Sub-alpine terrace and astonishing views

Welcome!!

We look forward to hosting you at Monashee Powder Snowcats this winter.

Monashee Powder Snowcats is located on the western side of the Monashee Mountains, ensuring monstrous amounts of light powder snow. In fact, the record for the second highest snowpack ever recorded in Canada was set at a mountain located near our area.

During the summer of 2010, we built our 6,000 sq. ft. Guest Chalet, complete with ensuite plumbing, heated flooring, a new hot tub and a large drying room. The Guest Chalet was joined with the Main Lodge by a covered walk-way. The ground floor of the Main Lodge was also renovated to give us a recreation room with a bar, billiard table and lounge area. There is more room to enjoy our delicious gourmet meals in our expanded Dining Room. The Guest Chalet has fourteen double-occupancy rooms and two single rooms. Please ask if you need a single room because you are travelling alone, snore loudly or are a light sleeper. We’ll do our best to accommodate your request in the order of need as above.

We are anticipating another great ski season at Monashee Powder. We look forward to seeing our returning guests and meeting those of you who are coming to ski with us for the first time.

Before you book your flights!

Arrival is the day before your ski dates.

Our shuttle bus picks up at the Kelowna airport at 12 noon Thursday and Sunday for $84 round trip and will only be there if a reservation has been made. There are different pick up days in December - please call for a bus reservation. Meet Dave, the bus driver, by the information kiosk, near the baggage carousel in the Kelowna airport. If you are driving, our meeting spot is further along the road at the Cherryville Golf & Roadhouse Cafe on Hwy 6 at 1:30 pm.

It will take another 2 hours to get to the lodge from this meeting spot, using our bus and the snowcat for transportation. Departure is after skiing on the last day of your trip. Only flights after 8:00 pm can be booked as we will not be at the airport until 7:10 pm.

Arriving or departing on a different schedule? The Four Points by Sheraton and the Hampton Inn are located 2 blocks from the Kelowna airport; we can pick up and drop off there. We do have a corporate rate and will give you the code when you book your trip.

Staff and safety

For your safety, all of our lead guides are either UIAGM or ACMG certified. However, not all the risks of backcountry skiing can be completely eliminated. You are obliged to accept this fact by signing a Waiver, Release from Liability and Assumption of Risks upon your arrival for your ski holiday. A sample copy of this form has been included in this website, please read it carefully before you arrive.

Our returning guide staff knows our terrain. They are professionals who are committed to making sure you have a wonderful and safe backcountry lodge experience.

FAQ’s?

What level of ability is required? How many runs per day do we ski? What about snowboarding and telemark skiing? What is the weather like?

Visit our FAQ page

Travel Tips

Plane

All guests should fly into Kelowna, BC, arriving by noon the day before your first day of skiing. Return flights out of Kelowna should not be booked earlier than 8:00 PM on the last day of your trip. **Please note that the current Seattle flight does not arrive in time for our bus to pick up. You will need to make your own travel arrangements to get to the trailhead.

If you live in Canada or overseas you should fly to Kelowna via Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto or Montreal. Kelowna International is mostly serviced by Westjet, Air Canada, and Alaska Airlines, as well as some smaller regional airlines.

To ensure that your boots arrive with you, we recommend that you bring them as carry-on luggage and stuff your mitts, snowpants, goggles and meds in them. We can find anything else you might need until your luggage arrives (at least 24 hours after you arrive!)

Bus Service

Our shuttle bus picks up at the airport hotels at 11:30am and then at the Kelowna airport at 12pm on Thursday and Sunday for $84 round trip and will only be there if a reservation has been made. There are different pick up days in December - please email for a bus reservation and note it on your registration form. If you are driving, our meeting spot is further along the road at the Cherryville Golf & Roadhouse Cafe on Hwy 6 at 1:30pm. It will take another 2 hours to get to the lodge from this meeting spot, using our bus and the snowcat for transportation. Departure is after skiing on the last day of your trip. Only flights after 8:00 pm can be booked as we will not be at the airport until 7:10 pm.

Delayed guests should call the MPS Lodge at 1-604-629-9810, please note this is a VOIP phone and you may have to dial more than once to get through. If you are running late contact the bus driver, Dave at 250-558-9699 or Cherryville Golf & Roadhouse Cafe at 250-547-9660 . Meet Dave the bus driver by the information kiosk, near the baggage carousel.

Packing Checklist

Clothing and Equipment To Bring

• Casual clothes and slippers for the lodge

• A small thermos for hot drinks on the cat (we supply water bottles)

• Ski goggles, snow boots and normal ski clothes that are suitable for all conditions and temperatures

• Ski Boots - we recommend that you take them on the airplane with you as carry-on luggage if you can

• Powder skis if you own them, otherwise you can rent ours. Check out our fleet of rental skis. We provide ski poles with fat baskets for guests.

