While searching for fresh powder is a time-honored pursuit every winter, the 2025-2026 season has felt particularly dire. The driest winter on record in the American West, the Rocky Mountains have been experiencing a snow drought. But desperate times call for inventive measures, and if there’s ever a truly right time to treat yourself to a life-changing winter experience, it’s now.
Or, so I told myself as I landed at the airport in Crested Butte, Colorado. But, the ski resort was not my final destination. No, I was headed out to the backcountry terrain of the West Elk Mountains in Irwin, which is only 12 miles away, but gets double the powder—and is the snowiest place in Colorado. While Aspen, located just across the mountain pass, tends to get all the attention, for true skiers, nothing tops Irwin. The average snowfall per year is over 600 inches, and on the particular weekend I was visiting, the snowfall was too low to ski many runs at nearby Crested Butte resort, but the powder was freshly fallen over on the West Elks.
(Crested Butte at sunset c/o Katie Botwin)
I was staying at Eleven Sopris House, a luxury lodge which serves as headquarters for daily snowcat adventures across pristine, uncharted terrain. The 1,500 acres up in the West Elks are designated for private use only by Eleven guests.
I had been catskiing once before, with Big Red Cats along British Columbia’s Powder Highway, and the extreme snowy conditions were up to my waist. British Columbia is famous for a heavier, wetter snow, and I remembered the adventure as exhilarating but strenuous. Which is why I was so nervous the first night I arrived in Crested Butte. Our luxury accommodations assured me that, if the outing tomorrow was to be as challenging as I feared, there would be ample places to unwind after—the jacuzzi, sauna, and firepit beckoned.
That first night, we enjoyed cocktails in the elegant bar of neighboring Scarp Ridge Lodge, another Eleven property that is a saloon-turned-lodge outfitted with the chicest mountain-modern amenities. (Both properties are ideal for groups of travelers, as they cater to full buyouts). I met my fellow skiers, and guides over canapes and hot toddys, and quickly learned my fellow skiers were far more experienced than I was. But the mood was excited and laid-back—I figured, even if the skiing was terrifying, I’d have a good time.
(Eleven Sopris House c/o Katie Botwin)
“Crested Butte is at 9,000 feet elevation, so treat your body good,” said my guide, Megan Paden. “Beer, water, beer, water.”
The assembled skiers in my group laughed but I remained nervous, envisioning my own version of Aspen Extreme, and I wasn’t far off—I was in the right place (and company) for extreme skiers. One of my hosts, Mike Hattrup, is a legend in the ski industry, and has been featured in some of the most iconic ski movies ever, including The Blizzard of AAHHH’s—and he wants to give guests at Eleven the same experience: “When I shot The Blizzard of AAHHH’s, I was strictly a resort mogul skier,” says Hattrup. “I'd never been out-of-bounds, never had an avalanche transceiver on, never had a harness on—none of that. I was as green as could be.”
Director Greg Stump took Hattrup to Chamonix to shoot the film, and it pushed his boundaries of what was possible: “You’re in this terrain that's wild: Big granite spires and crevasses, tumbling ice falls and seracs, and it's super intimidating—but I was also really drawn to it.”
The off-piste outing was formative, to say the least: “That experience of being taken to a place I didn't belong—I had no business being there without a guide—that was life-changing for me, and that’s what led me down the path to becoming a guide,” says Hattrup. “And that’s what we do at Eleven—taking somebody to a place where they shouldn't be on their own and giving them a safe, thrilling experience—it may not be life-changing, but it builds confidence.”
(Author and friends preparing to ski c/o Alex Fenton)
What’s more life-changing than confidence? I could use a renewed belief in myself, I decided. And I found Hattrup’s beliefs about the transformative nature of off-piste skiing—venturing into the wild—to be true the very next morning. The luxurious, heated snowcat dropped us off at the morning in one of Eleven’s Backcountry Cabins, an off-grid outpost in the Elk Mountains with a firepit, cozy seating, and a full bar, and I figured, if I struggled on the slopes, I could always retreat back here for some woodsy relaxation. As it turns out, my fear was misplaced.
The snowcat dropped us on a narrow peak for the first run of the day, and, though I was hesitant at first, the combination of the beauty of my surroundings, and the addictive feeling of gliding atop fresh powder was simply addictive. “The venue for skiing is unlike anything else—you think about any other sport, nothing's like skiing,” says Hattrup. “Golf courses are beautiful, but not compared to being up here.”
(Catskiing cat c/o Katie Botwin)
We had a guide ahead of us, and one trailing behind, so I always felt safe and more empowered to navigate my way between the snow-covered trees and crevasses of the West Elks. I learned that catskiing in Irwin may be a bucket-list trip, but it isn’t just for experts—the terrain is accessible for intermediate skiers, too (which is perfect for family travel, or groups of friends). And the guides are happy to accommodate various skill levels. And the love of the sport with my Eleven crew was infectious: “Whether it's skiing groomers, or skiing crud, or skiing powder, or corn, I love it all. It’s just the thrill of sliding: it's the exercise, it's being in a spectacular place,” says Hattrup.
(Catskiing scenes from inside c/o Katie Botwin)
And the combination of being up in the West Elks and then downtown in quaint, Christmas-light adorned streets of Crested Butte is intoxicating.Crested Butte is known as Colorado’s “Last Great Ski Town,” a fitting descriptor for the old-school, laid-back vibe of the picturesque city streets and local storefronts. “There’s something magical about Crested Butte that you can’t find everywhere,” says Hattrup. “It’s this cool, charming, soulful ski town, and you can go to different bars or restaurants in the evening, and then get whisked 12 miles away to this magical powder wonderland.”
(Author and friends catskiing c/o Alex Fenton)
On the final day, I skied groomers at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, and, reader, I loved how easy the runs felt after days in the backcountry. But, I can’t wait to return and venture off-piste once more with Eleven—my confidence has, indeed, been built. And now, the world is my (off-piste) oyster. Perhaps I’ll go heli-skiing in France or Iceland, next. Eleven has properties in both places, and, though the Rocky Mountains were a stunning backdrop, nothing beats the Northern Lights. The pursuit of powder persists—see you next winter.
