On February 9th, 2025, I was lucky enough to tag along for a day of cat skiing with Soldier Mountain. Cat skiing is something that needs to be experienced to be believed. It is more expensive than a day at a resort (obviously), but nothing beats the feeling of riding untracked powder all day long with a comfortable, warm break in between runs. 

We met at the base lodge of Soldier Mountain at 8am and got geared up. We took the lifts up the mountain at 8:30 and met the cat at the top chair before the safety briefing. Our two guides were phenomenal, explaining the details before each run and providing lively banter while in the cat. We ate lunch while moving to the next run on the cat, which consisted of hearty sandwiches, chips, cookies, and candy bars. Water bottles were also provided. 

Conditions were incredible, with a significant storm cycle dropping over 4 feet of snow in the Soldier Mountain region the previous week. One distinctive feature of Soldier Mountain Cat in southern Idaho is its high elevation, which keeps the snow lighter and fluffier compared to lower elevation resorts. Typically, the riding occurs from about 9,000 feet down to around 7,000 feet. Below is the 3D topographic map of the area where the cat operation runs:

Avalanche danger was high due to the recent snowfall, so most of the runs were on relatively mellow terrain. The runs varied, featuring some open terrain, some in gladed meadows, and some that combined the two. Most of the runs that I experienced were off the ridge coming down from Second Peak with some shorter runs coming off First Peak.

The group was smaller, consisting of just seven of us—six boarders, a lone skier, and two guides. We managed to complete about nine runs, totaling 13,000 feet of vertical as measured by GPS. It was a fantastic day of riding powder and enjoying some incredible views. The mix of riding untracked powder and resting in a warm environment between laps really spoils you and nearly ruins resort riding. 

Soldier recently expanded its backcountry offerings with a 4-person Trax (imagine a RZR with treads). This would be an exciting excursion, allowing you to access tighter and steeper terrain that perhaps the cat cannot navigate. There are some rumors that Soldier is considering adding more terrain around Smoky Dome for their cat operation. The extra terrain would be a significant advantage because they could utilize a second cat and offer a bit more terrain for people to explore. 

Overall, I would highly recommend Soldier Mountain Cat. They have a top-notch operation with a great crew to ride with and some phenomenal terrain to boot. 

Be sure to check them out at Backcountry Skiing – Soldier Mountain.