Try snowcat skiing and yurt camping in the mountains above Idaho’s Camas Prairie

The snow on the slopes of the Soldier Mountains in mid-February was still crisp, soft and dry two days after a winter storm dumped several inches. The air had a nip to it, and the wind was light as the sun’s rays graced the upper slopes.

One group of 12 excited skiers boarded Chair 1 at the base of Soldier Mountain Resort for a Cat Scratch Snowcat skiing trip with hoots and hollers ringing from their mouths as the chairlift ascended them to the top.

Snowcat or cat skiing is a form of backcountry exploration using a snowcat to shuttle skiers and riders to the top of usually untouched powder-snow fields. The trip is guided by trained backcountry and avalanche professionals and is like no other experience on on-piste terrain.

In Idaho, however, only three guide services exist — the other two are at Brundage Mountain Resort near McCall and Selkirk Powder near Sandpoint.

After a second chairlift ride to the top of the resort, Peak 1, Peak 2 and Smokey Dome became visible, as did the snowcat and driver CW Stewart.

After a short ride to the Smokey Dome Yurt, a base-camp style yurt guests can rent and stay at in between two-day ski trips, near the base of Peak 1, guides Ryan Bentley and Mollie Mclam went over avalanche safety protocols and things to be aware of on-mountain.

Then it was off to the first run of the morning.

A recommended but unwritten rule when skiing in the backcountry is to ski on south faces in the morning as the snow is usually the freshest, which was the case this day. Bentley and Mclam deemed the short run safe, and one by one each skier glided down, rooster tails of snow spraying out from behind the ends of their skis.

“Our guides were not only knowledgeable but kept a pulse on what worked and what didn’t for everyone, offering opportunity for easier routes for beginners and slightly more adventure-packed routes for experts all in the same run,” said Meredith Richardson, of Ketchum.

Adventure-packed routes became the consensus from the group and talk inside the snowcat was of bigger lines but still remaining safe.

As the sun climbed higher, so did the snowcat — revealing more crystal blue sky and fresh air as the summit of Peak 2 neared. AThe group tackled ascents of rockier, longer and more exposed terrain the rest of the morning.

The clouds began to hide the sun, keeping the air and snow cold, as afternoon approached. Not one complaint came as the runs became more challenging.

The highlight run of the day, an eastern facing slope with a 1,000 vertical foot drop named ‘The Triangle’, surprised everyone due to ample amounts of wind-loaded snow on the pitch.

“Even with variable conditions, they knew where to put us to get those POW laps we paid for and to leave our quads burning by the end of the day,” Richardson said of Bentley and Mclam’s choice of terrain.

“Camas County, Idaho. It’s the only place that you can slip on the ice, fall in the mud, get up and dust yourself off,” said snowcat driver Stewart.

His words might have had deeper meaning not related to the weather though.

Shortly after 3 p.m., a small issue with the snowcat shortened the trip by one run. A gasket went out in the rear-drive, but the group made the trip to the base without issue.

Yurt-ing it up for the night

Instead of riding to the base with the rest of the group, I opted to stay at the yurt that evening to experience its charm and delights.

The yurt’s amenities were ample, the beds more than cozy and only one midnight log needed to be placed into the wood-burning stove to keep the inside warm until sunrise.

Although the clouds covered the stars that night and squashed any astrophotography opportunities, the sunrise the next morning was gorgeous.

I had also prearranged a snowmobile ride out the next morning with yurt caretaker Joe Mabbutt.

Speaking with him the next morning with fresh coffee in hand, we exchanged stories of skiing in Colorado and Idaho, and campouts we had done over the years.

He told me a story about how the yurt collapsed following the “Snowpocalypse” of 2017, and how the roof had caved in while his wife was inside the yurt, blowing her out the front door — similar to a compression shock wave from a bomb blast.

After two short uphill rope tows behind the snowmobile, I made my way back to the Soldier Mountain base area.

Turn of events

Since the new ownership group took over Soldier Mountain in 2020, the resort has had some ups and downs but has come out on top each time. From the Phillips Fire in the summer to mechanical issues on the mountain with Chair 1, general manager Paul Alden has remained positive.

“I think it has been a testament to our resilience,” he said while talking in the lodge offices after the trip.

Alden also said the resort is talking about continuing cat skiing after the resort closes for the spring, which is slated for March 20 and to check the resort’s website daily for more information.