Our Story

 

Cariboo Cat Skiing was started by Mount Robson / Tete Jaune local Terry Cinnamon, who wanted to turn his love of powder skiing as a full time job in the winter.

Based in lovely Tete Jaune, just off of Highway 16, our staging area is in the historic trailer that used to belong to mountain guide legend Will Pfisterer.

Cariboo Cat Skiing is managed Max Darrah, owner of Rockaboo Mountain Adventures from Jasper. Max is also a ACMG certified Mountain Guide and has been working at Cariboo Cat Skiing over ten years.

At Cariboo Cat Skiing, we strive to provide the best day for our guests filled with great skiing, and lots of laughs. Our guides love working here and many come back year after year. We are really like one big family.

Come see why we love it here too!

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What is SNOWCAT Skiing?

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So what is cat skiing anyway?

Cat skiing is machine-assisted backcountry skiing. Heli skiing is the other form of mechanized skiing which is unique in its own way.

The snowcat takes you up the mountain via a maintained snowcat road, and from there you ski down.  The snowcat is the same type of machine you see grooming ski runs at a ski hill.  A snowcat for cat skiing is modified with a heated cabin that comfortably takes guests up into ski terrain.

Why cat skiing?

Cat Skiing is a great way to experience the backcountry at a much lower cost than heli skiing.  Due to our large tenure and small group size (we only operate one snowcat per day), we’re able to offer plenty of powder for everyone.  A day of cat skiing is a real treat, and a great introduction to backcountry skiing since you’ll get much more powder snow than you would at a ski hill.

Why Cariboo Cat Skiing?

Our small operation and attention to our guests makes us unique. When you ski & ride with us, you’ll really feel like a part of the family. Many guests come out to ski with us year after year. We cater the experience to the group and make sure that everyone will have a great time.

Our views are terrific. On a clear day, you can see Mount Robson, which at 3954 m, (12, 972 ft), is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. It’s truly something special.

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Want to know more? One of our guests, Ryan de Milliano made this awesome video (below) to explain what cat skiing is all about. (Thanks Ryan!)

Meet The Guides

 

All trips are led by professionally licensed guides. They have many years of wilderness experience and extensive knowledge of our local area.

They have the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides certification (ACMG), in either the mountain guide or ski guide stream, or the European equivalent, Union Internationale des Associations de Guides de Montagnes (UIAGM).  All possess a valid advanced first aid ticket including an 80 hour wilderness first aid training and are trained in avalanche rescue.

For your added service, a tail guide also accompanies the group.

Our Guides have the following credentials:

 

Association of Canadian Mountain Guides Full Mountain Guide
Association of Canadian Mountain Guides Full Ski Guide
Association of Canadian Mountain Guides Apprentice Ski Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association Avalanche Operations Level 1 and 2 credentials
Wilderness First Aid 80 hour certification
Are generally awesome, professional, and are focused on our guests having an amazing and safe day!
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Max Darrah

Lead Guide

Max Darrah is one of 204 internationally certified Mountain Guides in Canada. He completed his formal training in 2014, supported by the Parks Canada Agency. The majority of Max’s career since 1999 has been spent working as a first responder for the Federal government: fire management, law enforcement, and mountain rescue.
Max started the Rockaboo corporation in 2010, and worked with a number of local apprentices out of his garage in Jasper. Focused on providing safe, exciting and authentic climbing and skiing experiences, the Rockaboo team has continued to grow. Max stepped away from the government in 2019, and is currently completing a post-graduate business diploma in Innovation and Design Thinking and works full time for Rockaboo as the Director of Operations.

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Matt Reynolds

Ski Guide

Matt Reynolds is an internationally certified Mountain Guide. He lives in the mountains of Jasper National Park with his wife Tracy and daughter Linnaea. Matt has been a guide at Cariboo Cat skiing for over 15 years, and is currently a part time instructor for Thompson Rivers University Adventure Studies program and the owner/operator of Matt Reynolds Mountain Guiding.
Matt completed his full guiding certification in September 2009.
Matt has a passion for bringing mountains, people, and adventure together!

