What are the best cat-skiing operators in the United States?
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 10 November 2026
These 8 cat-skiing operators run their own snowcat skiing in the United States on their own websites, read 10 November 2026. Each card gives what the operator says about it, with the place, package, group size, runs, price or number where it names one, then why to choose it, what to ask for and the limits it publishes.
What are the best cat-skiing operators in the United States?
8 cat-skiing operators in the Uncompromised Travel table say on their own websites that they run their own snowcat skiing in the United States; Selkirk Powder, Park City Powder Cats and Steamboat Powdercats have the most Google reviews under the operator's own name.
Black Ops Valdez
- Cat-skiing in the US
- Runs snowcat skiing in 7 permitted zones near Valdez, Alaska, from tidewater Valdez to mile 35 of the Richardson Highway in the Tsaina Valley.
- Website
- blackopsvaldez.com
Brundage Cat Skiing
- Best for
- Guided snowcat skiing in Idaho backcountry
- Cat-skiing in the US
- Runs guided snowcat skiing in central Idaho, USA and has done so since January 1991, when it introduced guided snowcat skiing on Sargents Mountain.
- Why choose them
- Offers guided snowcat trips on 18,000 acres of backcountry terrain near McCall, Idaho.
- Ask for
- Ask for its Backcountry Snowcat Adventure programme, led by the resort's own guides.
- Not the fit if
- your plans may change inside 14 days of the trip: cancellations or no-shows less than 14 days before are charged the full price, with rebooking for the current season at a $500 (no season given) fee.
- Enquiry
- brundage.com/contact
Eleven Experience
- Cat-skiing in the US
- Runs cat-skiing in Colorado, USA, from Scarp Ridge Lodge: snowcat-accessed skiing for up to 10 guests and 2 expert guides, from December 18, 2026 to April 5, 2027.
- Website
- elevenexperience.com
Monarch Cat Skiing
- Best for
- Colorado cat skiing from a ski area
- Cat-skiing in the US
- Runs snowcat skiing at Monarch Mountain in Colorado, USA, with full payment required at booking.
- Why choose them
- Bases its refunds on guests receiving a minimum of five hours of skiing or riding time.
- Ask for
- Ask for an individual seat or a full cat.
- Not the fit if
- you may need to change plans late: there is no refund or change within 10 days of the scheduled trip.
- Enquiry
- skimonarch.com/contact-us
Park City Powder Cats
- Best for
- Single-day cat-skiing near Park City
- Cat-skiing in the US
- Runs snowcat skiing in the Uinta Mountains of Utah, 35 minutes from Park City, on private ranch terrain.
- Why choose them
- Says it has exclusive access to 15,000 skiable acres of private terrain in the Uinta Mountains. Google: 4.9 out of 5 from 93 reviews. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a single day in a snowcat with 10 skiers and 2 guides, or the private cat buyout for up to 11 guests.
- Not the fit if
- you are not an advanced or expert skier or rider, as guests must be able to ride an ungroomed black diamond run in any conditions.
- Published price
- USD 990 per person for one day of cat-skiing in early season and spring, or USD 1,190 at peak, 2026/27 season; breakfast, lunch, snacks, water, avalanche transceiver and rescue pack provided. Read 10 November 2026.
- Enquiry
- pccats.com
Purgatory Snowcat Adventures
- Best for
- Snowcat skiing in Colorado's San Juan Mountains
- Cat-skiing in the US
- Runs snowcat skiing in the San Juan mountains of southwest Colorado, near Durango.
- Why choose them
- Offers snowcat skiing and snowboarding as San Juan Untracked, near Durango, Colorado. Google: 5.0 out of 5 from 26 reviews. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a day of cat skiing as a single seat or a full cat through its Catski Trip Request.
- Not the fit if
- you want lodging in the price: a Purgatory Snowcat Adventures trip is bought separately from lodging.
Selkirk Powder
- Best for
- Cat-skiing day tours in northern Idaho
- Cat-skiing in the US
- Runs snowcat skiing in the Selkirk Mountains of northern Idaho, in the 6,250 acre Atlasta-Casey zone near Priest Lake.
