TR: 2 Days Cat Skiing with Great Northern Powder Guides-Deepest Snow I've Ever Skied

“BACKCOUNTRY FORECAST FOR WESTERN MONTANA AND NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT 232 PM MST TUES FEB 21 THROUGH WED FEB 22 2011 ...AN UNUSUALLY COLD AIRMASS FOR LATE FEBRUARY IS HEADED TOWARD WESTERN MONTANA AND NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO. THIS WILL BRING AREAS OF HEAVY MOUNTAIN SNOW...LOW WIND CHILL VALUES AND LOCAL STRONG NORTHERLY TO EASTERLY WINDS TO THE REGION.”

---BLOWER POWDER---

I can still hear the dampened white noise of deep slough rolling through trees and around my body and the refreshingly chilly spray over my face with each turn…it reminds me of an icy mist of water blasting over the bow of a boat and through the sails on a late fall or early spring sail.

…

24 hours after a trip that was nothing short of epic, I’m sitting in my empty living room that is void of furniture. My only company at the moment is the wind coming through an empty fireplace, the soothing tumble of the dryer, and my Husky passed out cold snoring on the carpet. Though I’ve been awake for 24 hours, I feel like I just woke from a dream...everything seems so normal.

72 Hours ago I was highly stoked to be embarking on a trip to Whitefish, Montana for two days of cat skiing at Great Northern Powder Guides. An amazing crew of skiers was put together by Untracked Guides and Epic Planks Ski Company and I was lucky enough to receive an invite. Late in the afternoon last Saturday my Fiance dropped me off at Amtrak in downtown Seattle. We baggage checked my brand new Crop Dusters and 1990’s era two tone teal green/purple gear bag then she gave me a kiss goodbye and the middle finger for leaving her with our crazy ass dogs for 3 days. Sorry babe, duty calls.

Sitting in the train station for two hours watching the gong show ensue, I became certain my gear would never make it to Whitefish. I watched a pissed off ticket taker put my rad gear bag on the moving belt -Good bye gear bag- while another Amtrak employee who was a white haired and frail man wrestled my skis off the belt and through a separate exit door proclaiming, “I better load this myself” -Good bye skis-

I had never been on a long distance train before. Silently weaving Northbound along the Puget Sound Coast and disappearing into the high Cascade Mountain Range during sunset did not disappoint.

After the sun went down and the sporadic garbled announcements of the train conductor ceased for the night I pulled out my sleeping bag, plugged in the ipod, reclined my very comfortable window seat, and fell asleep to the soothing music of Nneka…and dreamed of blower powder.

10 hours later my train was pulling up to the station at Whitefish, Montana. That was easy.
Unloading the train, mobs of folks were standing around laughing, hugging loved ones and crying. Over it - my mission was simple: Find luggage, find my friends James Barber and Joe Crawley, go skiing. The mission unfolded just fine but went more like this. Walk around aimlessly looking for baggage check, Joe and James find me, bro love, continue to look for baggage claim, navigate gong show part two, find baggage, load up rental car, go change into gear, get food, go skiing. All is well that ends well.

We made it to Whitefish Mountain Resort by 9am. Since it was Presidents Day weekend, the lines were long but the big sky was bluebird and I was pumped to get the first ever runs in on my Epic Planks Crop Dusters. Not knowing where the stashes would be, we were stoked early on to find a nice hike-to ridge that allowed us to make our way though some pretty steep north facing tree lines off the back of the mountain. Deep snow was still ripe for harvesting a week after their last storm cycle. Temps were cold, our wolf pack was growing and good times were had.

Around 4pm we decided we should probably head to Kalispell as promised to pick up another of our crew, young gun Danny Arnold, who was flying in around 2pm. Once in the car the three of us pulled out our dead cell phones and tried to call Danny to let him know we wouldn’t be there until about 4:30. Then an elder local offered to share some of his growler with us in the parking lot. “Much obliged kind sir, thanks for the brew.”

