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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Schweitzer offers unique chance to take a powder

Little snow and more freezing than thawing made the off-piste terrain I’ve skied the last few weeks sketchy and unappealing. Little did I know that Selkirk Powder had been bagging the good stuff all along.

I caught a ride on the Selkirk Powder snow cat Tuesday and chief guide Ken Barrett chauffeured our group to an epic stash of soft, untracked snow on the western frontier of Schweitzer Mountain Resort. We were amazed at the quality conditions that persisted there after an extended drought.

“We face west and north, the opposite direction of the ski area,” Barrett said. “That makes a remarkable difference. We’ve only had to cancel one day in the past five years because of conditions.”

Easy access, protected slopes and huge swaths of easygoing terrain in Selkirk Powder’s permit area make backcountry skiing at Schweitzer more accessible than most snow cat operations. The resort’s ski school is taking advantage of those qualities to offer a full-featured introduction to powder skiing.

Schweitzer’s Powder Adventure Package is taking reservations for March 5. It’s an opportunity for intermediates to master the art of powder skiing and experience the adventure of a day riding Selkirk Powder’s snow cat. The all-inclusive program includes wide powder skis, instruction, lunch and backcountry training.

“This is a unique partnership in the ski industry for helping people ski powder,” said Terry McLeod, Schweitzer’s Snowsports School director. “Some of the terrain that Selkirk Powder accesses is fairly mild from a cat ski perspective. Plus, it’s untracked so it’s a very easy medium to learn in. The package we put together is a great combination for people who otherwise may be intimidated by the prospect of helicopter or snow cat skiing.”

Tuesday morning in blazing sunshine, guide Jon Dodge led us through untracked snow on moderate slopes with widely spaced trees. Looking across the basin, 3 miles and 3,500 acres of inviting lines spread out around us in a basin 3 miles wide. After a few runs I rode shotgun in the cab with Barrett.

“We’re in the powder-learning terrain right now,” he said. “About 17- degree slopes or less, not a lot of intimidating trees. This is an area where we can do quick turnarounds with novices so they can have plenty of untracked runs back here. We explain every run in detail, coach along the way and there’s no hurry to get down.”

Throughout the day we rumbled in the cat to a variety of settings, from old burn areas to steeper open bowls. I paired up with Schweitzer instructor Debra Rawuka. She was getting a feel for the classroom.

“The nice thing about the program is that you have a group of people at the same level learning together with the instructor for an entire day,” she said. “The snow cat driver knows exactly where to start them off, and where to go next as their skills improve and they get more confident. That’s a huge learning advantage.”

After a lunch on the go of sandwiches and hot wings, Barrett motored us to the summit of Big Blue, a peak rising above Schweitzer’s northwest boundary. The view from Big Blue offers a unique perspective on the layout of the ski area that most people don’t see. Its north-facing slopes were steep, wide-open powder fields.

The skiing was so good there that the group lobbied hard for an extra run at the end of the day and Barrett complied. By then, strangers who met in the morning had become friends, bonded by their love for skiing powder.

Bill Jennings can be reached at snoscene@comcast.net