Viable Alternative to Heli SKiing.
Cat skiing is a very viable alternative to heli skiing. In fact, some people prefer it. It works on the same principles and similar programs to heli skiing. But, a comfy snow cat is used instead to take skiers and boarders up the slopes. The end result is the same as for heli skiing - endless untracked powder terrain.
Cat skiing has a few advantages over heli skiing:
Weather
Pace
Lower Investment
It is not affected nearly as much as heli skiing for poor weather conditions.
The pace is more relaxed than the heli loading, although the skiing is the same.
For an identical skiing experience, it is a much lower investment. On average, cat skiing can be as much as 50% cheaper for the same snow time duration, although the amount of vertical skied will be a bit less.
Please note- there are an increasing number of operations who offer both heli and cat skiing. Some are predominantly heli ski operations offering a service called ‘back up cat skiing’ whilst, others are predominantly cat ski operations who offer the chance to heli ski also.