Reviewed by: max vertical, Skier Price Paid: $299.00 at Big Red Cats Summary:
This year my brother-in-law and I took our annual “boys” ski trip to Big Red Cats near Red Mountain
Using our airline points we flew into Castlegar and after a convenient short trip by road to Red we arrived at our home for the week – The Red Shutter Inn.
We had planned to ski at Red Mountain the next day as a warm up but Paula, the VP Most Things and the Boss Lady, convinced us over beer that we should snatch up the opportunity for the two standby seats in the intermediate snow cat the next day. Twist my rubber arm …
Day 1 in the intermediate group was great fun. Every run was fresh tracks in a mixture of trees and open cut blocks. It was great to see that even with the variety of backgrounds and skill levels all the skiers and boarders were having a great time. As much as Red is an awesome hill to ski, it is hard to compare with fresh tracks. Further, Big Red Cat’s ski area is considerably higher in elevation than Red Mountain so the snow was even better than that at Red. With an amazing 18,500 acres of terrain (compare to Whistler/Blackcomb's 8100 acres) for one or two cats of 12 people you could imagine that you very much have the mountain to yourself.
Day 2 and 3 were the days we booked with the advanced group (there is also an expert group that is likely a bit over the top for us). Boy, and we thought day 1 was fun … Days 2 and 3 were truly outstanding. Again, every run was first tracks and, as the guides gained confidence that we could be trusted a bit, the runs becoming more and more interesting. Again, a good mixture of trees and open areas with the runout of most descents having a nice track through a cut block. The steepness was just right to have some good speed through the deep powder. Very quickly one could take for granted the awesome turns in powder that I am used to having to hike to poach just a few turns in.
The routine for Cat Skiing is truly outstanding. Instead of the freeze/thaw cycle of lift served skiing, one dresses correctly for the exertions of powder skiing and then we all collect back at the cat for the ride up the hill. The routine is such that you have an excellent chance to rest the legs a bit, change out kit as required, eat a bit of tasty lunch or a snack (provided) and generally exchange tall tales with like-minded people. I have a strong aversion to being packaged in bus trips but I never felt “herded” during my visit. The pace is just right.
The Red Shutter Inn was just right for my brother-in-law and me: Clean, well organized and inexpensive. If you are looking for luxury you are perhaps in the wrong spot, but for the rest of us, it was just right. The delightful kiwi couple that run the place were the perfect hosts and were a constant source of knowledge on Red Mountain and surrounds. The breakfast was always hearty and an good opportunity to meet like-minded people from all over the world that had traveled from afar to ski with Big Red Cats. The hot tub, situated on a huge deck with views across to Red Mountain, felt good after a day of skiing (check out the photo at Red Shutter Inn website )
Although our stay was far too short, the skiing focused and friendly atmosphere of Rossland was evident. When we hitched into town to get beer, the driver volunteered to then wait and then drive us back to Red even though it was 180 degrees out of his way. Truly an amazing place that has not had the enthusiasm for skiing diluted by rampant commercialization
Overall, outstanding –excellent powder skiing, friendly people, a bit of beer while relaxing in the hot tub – and at a cost less than any of the other cat skiing places in BC we researched. Customer Service:
The staff throughout our stay were simply amazing. It was evident that they enjoy their jobs and were truly enthusiastic about the skiing. The guides, including the President, Kieren, managed to strike that right balance of what I have heard called in the military as “relaxed professionalism”: the ability to take the execution of the job very seriously while managing to still have fun and keep things enjoyable. All of the staff we encountered were an absolute pleasure to be with; whether ski guide, snow cat driver or hotel staff.
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Between us our previous trips have included some pretty desirable locations including Cat Skiing elsewhere in BC, Alta, Snowbird, Whistler, Fernie, Castle, Big White, Silver Star, Sun Peaks, Les Arc and Blue Mountain (okay – other than Blue, the others are desirable locations) so we have set our baseline quite high. In comparison, the Big Red Cats experience was nothing short of outstanding.
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