STANDARD BOOKING & CANCELLATION POLICY

By booking and paying for your trip you are accepting the standard booking and cancellation terms and policies as set out below. Please ensure you have read these polices in detail before you book.

THE BOOKING PROCESS

PAYMENT TERMS

  1. To confirm your reservation, a 25% non‐refundable deposit is required on booking. The balance due date will be shown on your confirmation & payment form. Group organizers or individual guests have two weeks from the date they receive their rebooking email to confirm their booking with deposits for the following year.
  2. Final Payments of the remaining 75% of the trip cost are due as follows:
        • Trips starting December 1st to January 31st: September 30th
        • Trips starting February 1st to February 28th /29th: October 31st  
        • Trips starting March 1st to April 4th: November 30th

      For bookings made after the above deadlines, full payment is due upon reservation.

  3. For full group bookings we will accept either a group deposit & final payment, or an individual deposit and final payment from each group member.
  4. Chatter Creek accepts the following payments:
    • Wire payment
    • Bank Transfer
    • Debit Card Payment
    • Credit Card Payments: including Mastercard, Visa, American Express
  5. If you are paying by cheque, please send a post‐dated cheque for the final payment to ensure it is received on time.
  6. All our rates are quoted in Canadian Dollars and include all applicable levies and taxes.

    ADDITIONAL FEES AND SERVICE CHARGES

Chatter Creek reserves the right to charge the following fees and service charges:

  1. Chatter Creek reserves the right to charge a transaction processing fee of up to 2.4% on payments made by credit card. 
  2. Chatter Creek reserves the right to implement a $10 per cat ski day fuel surcharge if fuel prices rise by more than 55% in any given calendar year as measured from December 31st to December 31st .

GROUP ORGANIZER RESPONSIBILITIES & DISCOUNTS

A Group Organizer is an individual with a booking for eight or more seats on a cat skiing tour who represents the whole group. The Group Organizer Discount is offered to this individual for managing their large group booking effectively.  To qualify for the discount, all the following criteria must be met:

  1. ALL group members deposits and final payments must be made in full by the deposit and final payment deadline
  2. The rooming list and all guest information forms must be sent to our office one month before your arrival date.

The Group Organizer responsible for the booking accepts responsibility for any unpaid seats on their booking. In the event that the booking is not paid in full by the final payment date, the Group Organizer will loose their Group Organizer Discount and will also loose their rebooking rights on the full group booking. 

The Group Organizer must be an attending member of the trip. If the Group Organizer is unable to attend their trip for more than two consecutive years, Chatter Creek reserves the right to withhold offering the Group Organizer rebooking rights on the full group booking.

If a Group Organizer wishes to assign their group booking to a new Group Organizer, the transfer of the group’s rebooking rights is subject to approval by Chatter Creek.   

Group Organizer Discounts are reviewed and adjusted annually. Chatter Creek reserves the right to adjust Group Organizer Discounts prior to the release of the following years’ prices.

MINIMUM GUEST AGE REQUIREMENT

All guests must be at least 16 years old. Guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a guardian. Any requests for an exception to this policy must be approved by Chatter Creek prior to the booking. Exceptions to this policy are reviewed by management on a case by case basis.

 

CANCELLATION POLICY 

All payments received are not cash refundable. When applicable, credits toward a future trip will be issued. In the event that a guest booking is rolled forward to the following year the guest is responsible for payment of any year over year price increases in the cost of the product and these amounts must be paid in full at the final payment due date.

If a tour is cancelled due to weather, conditions, or any other reason, we will issue a credit forward towards your tour in the following year equal to 100% of the value of payments received. If a tour is partially cancelled for any reason, we will issue a prorated credit equal to the cancelled days forward toward the following year’s tour. For partially cancelled tours, the heli‐transport costs are not refundable.

EXEMPTIONS OF STANDARD TERMS

For early season tours commencing on or before December 15th, a full cash refund will be issued if the tour is cancelled due to early season conditions. For all other tours commencing from December 16th to the end of the operating season, the standard booking and cancellation policy applies.

