Update from Chatter Creek

Here's a quick report from your Chatter Editor, on site at Chatter Creek. Things are great! We've had good snow, although access to some terrain is restricted by rain crust below the tree line. The good news is that the extreme avalanche conditions that prevailed a week ago have subsided.

Our first day was foggy, but all groups skied the alpine in different areas: The Windlip, Jo-Pal, Bouncing Chuckles and Spruce Pass; South Park; and the Clamshell. The snow in all of these areas was soft and very skiable.

After an overnight snowfall, our second day was bright and sunny with great visibility and more good snow. My group spent the day in the Chatter Creek watershed: high on the Lodge Ridge, in Dewers Bowl and on the Chatter Glacier. Mostly alpine skiing with some good tree skiing. Other groups skied the Vertebrae glacier and South Park. Everyone had good snow and enjoyed themselves.

Today, the weather was overcast and it snowed most of the day. We looked at the Enchanted Forest on the East Ridge and at treeline on Lodge Ridge, but both areas are badly raincrusted with insufficient new snow cover. We returned to the upper Lodge Ridge and new lines in Dewers Bowl. The high alpine was foggy, but easily skiable and the lower alpine and the trees near Chatter Glacier were great. Just like the prior day.

So far the tour has been very successful. We've all skied "new" areas (to us) and we've had good snow. Some areas such as the East Ridge and lower Lodge Ridge are badly rain crusted, but there are many other areas such as the Chatter Creek watershed, South Park, the Clamshell, Vertebrae Glacier, Jo-Pal, Wonderland, etc. that are providing excellent skiing. It is currently snowing. 10 cm is forcasted for today and another 10 cm for tomorrow, our last day.

I should have some new photos later in the week.

Regards from Spruce Lodge.

January 14, 2005, the first group of 36 clients. With a new table arrangement in the dining room and a doubling in size of the bar, games room and dry room, there is no sense of crowding. The lodges are very spacious and the guest bedrooms and bathrooms in Solitude Lodge are even larger than in Vertebrae Lodge.

Solitude Lodge opens at Chatter Creek

The lodges at Chatter Creek. Solitude Lodge, the new bedroom annex to Vertebrae Lodge adds another 9000 sq ft of living space for guests and staff. Solitude Lodge is the furthest building to the right, with the highest roof line. The two lower roof lines cover the original Vertebrae Lodge.

The small building at the rear of Vertebrae Lodge is the woodshed containing the "Homesteader" outdoor furnace that heats the buildings.

Cat skiing at Chatter Creek started in late December and the skiing so far has been reported as good.

For interior views of the lodges, see the Lodge Life photo gallery. The Solitude Lodge and Mountain Lodge Construction photo galleries contain photos from the construction of the two lodges.

The Powder Skiing Starts at Chatter Creek

Our first photo from Chatter Creek for the 2005 season. Thanks to Jim Megson, Ryan Jones and their group. More to follow. Looks like pretty good powder skiing to me. This is the cut block on the lower slopes of the Lodge Ridge. Vertebrae Lodge is just visible in the background, in the shadow at the bottom of the valley just beyond the shoulder of the hill.

Sun Dog at Chatter Creek

There's been some cold sunny weather at Chatter Creek lately. However, it's warmed up a bit and it's snowing, with more snow forcasted. The powder skiing has been good. For a description of what Cat Skiing is all about, look at the Cat Skiing Articles photo gallery.

For Golden weather information, check out our Travel Information page.

News from Chatter Creek

The season is well launched at Chatter Creek. The first few tours were limited to 24 clients (2 cats), but the first tour of 36 started last Friday (Jan 14). The new Solitude lodge bedroom annex has welcomed it's first guests. Watch for new photos of the finished building.

The weather has been cold, keeping the snow very dry and clients are reporting great powder skiing. The cold snap seems to have broken today and it is snowing in Golden. More snow is forecast during the week.

There have been staffing changes this year. Herb Bleuer, who has been the senior guide at Monashee Powder Adventures for many years, has moved to Chatter Creek to join Andrew Prosser, our 5 year veteran.

We are sorry to report that Don Steedman will be sitting the year out with knee injuries. Don, we wish you a speedy recovery.

With three cats in operation this year, the guides complement has been increased significantly and Herb and Andrew are joined by:

Gord Irwin, a park warden from the Banff area, Dave Birnie, an owner of Mistaya Lodge, Josh Milligan, Mark Mallet, Ken Black and Shane Kroger.

As time goes on, we will try to list the tail gunners, as well. Scroll down for lots of photos of powder skiing at Chatter Creek.

A Belated New Year's Greeting

Your Chatter Editor has had an unexpected week of skiing at Whistler. No powder skiing here! In fact, there's unusually little snow in this particular corner of the Coast Range. As a consequence, the Chatter News has been neglected and I have failed to pass on the best wishes of the whole Chatter Creek crew for a happy and prosperous New Year to all their friends and clients.

The news from Chatter Creek is much more promising, with at least two tours completed and reports of good powder skiing and clear weather. Some clients apparently stayed on for extra days.

Brief conversations with the folks at Chatter Creek indicate a promising winter. I'll be bringing you a first-hand report in early February.

December Cat Skiing Archive

End of the January cat skiing posts.
Click here to see all of the December posts.
Click here to see the most recent posts.