • Toll Free: 1-877-311-7199
    
  • Email: information@catskiingbc.com