Five Star Cats – the terrain, powder and luxury of Island Lake Lodge are almost too much to handle
Chill Factor Magazine takes a tour of Island Lake Lodge Catskiing and finds the finest powder experience in North America. “Snowy – Opulent – Privileged – Hedonistic – Incomparable – Enjoyment. That’s the truest description of the Island Lake Lodge Catskiing experience I can muster. Island Lake Lodge is basically a health retreat for skiers and snowboarders looking to ride powder because Yoga sucks. Located in the Lizard Range of the BC Rocky Mountains, founding members Scott Schmidt and Craig Kelly have created arguably the most legitimate five-star cat skiing operation on the planet, coupled with some of the finest tree skiing you’ll find anywhere and food that will make you forget you visited a ski resort cafeteria. It could be argued that a day of cat skiing at Island Lake is even better than a three course breakfast, followed by a deep-tissue massage and a beer-laden hot tub in the afternoon – all of which they also provide.
“The roaring, centrally heated, fully catered , mp3 equipped Piston Bully snow cat pulls up at your doorstep at around 9am every morning and walking to it from your bedroom is about the only non-ski related exercise you’ll be required to do for the day. And it’s not as if skiing with your mates down dreamy, gladed powder runs exactly qualifies as exercise. Thought that’s not to day the terrain isn’t testing, there is something for everyone, provided everyone likes to ski powder. The guides are nice as pie and will take you pretty much anywhere you want to go so long as it’s safe. Ask and you shall receive. Though basic avalanche safety skills are received no matter what and subsequently you are expected to know them. Having said that, the guides are some of the best in North America and are tremendously qualified for the job of keeping you out of avalanche danger.
“An average day will have you doing more runs than you have the legs for. The cat-trails are brilliantly laid so you are dropped off at the top, ski a run, then reach the bottom only to realize that despite all your efforts you still haven’t beaten the snow cat, which is idly waiting to take you back up. Descending through the trees feels like being on a jumping castle, the undulating terrain gently bouncing you around as you float down the mountain with your friends beside you. Turns seem to be more for direction than speed control, as the bottomless snow lets you ski well beyond your ability level and the only thing you can hear other than the snow brushing up against your jacket are the shrieks of disbelief coming from the ‘screamers’ in your group. There are screamers in every group.
“Undoubtedly, the next best thing to the ride down is the ride back up, as you kick up your feet in the back of the cat, help yourself to some lunch and cradle a hot chocolate, list to some tunes and share looks of ‘how stupidly, ridiculously, unbelievably awesome is this!’ with your mates. It’s a moment worth savoring and definitely worth writing about. To top it all off the catering crew will meet you at the bottom of the last run of the day with some cold beers, providing ample opportunity to swap stories with other ski groups as the sun casually drops over the mountains.
“Champagne and champagne-power rarely seem to go together, so to sit through three courses of breakfast and three courses of dinner each day is better than winning loot while having sex. I won’t pretend to be a gourmand or a connoisseur of any sort, but the food was something we all collectively looked forward to each night and I did enjoy the wine list immensely.
“Island Lake Lodge Catskiing is actually three lodges, giant cedar wood palaces surrounding the main lodge – Bear Lodge, or Beer Lodge as we came to know it. Inside the accommodation lodges the high ceilings of the spacious bedrooms give on to sprawling balconies overlooking the entire Island Lake land, which is apparently about a gazillion times the size of Whistler. The heated floors are a nice touch, the chess board by the fire is charming and feather-down doonas make the night pass as if it didn’t exist, but for me the best part by far was sitting in my giant armchair made out of teddy bear. The place is pretty high-level luxury, yet it’s comfortable, quiet and laid-back. Just like Canadians.
“As guests from different groups and different countries forged a camaraderie over the klaxon of pints banging together every 30 seconds in collective excitement because tomorrow we get to do it all over again. In the end that’s what Island Lake is all about. Lapping powder runs with your mates at your side, eating well, swapping tall tales over beers in the hot tub and kicking your feet up at the end of it just to laugh at it all. It’s the perfect place to forget that the rest of the world exists, or that it does exist, but just isn’t as good as Island Lake Lodge Catskiing.
Written by Chris Booth, Chill Factor