We eventually got in touch with Danny and an executive decision confirmed that rather than us driving into Kalispell he would instead take the “Snow Bus” from Kalispell to Whitefish. The short ride was free of charge and the driver even took him through town to scout some urban features.

I suppose Daniel-san, the lesson here is that all plans are tentative when the sky is still bluebird and the beer is free.

Shortly after our departure from WMR we checked into our awesome digs at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake. In stride with Montana’s reputation of “Big”, The Lodge is a log style accommodation, with big ass rooms and a big ass hot tub. Score - Thank you Untracked Guides.

Once we were suited up and ready to soak for the night a phone call informed us that two more members of the wolf pack would be arriving in a matter of minutes and would be ready for the hot tub as well. Shortly thereafter, we met our friends Lisa Dawn Gover (Lisa Dawn Photography) and Teodor Day (Swedish Ski Bum Residing in Fernie, BC) in the lobby. While they settled in, we hit the hot tub. A short time later Teo and Lisa showed up wearing their complimentary robes and flip flops. Hilarity ensues.

In the hot tub and after several rounds of Rainier barley pops everyone was starving. We made our way to downtown Whitefish, noshed on some nachos, then went across the street to meet up with crew members Tim Engel and Erik-the-Local for pizza, more beer, and to go over the next day’s plan. Tim and Erik-the-Local were out with Great Northern Powder Guides earlier that day scouting some sweet zones and had a few photos of the terrain to show us.

After an entire day of travel, skiing, drinking, soaking, meeting people, and planning for the next two days I was spent.

Sleep.

Great Northern Powder Guides Day 1:

My alarm went off at 7am. I hate the alarm clock on my phone. As soon as I re-gained consciousness I remembered where I was and what the day had in store. A quick phone call confirms our 8am pick-up, we grabbed our gear then James, Joe and I met Tim, Teo, and Lisa in the lobby. Erik-the-Local would meet us at the operation.

Promptly at 8am a large shuttle pulls into the driveway at The Lodge then a short 10 minute drive had us pulling into the small headquarters of Great Northern Powder Guides. Two snow cats and a handful of snowmobiles are waiting for us. This is going to be fun.

The Passenger Cat and Sleds

Inside the log cabin style wood stove heated pole barn, we are greeted warmly by Co-Owner’s Jay Sandelin and Will MacDonald along with Guide Evan, the sled crew, and an Australian Shepherd called Kat.

Teo and Kat the Dog

Immediately it’s business with Lead Guide and Co-Owner, Will MacDonald. Sign the waivers, a quick transceiver practice, and a rundown of our plan for the day.

“From what I hear you are all backcountry rippers and want to get into some features. We can do that.”

Will is a full on manimal. He is burly, strong, smart as hell, a great skier, and very well educated to take groups into the backcountry safely. Nervous glances are exchanged as we individually contemplate Will’s perception of “backcountry rippers” and “features”.

Now fully anxious for a visual of the terrain, we pile into the cat totally stoked up.

The operation uses two snow cats to access the current 16 acres (soon expanding to 32 acres) of serviceable terrain: One passenger cat (actually used to transport the crew of “Inception” during filming!) and a road-builder/groomer. Most days generally require the one cat for obvious reasons, but on day two of this trip report the brute functionality of the road builder cat will come into play. The passenger cat is equally gnarly and can carry 16 people, 14 riders and 2 guides. The cabin of the passenger cat was hand built by the team.

We were teeming with anticipation while riding up the mountain to the first zone of our trip. After a short 20 minute ride, the cat settled into a small area off the side of a switchback and we were met by the sled crew. A short tow-in via snowmobile followed by a short scenic traverse through the woods would bring us to a high peak with a 270 degree panoramic view of the surrounding playground. It was beautiful.

A week prior to our arrival, a storm cycle had blanketed the terrain with about a foot of snow. Just to be safe, Lead Guide Will would quickly dig two or three pits on different slope aspects off the crown of this peak on which we were standing. After a careful assessment of the snowpack it was determined that there were no significant weak layers to speak of and we were all set to rip it up.

