Vail Powder Guides offers guided backcountry skiing and snowboarding on 3,500 acres of terrain near Vail, Colorado. The terrain they cover requires an intermediate or expert skiing or snowboarding ability. They have a fantastic safety record, provide beacons to each customer, offer a hearty lunch and even have powder skis available upon request. The snow cat departs from the Vail Pass rest area at 9 AM and returns to Vail Pass by 5:00 PM.  Snow cat skiing begins operations in mid December and run through the end of April depending upon snow conditions.