# Whisper Ridge Cat Powder Experience



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

So the terrain in that area can be very good. I've done some touring on Ben Lomond, Ogden Pass, and some sidecountry out of Snobasin. All pretty good quality stuff. Of course I have no experience with the cat guides and their terrain. That part of the range has fun stuff. 

Generally speaking any cat operation knows their terrain and how to leverage it safely for their clients. It should be a good time. At $875 for two days, that is a relative steal, and 60k acres is quite a bit of terrain. That is almost 8x the acreage of Whistler/Blackcomb. Unless it hasn't snowed in a really long time, there should be plenty of goods to get. I am talking 2 plus weeks here to start getting a little worried. 

Cat riding is fun. If it is something you want to do and can afford it, I would say go for it.


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## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

BillKingOC said:


> Anybody have any feedback on this? I think I want to go there for a couple days. $875 all inclusive lodging/meals/CAT per person.
> It's 80 miles out of Salt Lake City in the opposite direction of Park City, so I'm thinking of splitting the week up there.



For sure want to check this operation out, tough call between something like this an an all out trip to baldface lodge


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## txb0115 (Sep 20, 2015)

hikeswithdogs said:


> For sure want to check this operation out, tough call between something like this an an all out trip to baldface lodge



Go to Baldface... There is a reason this is my 17th year going... I've done lots of day operations in the US and Canada and there really is no comparison... Day ops are still a great time, especially if you've never done Cat before, but all inclusive remote ops like Baldface, Retallack and Chatter Creek are just a whole other level of experience...

If you wanna get in on a Baldface trip, @hikeswithdogs, I go every year, and having other peeps from SLC to rally with is always great..


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## BillKingOC (Jul 23, 2016)

killclimbz said:


> So the terrain in that area can be very good. I've done some touring on Ben Lomond, Ogden Pass, and some sidecountry out of Snobasin. All pretty good quality stuff. Of course I have no experience with the cat guides and their terrain. That part of the range has fun stuff.
> 
> Generally speaking any cat operation knows their terrain and how to leverage it safely for their clients. It should be a good time. At $875 for two days, that is a relative steal, and 60k acres is quite a bit of terrain. That is almost 8x the acreage of Whistler/Blackcomb. Unless it hasn't snowed in a really long time, there should be plenty of good to get. I am talking 2 plus weeks here to start getting a little worried.
> 
> Cat riding is fun. If it is something you want to do and can afford it, I would say go for it.



Let me clarify that it's $875 (actually $800-850 on the dates I reviewed) per person PER day. I break that down to about $350/night for the stay, $450 for the CAT, and $50 for meals that are included. 

I read all the responses and appreciate the feedback. Gonna shoot for two days there and then swing down to either Snowbird or Park City/Canyons (where a friend will let me use her Deer Valley condo for free...which will defray some of the higher cost of doing Whisper Ridge.). Actually, I'm gonna check out baldface first and decide.


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## BillKingOC (Jul 23, 2016)

txb0115 said:


> Go to Baldface... There is a reason this is my 17th year going... I've done lots of day operations in the US and Canada and there really is no comparison... Day ops are still a great time, especially if you've never done Cat before, but all inclusive remote ops like Baldface, Retallack and Chatter Creek are just a whole other level of experience...
> 
> If you wanna get in on a Baldface trip, @hikeswithdogs, I go every year, and having other peeps from SLC to rally with is always great..


Baldface is already sold out for the upcoming season! After reading it, I think my son and I want to do the 1 or 2 day thing to make sure we can manage a full day in powder since we rarely get into the deep stuff. Then I'll feel better about spending $2500+ for a 4-day tour at Baldface.


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## txb0115 (Sep 20, 2015)

BillKingOC said:


> Baldface is already sold out for the upcoming season! After reading it, I think my son and I want to do the 1 or 2 day thing to make sure we can manage a full day in powder since we rarely get into the deep stuff. Then I'll feel better about spending $2500+ for a 4-day tour at Baldface.


Yea, Baldface is always sold out.. Kinda... If you really ever want to go let me know, I can usually get a person or two in on my trip.. We are a group that a few of us have been Day 1 clients ( 17 years ), and then a whole lot of the rest of them are 10+ year clients... We have the whole lodge and all the cats and they don't put the seats up for sale to the public and there are always a few spots to fill as sometimes life gets in the way of people making the trip that year for whatever reason.. In the last few years I've been able to get a few peeps in...


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## txb0115 (Sep 20, 2015)




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## BillKingOC (Jul 23, 2016)

txb0115 said:


> Yea, Baldface is always sold out.. Kinda... If you really ever want to go let me know, I can usually get a person or two in on my trip.. We are a group that a few of us have been Day 1 clients ( 17 years ), and then a whole lot of the rest of them are 10+ year clients... We have the whole lodge and all the cats and they don't put the seats up for sale to the public and there are always a few spots to fill as sometimes life gets in the way of people making the trip that year for whatever reason.. In the last few years I've been able to get a few peeps in...


Ah. Good to know. Then I'll keep looking at it and let you know. Even if it's not till next season. Thanks!


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## BillKingOC (Jul 23, 2016)

Thx for the video post. If that's how the powder usually is, then we're ready. We had deeper (and wetter) snow in Mammoth last season and had no problems. I had thigh-deep stuff back when I skied in the early 90s in Utah and it was occasionally challenging. But the way the board handles that is much more manageable.

Looks amazing.


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## kalev (Dec 17, 2013)

BillKingOC said:


> Looks amazing.


The snow in the region is generally super light and dry - pretty much the best it gets. 

I lived in Nelson for a couple of years (sadly had to move East for work) and I can vouch for how awesome the area is. Retallack is also amazing - one of my fav areas in the Kootenays 

God do I ever miss it


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## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

txb0115 said:


> Go to Baldface... There is a reason this is my 17th year going... I've done lots of day operations in the US and Canada and there really is no comparison... Day ops are still a great time, especially if you've never done Cat before, but all inclusive remote ops like Baldface, Retallack and Chatter Creek are just a whole other level of experience...
> 
> If you wanna get in on a Baldface trip, @hikeswithdogs, I go every year, and having other peeps from SLC to rally with is always great..


Not gonna happen this winter just too much going on financially trying to get our own Fresh Tracks backcountry AirB&B up and running, more like a 5 year plan unfortunately at this point.


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

Well, I haven't been to ratsnutsack or any other cat boarding outfit.

But I have been to BaldFace.
Just walking through the front doors, will give you goose bumps.

Every single pro snowboarder, who is anybody in the world of snowboarding.

If they're lucky enough, walks through those doors.

And if you're lucky enough to get to walk through those doors.
You don't EVER want to leave.

It truly is magical.
For instance.
When you're slaying powder, every once in a while the trees start singing:embarrased1:

You can hear it in this video, very rare for the video to catch it, they usually miss it.:blahblah:







TT


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## nutmegchoi (Feb 10, 2016)

I think we are heading Whisper Ridge year.
Will come back with pics and report.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Just noticed that baldface posted a shout out to you on their IG. 



txb0115 said:


> Yea, Baldface is always sold out.. Kinda... If you really ever want to go let me know, I can usually get a person or two in on my trip.. We are a group that a few of us have been Day 1 clients ( 17 years ), and then a whole lot of the rest of them are 10+ year clients... We have the whole lodge and all the cats and they don't put the seats up for sale to the public and there are always a few spots to fill as sometimes life gets in the way of people making the trip that year for whatever reason.. In the last few years I've been able to get a few peeps in...


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