Once the snow cat donning the videographer and photographer was in position about 800 feet below us the drop order was determined and it was time to ski.

Over Will’s radio - Skier in 3,2,1 Dropping – Pushing off up and over the crown of the slope I now had a visual for the first time of what was about to get slayed. My heart started racing. Before yesterday I had taken a month off from skiing. Moving West used up valuable winter time and money. Upon my arrival to Washington, the mountains were riddled with warm temperatures and rain. When this vast fall line of deep powder littered with trees came into view I took to the slope with vengeance. Carving deep wide turns as if branding the mountain my own and trying to make up for lost time with this one run. But it was pulling away from my hot iron and the mountain would fight back, putting me in my place with shots of cold blower that would rob me of my sight, blinding me and inhibiting my ability to breathe, forcing me to back off for a brief moment before she allowed me to continue on. Several more smooth, less vengeful turns would bring me to her tree line where she would kindly open a door for my clean escape to the end of the run.

Teo Loading Up For Another Run...

The second zone of the day would bring us to a small cliff band-50 feet at its highest point with two arms off to its sides sitting at about 20-25 feet with thick trees and chutes all around it. The entrance was a little sketchy and blind, the transition was relatively flat and the run out was littered with large stumps and trees.

After scouting the lines from the bottom we made our way to the top. The drop order was as follows. Guide Evan would ski to the center of the cliff and act as a liaison between the skiers and Tim (Video) and Lisa (Photo) who had visuals on the lines we had each picked out. Teo would drop skiers right to the right arm of the cliff, a sketchy line with tight trees, exposed rocks and an off camber angle to the transition. Danny would drop skiers left to a smaller chute bridging the left arm of the cliff. I would follow Danny’s line since we had chosen the same one. The transition and run out was the same for all of us. Stumps and trees -stoked for this-.

From the top, Lead Guide Will is communicating with Evan who is at the large cliff in the center who is communicating with Tim and Lisa who are on the top of the cat at the bottom, and Will is transmitting instructions to us. First we all ski down halfway to Evan and then continue to ski to our lines one by one. Teo is first to go, drops skiers right to the right arm, we don’t hear anything, still nothing, still nothing, and then Evan says he thinks he went down but is ok. Skier two is Danny; he drops skiers left aiming for the chute off the left arm of the band. Silence, silence, silence, Danny is down but ok. My turn - I’m thinking I have this relatively easy since Danny broke trail to our line, so I follow his tracks and learn quickly that this is not the line we had originally scouted. Ah well, we can improvise.

Unfortunately since Danny dropped a line we hadn’t scouted, Lisa and Tim need time to get the cat repositioned for the shot. Evan tells me to wait…and wait, and wait. Meanwhile I am standing at the top of this line imagining different horrific scenarios and carnage that is sure to ensue.

Should I drop a different line while I am standing here? I don’t want to land in Danny’s bomb hole, what about this cornice to my left? Could I drop it? It’s a little bit higher and the landing is a little off camber, but at least it’s fresh…so close to pulling the plug on this one.

Then Evan relays that Lisa and Tim are in position and I’m good to go.

“You’ve got this”, he says. Ok. 3, 2, 1 Dropping - Stand there for a second, point a little left through the chute off the knuckle and into the void - silence. The drop is bigger than it looked from the top. Flat light maybe? Or just talked myself into perceiving it to be smaller I don’t know. All I know, I found myself feeling for the transition and it wasn’t there. Then boom, a nice soft landing and I was looking for stumps, “there’s the big stump, turn left, tree, turn right, high side, a little barrel roll and we are good…minus a ski pole”.

