What is your biggest fear when planning a snowcat or heli trip where you will be skiing and riding with people whom you have never met? It's probably that you are afraid that others in the group are either to slow or even to fast, or that the guides will be taking you into terrain that is way to mellow or a bit to steep?

When you reserve your trip with Steamboat Powdercats, our reservation team will ask you to judge your skiing and snowboarding ability and experience in the powder. We will then be placing you and your group according to either our intermediate, advanced or expert levels.

If you have never visited us, first off welcome, and secondly, please review this ability level section in full. We ask that you be honest with us when choosing a level. We get many guests who are solid skiers but do not have much backcountry powder experience and this will confuse folks.

For all you first time guests who are thinking about our intermediate level, we guarantee your satisfaction or your money back! That's right, check it out here about details.

If you have any questions, please call us. Remember, when booking a trip, you must call in so that we can explain this in full.

During your trip, your guides will attempt to select runs that suit your ability and comfort level, while offering just the right amount of challenge.

As the only snowcat operation on Buffalo Pass, our powdercat skiing permit allows us to access 10,000 acres of heavenly terrain, in just a quick 20-minute van drive from downtown Steamboat Springs. The combination of very dry powder, a variety of North, South, East and West facing terrain, and groves of Aspen, Spruce and Fir trees, allows our guides the ability to search out and find the best skiing and riding that will match your group’s goals and ability level.

For those guests who greatly overstates their ability level, we reserve the right to restrict them from skiing. No refunds will be given to these guests. Sitting in the cat is no fun, so please be honest when rating your ability level.