• A bathing suit for the hot tub.

• Wear your ski jacket, boots and gloves on the bus and snowcat when you arrive.

• Bring any medications you regularly take, there isn't a drug store near-by!

Ski & Snowboard Rentals
 

For Skiers: Monashee Powder has a varied selection of powder skis. We carry a Armada JJ, Armada Tracer, Armada Bubba, Armada Magic J & Rossignol S7 skis. The cost to rent these skis is $35 per day. An early rise ski refers to a tip that is bent up but the tail remains the same. For powder skiers this means the ski tips float up out of the deep snow without the tendency to dive.

The new rocker or reverse camber ski can be as extreme as having a bent up tip and tail, similar to a u-shape. These skis are the fastest growing innovation in ski design, they are purpose-built for big lines and backcountry skiing. For more information about Rocker skis click here. For more information about camber skis through videos click here. 

Poles are provided along with rental skis. Guests must bring their own ski boots. The majority of our guides and guests use the wider powder skis. For maximum enjoyment of your holiday we recommend that you also use them.

For Snowboarders: We have a selection of powder boards available for rent, from 156 to 166 cm in length for $35/day. There are bindings on the boards, but bring your own and an adaptor plate (or your own bindings) just in case your boots don't fit our bindings.

The rental ski fleet is located on the website, FAQ section.

US Citizens

You must have a valid passport (check your expiry date). Any past criminal charges, including DUI, will prohibit you from crossing the border. There are no refunds if you are denied entry to Canada.

Shuttle Service by Van

If you prefer to use a van service because you are traveling other places, https://www.distinctlykelownawinetours.ca/transportation/.

Please check the internet for other companies, they continue to change their names and services.

Shuttle Service by Helicopter

In past years we achieved only a 50% rate of completed flights due to weather so we continue to transport by bus and snowcat. It snows a lot here, so that means great skiing but unreliable helicopter access! If you are interested in a helicopter transfer you can look at options with Glacier Heli or Arrow Heli.

Traveling Home

Please do not book your return flight before 8:00 pm on your last day of skiing. If you are traveling to the US through Seattle you will have to book a flight out the following morning. Guests will not be transported from the lodge early to accommodate flight schedules. Our shuttle can drop guests off at the Kelowna airport or one of the airport hotels for overnight accommodation. Please check with us for a corporate code at either of those hotels.

Fly and Drive

Unless you are going to ski resorts along the way, we strongly discourage flying to Spokane, Vancouver or Calgary and then driving to Monashee Powder. Flying directly to Kelowna is the best route. Please be advised that the road between Calgary and Revelstoke is periodically closed for avalanche control work.

Silver Star Mountain Resort and Big White

Due to the potential for delays and cancellations in airline travel, guests should consider a day or two of resort skiing locally prior to driving to Monashee Powder. Silver Star is the most conveniently located local ski resort since it is only a one hour drive from the Kelowna Airport and 20 minutes from Vernon. For more information about a trip to Silver Star or Big White contact:

Silver Star: 1-800-663-4431 or www.skisilverstar.com Big White: 1-800-663-2772 or www.bigwhite.com

Revelstoke Mountain Resort is a 3 hour drive from Cherryville. If you ski there prior to your Monashee trip you will have to allow for travel time on our meeting day.

Traveling by Car from Vancouver, Calgary, Seattle or Spokane

Distances to Vernon (add 45 minutes to get to Cherryville)

Vancouver to Vernon 426 km, 264 miles 5 hours

Calgary to Vernon 556 km, 346 miles 7 hours

Seattle to Vernon 538 km, 333 miles 6 1⁄2 hours

Spokane to Vernon 451 km, 280 miles 7 hours

Approximate Driving Times

Kelowna Airport to Cherryville Golf & Roadhouse Cafe: 1 1⁄4 hours

Vernon to Cherryville Golf & Roadhouse Cafe:! 45 minutes (53 km, 33 miles)

Emergency Medical and Trip Cancellation Insurance

Please review your medical coverage prior to your trip. It is highly recommended that all guests purchase trip cancellation and emergency medical insurance. This protects you in case of an unexpected cancellation or if a medical emergency interrupts you vacation with us.

Please follow this link for a quote from our preferred provider Lifestyle Travel Insurance Brokers: Request a trip insurance quote

https://lifestylefinancial.ca/get-a-quote/monashee-powder-snowcats/

You can also check your credit card insurance coverage - but the fine print needs careful reading.

American Express trip cancellation insurance is also available at a reasonable cost.

Sample Waiver which will be updated to include illnesses. (we use one that covers airbag use so you don’t have to fill in 2 waivers if you decide to rent an airbag.)