GRAND TARGHEE: Meow Pow - A Cat Skiing Adventure

For a gallery of photos from this trip go HERE

Prior to the much-anticipated 2008 version of POWDER Week in Jackson Hole, we found ourselves across the Pass and border at Idaho’s Grand Targhee. With eight inches of new on top of a crusty hard layer, our crew—including, Smith’s Gabe Schroder and Chopper, Scott USA’s Gabe Glosband, Johnny Atencio of Backcountry.com, Rossignol’s Jason Newell, Tait Wardlaw of Dynastar, TGR and Targhee’s own Dave Hudacsk—checked out Targhee’s cat-skiing operation.

Slated as future inbounds terrain—just one piece of owner Geordie Gillett’s future vision—the 1,000 acres of guided cat-skiing terrain lies looker’s right of the Sacajawea lift below 9,700-foot Peaked Mountain. Much of the terrain has already been gladed for the future inbounds skiing. The landscape offered great 35-degree pitch open-gladed skiing. In other words, with a hard layer underneath and eight inches of the light on top, we were able to open it up and arc some fast turns. And as the snow fell throughout the day, our tracks from previous runs quickly filled in, which provided face shot after face shot of the ‘Ghee’s light and dry.

Before this cat-skiing terrain becomes inbounds terrain, go and check it out for a super easy and accessible cat-skiing experience. In addition to the open glades and quality pitch, even a few dicey cliff playgrounds lie within their tenure. And near the bottom of each run, several downed logs made for consecutive pillow-esque popper airs. They even offered a lasagna and garlic bread lunch in a yurt-style tent within the tenure. Although Tarhee’s inbounds rarely gets tracked out, if you’re looking for a quick-hit cat-skiing option or bored of skiing inbounds runs, Targhee’s cat-ski op proves to be a quality and viable option.

Thanks to Grand Targhee Resort, Dave Hudacsko, and some of the most fun guides around in Nadia, Walshy, Beach, and Nick.

For a gallery of photos from this trip go HERE