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Steve Blake

Ski Guide

Steve dedicated most of his career with Parks Canada as a Mountain Safety Specialist in Jasper National Park, winning awards for rescue work. He is a fully certified Mountain Guide and is a past President of the Canadian Avalanche Association. He received his B.SC. in Geography and Environmental Science from Trent University in Ontario. Steve lives a rich life in Jasper with his wife Angie and has 2 adult kids. He has worked at Cariboo Ski since almost the beginning!

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Barb Sharp

Ski Guide

Barb first strapped on cross-country skis at age 2 and was a member of Canada's national biathlon team for several years. She was introduced to backcountry skiing in her late teenage years in the McGregor mountains. During the summer, Barb works for Jasper National Park in the wildlife management program and is a member of the mountain rescue team.

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Etienne Cardinal

Tail Guide

Etienne is an aspiring ski guide and is working his way through the ACMG guiding program. His professionalism in the field is top notch and he's got your back if you need assistance. Etienne is gaining lots of experience cat skiing guiding and here at Cariboo Cat Skiing. In his spare time he works full time for Parks Canada in Jasper National Park.

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Mike Blarowski

Apprentice Ski Guide

Mike is an ACMG Certified Apprentice Ski Guide living in Canmore. He has been in Canada for 28 years and started ski touring 20 years ago. He started seriously pursuing ski guiding in 2013.
When he is not guiding, he is designing websites and helping companies with digital marketing.

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Vern

Snowcat Operator

Vern is our awesome snowcat driver. He's on his 14th season at CSS. He moved to Canada from Switzerland many years ago, settling first in Canmore, Alberta which was getting a bit too busy. Him and his wife now live on an acreage west of Valemount with their cats and horses.
Vern's attention to detail and professionalism are incredible. He really is one of a kind.

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Jesse Milner

Ski Guide

Raised on a farm in the Rocky Mountain Trench, Jesse’s proximity to the mountains at a young age attracted him to pursue a career as a Mountain Guide. He completed the ACMG Ski Guide Program in 2016. He spent his recent summers as a Backcountry Ranger at Mount Robson Provincial Park, but spent the summer of 2017 becoming a Rock Climbing Guide. He spends 250 days a year in the alpine- heliskiing, rock climbing guiding, assisting with glacier research and doing personal trips. Jesse has skied and climbed numerous mountain ranges in Alaska, Patagonia, the St. Elias, the Columbias and the Rockies, with highlights including Mount Robson, Mount Logan, Cerro Tronador, Mount Alberta and a 17 day ski traverse in the Cariboos. But what Jesse loves the most about the mountains, is sharing his contagious passion with others!

Our Location – How to Find Us

We’re located in Tete Jaune, Brtish Columbia, just west of the junction of the Yellowhead highway (highway 16) and highway 5.  This is our base and where we meet in the morning to start our day.  Our cat ski terrain is located about a 25 minute drive south west on forestry roads to our tenure on Mica Mountain.

How to get here

We are located just north of the Village of Valemount and just over one hour drive west of Jasper, Alberta. We are 350km north of Kamloops on highway 5 and 285 km east of Prince George on highway 16.

From Valemount

Travel 19 km north on highway 5.  At the junction of highway 5 and 16, travel west on 16 towards McBride and Prince George for 1 km.  Turn left off the highway, then immediately right at the Tete Jaune Lodge.  Look for our sign, 2 driveways past the lodge on the left

From Jasper

Travel 100 km west on highway 16.  At the junction of highway 5 and 16, stay to the right, and continue west on 16 towards McBride and Prince George for 1 km.  Turn left off the highway, then immediately right at the Tete Jaune Lodge.  Look for our sign, 2 driveways past the lodge on the left.

From Prince George

Travel approximately 65km east of McBride on highway 16.  Just before the Junction of highway 5 and 16, turn right off the highway at the Tete Jaune Lodge.  Turn immediately right again, and look for our sign, 2 driveways past the lodge on the left.