While we are waiting for Evan, Will, and Erik-the-Local to make their descent we hear some radio chat and Tim relays that they are going to drop the 50 footer off the center. Nice! We gather and are pumped to watch the three of them hit this one. Erik dropped first, THUD onto his back and into the snow. Lifts himself up and skis down to us. “I was standing up there for so long I almost backed out!” He was grinning from ear to ear and stoked as hell. Then Evan drops in, a small pop off the lip but he is a bit forward and heading right for Erik’s bomb hole, a little moon walk mid air and he lands on his side, gathers himself and skis down to us - high fives all around. Then Will drops, lining his bomb hole up perfectly with Evans and rides away relatively smooth. We are all pumped up.

Will MacDonald Boosting the 50 Footer
Photo: Lisa Dawn Photography

Teodor Day Sending It Photo: Lisa Dawn Photography

For the remainder of day one we took it pretty easy, lower angle tree and stump jibs, we built a little kicker out of a stump and everyone had their turn at eating shit. Danny managed to fight through some abdominal pain to throw a nice corked out 720 right into a tree. He was fine and the shot looked great. Evan busted a huge back flip, tomahawked the landing and stuck a radio antenna up his nose. It was bleeding for the rest of the day. I had two meager attempts at a flat 360 but crashed on both of them and was then worn out and over the jump scene for the day. We ended the day with some long, fast, Super G style powder turns. We were ready for the hot tub.

Left to Right: Joe Crawley, Tim Engel, Me - Ready For A Relaxing Powder Run Photo: Lisa Dawn Photography

Day Two:

We were keeping a relatively close eye on the weather overnight and into the morning. We knew there was a storm cycle expected to grace it’s presence but reports of snow totals were varied. This happens in Montana. The states variable weather conditions remind me of Michigan. I’m guessing the unpredictable climate has something to do with the massive convergence zone in Central Washington where cold arctic air meets warm wet pacific air which meets the dry and cold Montana air. I am not a weather expert.

Our plan for the day was to head deep into the backcountry to an exposed alpine zone that was a good hour from the headquarters. It was riddled with cliffs, chutes and lots of fun lines with relatively open run outs. On our way into the mountains however, it was apparent that massive amounts of snow had fallen over the region and our plans might have to be adjusted. Looking out the window of the cat I could see slabs breaking all over the place. Our primary transportation in and out of the zones we planned to ski would be via snowmobile and would have been dangerous. There were almost 20 inches of new snow on top of a south facing aspect on top of a sun crusted weak layer. Our plans for the day were thwarted. Plan B would not disappoint.

Back in the cat, we were navigating switch backs and the ascending and descending cat track before we met up with the road building/groomer cat, currently being operated by Co-Owner Jay Sandelin. We were making our way to a never before skied zone and would have to make a road to get there. Over the radio we could hear Jay claiming that snow was pushing up over the windshield of the cat even with the blade fully raised. We were geeked.

Co-Owner Jay Sandelin Discussing Logistics With Lisa Dawn Gover

Jay Sandelin Making A Road

Plan B would unfold off a high altitude North facing ridge which was accessed by a two hundred yard traverse over some intimidating wind lipped cornices. It was cold, windy and the snow was sliding all around us. When we arrived to the new zone, Will sprang instinctively into action and with his game face on disappeared like a ghost into light to start digging pits and assessing the terrain. 15 minutes later he returned...

“There are some relatively stable lines over this way, follow me, stagger yourselves 20 or 30 feet and stay off these cornices and open areas”

Once we were in position to begin setting up, Will instructed Lisa and Tim on where to get set up and suggested a safe route to get there. The mostly common sense advice was to stay close to trees, out of the open areas, and have a Plan B.

Lead Guide Will MacDonald Discussing The Zone w/ Photographer Lisa Dawn Gover

I had the amazing opportunity to drop first into this new zone. With no idea what to expect while skiing into the fall line the stoke level was high - really f’ing high. With Lisa and Tim in position, and Will and Evan ready to call the drop we were set.

Radio banter began with Lisa “Ok I am ready for the first skier”
Will looks at me and responds over the radio, “Skier in 3, 2, 1 dropping”.

My adrenaline is going off!