- Why choose them
- Was established in 2003 in Sandpoint, Idaho as an independent outfitting and guiding service. Google: 4.8 out of 5 from 118 reviews. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a cat skiing day tour, from 1 seat to a private group of 6 seats, or the BC101 entry-level backcountry course.
- Not the fit if
- you ski below intermediate level, as anyone skiing or snowboarding must be at an intermediate level or more.
Steamboat Powdercats
- Best for
- Day cat skiing near Steamboat Springs
- Cat-skiing in the US
- Runs snowcat skiing on Buffalo Pass in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest in Colorado, at US$1,100 per seat for the 2027 season.
- Why choose them
- Says it has operated since 1983 on Buffalo Pass, with 10,000 acres of terrain. Google: 4.8 out of 5 from 88 reviews. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for the Level I "Introduction to Backcountry Skiing" trip or a private snowcat with an Alpenglow add-on in February or March.
- Not the fit if
- you are a beginner, as Level I is for skiers with more than 30 days skied and beginners cannot be taken.
- Published price
- US$1,100 per seat for a day of snowcat skiing, 2027 season, with 8 to 16 runs and 8,000 to 14,000 vertical feet a day. Read 10 November 2026.
Which of these show a dated price on this page?
2 of the 8 cards show a published price, with its currency as the operator writes it. Ask every operator for a written quote with your dates and what it includes.
Who to contact first
Start with the 1 operator on this page that publishes both a price and their cancellation terms on their own websites, then add any other card that fits your dates and ability.
What to ask each one to set out in writing:
- What the price includes, line by line: lodging, meals, transfers to the lodge, guiding, safety gear, powder skis and taxes.
- How many runs a day the trip usually gives and what happens on a day the cat cannot run.
- How many skiers share a cat and a guide and the ability level the operator asks for.
- The deposit, when the balance is due, what you lose if you cancel or weather stops the cat and the travel insurance you need.
Cat-skiing in the United States: the questions people ask
What should I ask a cat-skiing operator before booking?
What the price includes, line by line; how many runs a day is usual; how many skiers share a cat and a guide; what happens on a day the cat cannot run; the deposit and the cancellation terms.
Can I book with these operators directly?
Yes. Each card links the operator's own website or booking page; ask for a written quote that lists what the price includes and the cancellation terms.
Do these operators all sell the same kind of trip?
No. Each card names the package, lodge or day the operator's own website gives; group sizes, runs, terrain, lengths and prices differ, so compare the cards before you ask for quotes.
Do I need travel insurance for cat-skiing?
1 of the 8 operators set out on their own websites what insurance they ask for or recommend. Ask each operator in writing for the cover it requires, including rescue and medical evacuation, before you buy a policy.
Which of these have the most Google reviews?
Selkirk Powder, Park City Powder Cats and Steamboat Powdercats, in that order. A count says how many people reviewed an operator, not whether it fits your trip; each card gives the rating and count, read 10 November 2026.
Which of these publish their cancellation terms?
4 of the 8: Brundage Cat Skiing, Monarch Cat Skiing, Park City Powder Cats and Selkirk Powder. Ask each for the full terms in writing before you pay a deposit.
Where can I check these facts myself?
Each card links the pages of the operator's own website its lines were read from, with the date they were read.
How were these operators chosen?
Each one is in the Uncompromised Travel snow operators table, built from the operators ChatGPT names most often and the members of HeliCat Canada. On its own website it runs its own snowcat skiing in the United States. An operator is on the page because its published facts fit the question, never because it paid.
Is any company on this page paying to be here?
No. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel; none paid to be on it.
Read next
Companies are added at each update. Want to be the company this page features?
Built to answer the question in the main heading. What is shown: what each operator published on its own website, read on 10 November 2026, with links to the pages read, with its Google figures where the listing carries the operator's own name, from the Uncompromised Travel snow operators table. Cards are in alphabetical order. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel. How this site earns · How we work.