Chatter News Photo Galleries & Information on Cat Skiing ____________________________________
| Chatter News | Road to Vertebrae Glacier | Glacier Skiing | Bombardier Snowcat | Favorites |
| Lodge Life | Vertebrae Lodge | Solitude Lodge | Happy Campers | Pink Purse | Winter Staff |
Ski Photography by: | John Dougall | Mark Gallup | Dan Hudson | About Us | Site Map | Index |
| Chatter Creek Cat Skiing | Clamshell | Cut Blocks | East Ridge | Lodge Ridge | Great Links |
| Cat Skiing Terrain | Cat Skiing Articles | Flight to Chatter Creek | Travel to Golden | Email |

Friday, September 09, 2005

Chatter Creek Expands Terrain

Golden (BC), Canada - August 2005
The Government of British Columbia has awarded Chatter Creek Snowcat Skiing of Golden BC, a 108 sq. km expansion to its recreational tenure for snowcat skiing in the Rocky Mountains. This increases the total area of mountain terrain available to Chatter Creek guests to 238 sq. km. (92 sq mi.). At any one time, this vast area is shared by no more than 36 skiers and boarders plus their six guides.

Chatter Creek is known for virtually limitless powder skiing and its ability to provide fresh tracks every run. The expansion makes Chatter Creek one of the largest cat skiing operations and helps to guarantee an abundant supply of unskied snow, even in long periods of drought.



Imagine sharing all of Blackcomb/Whistler with just 42 other skiers. Now think about seven Blackcomb/Whistlers side-by-side, all under a thick blanket of powder snow. Or, imagine a ski area that is twice the size of Whistler/Blackcomb, Heavenly, Vail, Squaw Valley, Mammoth and Lake Louise combined. That’s what cat skiers will now enjoy at Chatter Creek Snowcat Skiing.

Located high in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Chatter Creek offers powder skiing between elevations of almost 10,000 ft and about 5,000 ft. Guests ski on the Vertebrae glacier, on long alpine slopes and bowls, on open cut blocks, in old burns and in forest glades. The relatively high terrain has a history of good skiing in times of “difficult” weather and the location just east of Kinbasket Lake places Chatter Creek in a very productive snow belt.

This is the second major announcement for Chatter Creek this year. The first was the January opening of Solitude Lodge, a 9500 sq. ft bedroom annex to Vertebrae Lodge. The combined living space for guests and staff at Chatter Creek’s remote Rocky Mountain site now exceeds 20,000 sq. ft. The lodges are large comfortable side-by-side log buildings hand-crafted from local materials. They accommodate 36 guests in double-occupancy bedrooms each having a private bathroom. Solitude Lodge provides a huge drying room for outdoor clothing and boots and Vertebrae Lodge provides a spacious dining hall, cozy sitting areas, a games area and a well-stocked bar that serves two hot tubs.

The expansion to the cat skiing tenure goes hand-in-hand with the expanded accommodation and the addition of a third 12-passenger Bombardier (Camoplast) Snowcat. With 12 additional skiers and riders pounding the slopes, the added terrain will permit Chatter Creek to maintain its exceptional standard of skiing.

The expansion to the cat skiing terrain comes in two parts, each lying adjacent to the original tenure; the "Spruce Pass North Addition" of approximately 16 sq. km and the "Lakeside Addition" of approximately 92 sq. km.

The Spruce Pass North addition opens up a new drainage to the north of Upper Lodge Ridge and Spruce Pass. This area comprises alpine and sub-alpine terrain between upper Lodge Ridge and the northern extension of Vertebrae Ridge. Chatter Creek clients are familiar with the south side of Spruce Pass. Now they will ski the steeper terrain of the northern drainage as well.

The Lakeside Addition lies in the Kitchen Range, west of the original tenure, extending almost to Kinbasket Lake. To the south, it extends to Bush Arm and, in the north it extends beyond the Chatter glacier, almost to the northern limit of the new Spruce Pass addition. The Lakeside Addition provides huge alpine bowls and a large amount of sub-alpine terrain.

Chatter Creek continues to enjoy the enthusiastic support of its clientele. In 2005, in a very difficult year, weather-wise, it adjusted well to the 50% expansion (from 24 to 36 clients) and filled the increased capacity. Over 800 Chatter Creek clients passed through Golden. Most spent at least one night in Golden and many partook in other Golden outdoor activities.

The owners and staff of Chatter Creek wish to thank their clients and friends for their loyal support and encouragement. We look forward to sharing with you the exploration of our exciting new terrain.

For more information, refer to the Chatter Creek Web site (www.chattercreekcatskiing.com)or visit the Chatter News photo journal (www.powder-skiing.blogspot.com). The Cat Skiing Terrain Web site (www.cat-skiing-terrain.blogspot.com) provides a detailed photographic tour of most of the 238 sq. km Chatter Creek tenure. To locate Chatter Creek, look at the Where Is Chatter Creek Web site.


Chatter Creek Mountain Lodges Ltd
Box 333 Golden B.C. V0A1H0 Canada
Phone: 250-344-7199 Fax: 250-344-2229

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home