Catch The Powder Stagecoach On Castle Mountain
I have had the good fortune as a photographer and videographer based in Fernie, B.C. to capture the beauty of a number of cat skiing destinations over the years, and to work in the industry as a photographer for the past eight years. Last winter was my first taste of cat skiing in Alberta, where there a couple of hidden gems and one of them is at Castle Mountain Resort in southern Alberta.
Build better friendships and go cat ski Castle. Save 10-20% by booking in November.
Powder Stagecoach is the name of the operation out of Castle, and this was the first lift base operation I’ve had the pleasure to ski.
Photo:
Nick Nault
It’s dead simple accessing the amazing terrain here. You hop on the Huckleberry Chair which makes for a beautiful and bracing start to your day all while giving you the lay of the land. The panorama from the chair gives you sneak peek at the terrain you’ll soon be coasting on with a mile-wide grin. At the top of the lift, the winding cat road is right in front of you on the last stretch of the ride, guaranteed to get you stoked to get started.
Photo:
Nick Nault
I mainly ski in The Kootenays, which is beautiful, but I always look forward to skiing in Alberta every chance I get. It’s a totally different then what I’m used to, not to mention that the Rocky Mountain landscape is beyond breathtaking. This photo above was taken from the top of one of our drops. We stood here for a few minutes to take in the vistas and get our bearings.
Photo:
Nick Nault
When the first turn of your run looks like this you know it’s going to be a fantastic day. This is a photo of one of the photographers that accompanies each group making sure to snap amazing photos of the skiers and help guide them through the deeps. These folks know all of the best lines – but not as good as the guides, of course. One of my favourite things about cat skiing is the casual the pace. Each skier gets to wait for the previous skier to get part way down the hill, and then when it’s your turn you jump in with a whoop. This ensures that you’ve got a wide berth and your own line, making you feel like you have the whole run to yourself.
Photo:
Nick Nault
Starting from the ridge top definitely has its perks. The runs are spacious and open and those epic mountain backdrops are amazing. Yes, cat skiing can be intimidating for some people, often because of the immense amount of snow – sometimes it’s hip deep. But those expansive runs let you see what’s before you, setting the stage for an incredible day that you’ll want to repeat again and again. See you out there!
When You Go
Castle Mountain Resort’s Powder Stagecoach cat skiing runs from mid-December through March 2020.
Enter to win two seats on the Powder Stagecoach here.
Book through November and save. Castle Mountain will cut you a 10-20% deal by booking early - by Nov 30, making Castle Mountain the most affordable cat ski day in Western Canada.
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