RESALE OF TRIP SEATS

In the event that following the confirmation of your booking, you are unable to attend your tour for any reason, Chatter Creek will work with you to resell your trip seat in the following manner:

  1. Chatter Creek will assist guests with the resale of their seat when a guest has determined they will not be returning and no longer wish to maintain their rebooking rights for their tour seat. Chatter Creek will discuss a resale price of your seat with you prior to advertising it. The recommended resale price may be less than face value, depending on how close the resale is to the trip start date.
  2. If Chatter Creek assists in finding a replacement guest for their trip seat, payment will be refunded to the guest once the seat has been filled and payment has been received.

     Refunds will be issued by cheque and may take up to 4 to 6 weeks to process. 

  1. A $250 administration fee applies to all resale of seats where the payment transaction is processed by Chatter Creek.
  2. If a guest would like to maintain the rebooking rights for a trip seat they may resell their seat privately. The seat may be resold to another skier, aged 19 years of age or older providing the guest notifies Chatter Creek of the resale, and Chatter Creek provides consent. Chatter Creek will waive the resale administrative fee, if you collect resale monies directly from the replacement guest.
  3. In the unlikely event that the seat cannot be filled either by Chatter Creek or the cancelling guest, then all payments received by Chatter Creek are non‐refundable.

 

COMMUNICABLE DISEASE OUTBREAK POLICIES

In the event that a communicable disease outbreak requires provincial health authority intervention and restrictions in subsequent seasons, Chatter Creek will continue to provide guests with a trip deferral option preceding the final payment due date if this step is deemed necessary by Chatter Creek.  Following the final payment due date, our Standard Booking Terms & Conditions apply to the cancellation and resale of trip seats provided we are able to continue to operate and provide the guest with their trip.  

In the event that Chatter Creek cannot provide a guest’s trip due to a full or partial closure, we will issue a credit forward towards the guest’s trip in the following year equal to 100% of the value of payments received. When a credit is rolled forward, the guest is responsible for payment of any year-over-year price increases in the cost of the product, and these amounts must be paid in full at the final payment due date.

PROVINCIAL HEALTH MANDATES AND VACCINATIONS

In the event that provincially mandated restrictions are put into place such as vaccination requirements or mask mandates, guests will be required to meet all provincially mandated requirements in order to attend their trip. If a guest cannot meet these requirements, we will work with our guests to resell their trip seats, and the $250 seat resale administrative fees will be waived. If the trip seat is not able to be resold, then all payments received by Chatter Creek are non‐refundable.

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AND BORDER CLOSURES

In the event that travel restrictions or border closures are put in place by the Government of Canada or a Foreign Nations Government, we will work with our guests to resell their trip seats and the $250 seat resale administrative fees will be waived. If the trip seat is not able to be resold, then all payments received by Chatter Creek are non‐refundable.

 

DOWN DAYS DUE TO SNOWCAT BREAKDOWNS OR WEATHER

If a ski day is lost due to snowcat breakdown we will issue a credit forward towards your tour in the following year equal to 100% of the value of payments received for the partial or full ski day lost.  For partially cancelled tours, the heli‐transport costs to and from the lodge are not refundable. It is unlikely cat skiing time would be lost due to a snowcat breakdown as we have a standby snowcat available to minimize this risk.

Weather-related problems beyond our control can cause down days. Once a tour is underway, Chatter Creek does not provide replacement ski days for down days due to weather-related problems, including but not limited to unfavourable snow conditions and inclement weather.

 

TRANSPORT DELAYS DUE TO WEATHER

There is no extra occupancy charge for guests delayed at the lodge due to weather. 

If the helicopter cannot fly to the lodge due to poor weather, a ground transfer will occur. Ground transfers can take four hours or longer, depending on road conditions. Chatter Creek assumes no responsibility for costs incurred by guests having to find alternate accommodation and meals due to transport delays in arriving at or leaving the lodge but will assist with finding suitable accommodation.

