A Day in the Life: Cat-Skiing with Fernie Wilderness Adventures

What is Cat Skiing?

Cat-skiing (or cat-boarding) is a type of guided backcountry exploration where you’re shuttled up the mountain in a custom snowcat instead of a lift or heli. It gives you access to remote, untouched terrain — deep powder, wide-open bowls, and perfectly spaced trees — far from the resort crowds.

Led by professional guides, every descent is untracked. It’s backcountry with backup — pure powder, no people, and zero faff. Just you, your crew, the best snow of your life, and a warm snowcat waiting to take you back up.

New to the concept? Read our full Guide to Cat Skiing here.

What to Expect: A Day Cat-Skiing with FWA

It’s not your average day on the hill. From first light to last lap, here’s how a typical day chasing powder with FWA goes down…

8:00 AM – Meet & Greet at the FWA Lodge
The day kicks off with hot drinks and introductions at the FWA base. You'll meet your guides, gear up, and run through a briefing on the day. First-timers are put at ease, and returning guests get a quick refresher.

8:30 AM – Load the Cat & Head Into the Wild
Climb into the custom snowcat — heated, padded, and built for adventure. As the cat climbs higher into the Lizard Range, stoke builds and views open up. The terrain is expansive, and the anticipation starts to turn into excitement. Midway up, you’ll hop out for a short avalanche safety refresher using your transceiver (provided if you don’t have your own).

Morning – Lap After Lap of Untracked Powder
The cat becomes your personal lift for the day. Expect 8–10 runs and approximately 8,000–12,000ft vertical, depending on group pace and conditions. Each descent brings something new — glades, open meadows, pillow drops. A packed-lunch, provided by FWA, is eaten on-the-go between laps so you can maximise your time on snow.

Afternoon – Push Into New Zones
With the group warmed up and in sync, guides often move to more advanced terrain in the afternoon. These zones can include steeper pitches, playful features, or longer descents. If the group’s game, the pace can pick up — but always at your comfort level.

3:30 PM – Final Run & Ride Back
Your legs are burning but your face hurts more — from smiling all day. The last run is usually one of the best — big turns, tired legs, and just enough gas left to enjoy it. The cat picks you up one last time and heads back to base.

4:00 PM – Après at the Lodge

Back at base, it’s time to debrief and celebrate. Grab a beer, browse the day’s photo highlights (available for purchase), and soak it all in. Hugs, high-fives, and that end-of-day stoke wrap it up.

In Motion

Still wondering what it’s like? Watch these two short videos of our crews at Fernie Wilderness Adventures to get a feel for the day — from the cat ride up to the final face shots.

Is Cat-Skiing for Me?

Cat-skiing or -boarding is an unforgettable experience — but it’s also physically demanding and takes place in uncontrolled, natural terrain. To comfortably enjoy the day, you’ll need advanced skills and a solid base of fitness.

• Skiers should be confident making strong parallel turns on a variety of terrain and conditions. You should enjoy skiing on black runs and in trees, and leaning towards hop turns, moguls, powder and more difficult terrain.
• Snowboarders should be able to link turns on a variety of terrain and conditions. You should enjoy riding on black runs and in trees, be confident making short turns, and leaning towards more difficult terrain.

• Fitness. While there’s no hiking or touring required, you’ll be riding all day in demanding snow conditions. Expect leg fatigue by the day’s end.

Not quite there yet? That’s okay. Our Fernie camps are designed to build your skills, confidence and endurance across a range of terrain — with guided coaching and exposure to Fernie’s steep, powdery slopes. That said, we can’t guarantee you’ll be cat-ready by the time the scheduled day rolls around. You’ll need to be relatively close to the levels described above before arriving in order to safely and fully enjoy the day.

If you’re unsure, talk to us — we’re happy to help assess and make the right call on whether cat-skiing or -boarding is right for you at this time.

About Fernie Wilderness Adventures

Founded in 1986, Fernie Wilderness Adventures is a family-run operation that offers authentic and exhilarating backcountry cat skiing in British Columbia, just outside of Fernie, BC. Their terrain is legendary — 5,000 acres of glades, tree runs, bowls, and powder fields.

FWA is one of those rare outfits that combines true backcountry adventure with warmth, professionalism, and soul. Their snowcats are heated and custom-built for comfort, and their guides are highly experienced, friendly, and absolutely dialled in.

Whether it’s your first time cat skiing or your fiftieth, FWA makes you feel at home — but far from the crowds.

Quick Gear Checklist

Here’s what you’ll need to make the most of your cat-skiing day with FWA:

• Your gear – skis or snowboard, boots, poles, etc. Powder skis or a powder board are recommended for deep conditions. If you don’t have a powder setup, there are rental optional available in Fernie or at FWA.
• Avalanche transceiver – FWA will provide one if you don’t have your own. Guides carry full safety gear, but you’re welcome to bring your own shovel and probe.
• A small backpack – room in the cat is limited, but you can bring a small pack with extra layers, snacks, water, and goggle lens options.

Gallery: A Look Inside the Day

A picture is worth a thousand face shots. Scroll through some of our favourite moments from past cat-skiing days with FWA — deep turns, big grins, and unforgettable terrain.

Unmissable. Untracked. Unforgettable.

Cat-skiing with FWA is consistently the highlight of our Fernie camps — and for good reason. It’s deep snow, zero crowds, endless stoke, and an experience you'll never forget.

Spots are limited, so if you're joining us in Fernie this season, make sure to reserve your seat.

How and When to Book

Cat-skiing with Fernie Wilderness Adventures is a limited-capacity experience. We recommend booking early to secure your spot.

Details:

• Guide Price: $750 / $850  CAD (depending on low or high season)
• Included:
• Full day of guided cat-skiing or -boarding
• Professional guides
• Packed lunch
• All transportation to/from FWA base
• Recommended Gear: Powder skis or snowboards for best performance in deep snow

To Book:

• Haven’t booked your camp yet? You can add cat-skiing or -boarding to your camp during booking process.
• Already booked your camp? Just email info@nonstopsnow.com to reserve your spot.

We’ll be in touch to review your ability and make sure it’s the right fit.