Everyone starts hooting and hollering. After one turn it is obvious the snow is over two feet deep, with the second turn I am engulfed in the white room, a small speed check and the snow all around me slides. With a bleak break in visibility I make three more turns and obtain a visual of Lisa bracing herself and managing quite professionally the massive amounts of slough flowing around her. I feel bad and am hoping she is safe while I break left and duck behind a large evergreen tree as hundreds of pounds of snow whoosh past. A quick glance over and she appears to be fine, albeit 15 feet down from where she was set up.

“Are you good?” I ask.

“Yeah but I couldn’t get the shot all I could see was white!” I laughed in disbelief and she was already set up for the next skier.

We worked our way down through the trees for 3 hours. Blasting pillow lines the whole way down and for the rest of the day. It was the deepest snow I have ever skied.

---BLOWER POWDER---

Video HERE

“The mission of Great Northern Powder Guides is to provide our clients with a safe, high standards environment to experience backcountry skiing adventures. All of the guides that work with Great Northern Powder Guides are specially trained experienced skiers. Great Northern Powder Guides wants to make sure that the memories that are created with us will last a lifetime.”

“Great Northern Powder Guides creates a unique skiing experience for our clients by having access to both north and south facing slopes of usable terrain. With Great Northern Powder Guides our guests have the opportunity to ski eight to ten powder runs daily with each averaging 800 vertical feet. Our guides lead guests to sunny morning runs on our south slopes and they finish out the day in the afternoon shade of our north facing runs. We currently utilize sixteen square miles of the Stillwater State Forest for our backcountry ski tours. The diversity of our terrain affords us with the limitless fresh powder that makes skiing with Great Northern Powder Guides the experience of a lifetime.”

Will MacDonald, Lead Guide and Co-Owner at Great Northern Powder Guides

Great Northern Powder Guides is the culmination of Will’s passion for outdoor adventure, backcountry skiing and running a company. Will has launched himself into the ski industry by attaining extensive avalanche and rescue credentials as well as training in both Canada and the United States. He is also a volunteer patroller for a backcountry search and rescue organization.

Jay Sandelin – Co-Owner at Great Northern Powder Guides

Jay started an excavating and demolition company, Sanaris Enterprises, in Whitefish in 1988. His company has been extremely successful over the years and he continues to be involved today. With the formation of Great Northern Powder Guides, Jay now has the opportunity to share his passion and expertise for skiing with guests from all over the world. He lives in Whitefish on a ranch with his wife and two sons. Jay is still an avid skier and when the snow melts he occupies his free time with hunting, fishing and flying his helicopter.

---Jay and Will’s Bio’s and the company’s mission statement were borrowed from their website, www.greatnorthernpowderguides.com---

(Great Northern Powder Guides currently plans to expand their serviceable terrain to approximately 32 square miles and will also add heli-skiing to their activities roster)

I cannot express in words how thankful I am to Jay Sandelin, Will MacDonald and the entire staff at G.N.P.G. My expectations for this trip were high and were infinitely surpassed by the crew’s professional approach to the business of fun.

Untracked Guides' Bill Wanrooy, Tim Engel - THANK YOU SO MUCH for this opportunity. I hope I can make this up to you guys somehow.

Epic Planks Ski Company- Bill Wanrooy, Brian Van Den Brand, James Barber – You guys are my bro’s and I got your back! Thanks a ton for everything.

Lisa Dawn Photography – Lisa you are one seriously rad Canadian and you have an unbelievable talent for working with athlete’s and taking photos of them.

Danny Arnold, Joe Crawley, Teodor Day – Skiing creates a brotherly bond that nobody can understand unless you are a part of it. I am forever stoked to have had the pleasure of ripping with you guys. Let’s do it again soon.

James Barber Looking For The Bottom Photo: Lisa Dawn Photography

Danny Arnold and Teo Day Having Fun Photo: Lisa Dawn Photography

Erik The Local Getting After It Photo: Lisa Dawn Photography