Chatter Creek is not responsible for mechanical issues or weather conditions which result in the helicopter being unavailable for transporting guests to/from the lodge. In the event ground transport is required, no refunds or trip credits are issued based on the means of transport for guest transfer in or out of the lodge.

 

TRIP INSURANCE

We recommend purchasing trip insurance for guest-initiated trip cancellations or delays, and for sickness or injury. You will not receive a refund from Chatter Creek if you do not attend or complete your trip for these reasons.  Guests should also carry adequate medical insurance to cover unforeseen costs in the event of injury. While we include heli evacuation coverage in the trip cost to cover the cost of a heli evacuation from the backcountry to the hospital, this does not cover any other fees involved with an injury, such as ambulance or hospital fees. Insurance for backcountry cat skiing trips is available through Uniglobe Specialty Insurance in Revelstoke, BC.  Contact Wanetta Stroo at revelstoke@uniglobespecialty.com or call 1‐866‐667‐0811 to book this product.

 

HELICOPTER EVACUATION COVERAGE

We recommend purchasing trip insurance for guest-initiated trip cancellations or delays, and for sickness or injury. You will not receive a refund from Chatter Creek if you do not attend or complete your trip for these reasons.  Guests should also carry adequate medical insurance to cover unforeseen costs in the event of injury. While we include heli evacuation coverage in the trip cost to cover the cost of a heli evacuation from the backcountry to Golden, this does not cover any other fees involved with an injury such as ambulance or hospital fees. Insurance for backcountry cat skiing trips is available through Uniglobe Specialty Insurance in Revelstoke, BC.  Contact Wanetta Stroo at revelstoke@uniglobespecialty.com or call 1‐866‐667‐0811 to book this product.

If a guest is injured and the first aid attendant at the scene determines that a helicopter evacuation is required, the guest will be flown out and the cost will be covered directly by the Chatter Creek heli evacuation coverage.

 

PERSONAL PROPERTY INSURANCE

Equipment lost while skiing or in transport is the responsibility of the guest.  Chatter Creek reserves the right to charge the skier for lost rental skis, radios, and other rented equipment lost by the guest in the tenure. 

 

REQUIRED LEVEL OF SKILL

In order for guests to safely and comfortably participate in cat skiing in the Chatter Creek tenure, guests should have good fitness level and a strong intermediate to advanced ability to powder ski or board.  If you are not confident that your skiing/snowboarding ability or your fitness is at the required level, please give our booking office a call to discuss this matter in advance of booking your trip.  If you are unable to keep up with your snowcat group, your guide may ask that you sit out for one or multiple runs. Guests will not be reimbursed for any missed time that arises due to a lack of basic fitness or powder skiing ability.  

A snowcat can only move as fast as the slowest participant in the group.  While our booking team always attempts to put skiers of like ability together when booking participants into a mixed snowcat, the only way to guarantee the speed and ability of your group is to book the entire snowcat with like-minded friends. 

 

GUEST GUIDELINES FOR ACCESSING THE LODGE AND TENURE

Chatter Creek requires that all guests recognize and agree to the following rules and guidelines regarding safe access and usage of the Chatter Creek lodge and tenure when signing the standard booking and cancellation contract:  

  1. All guests must read, understand, and sign the Chatter Creek cat skiing participant waiver prior to completing their initial trip booking and again prior to arrival at the Chatter Creek lodge and tenure.
  2. All guests must complete the guest intake form prior to completing their trip booking
  3. All guests must recognize that Chatter Creek guides, and tail guides reserve the right to require a guest to sit out from skiing/snowboarding for one or multiple runs if they deem that the guest’s ability or fitness does not meet the basic required level and/or poses a safety risk to themselves or the snowcat group. 
  4. All guests must recognize that Chatter Creek management reserves the right to terminate a guest’s stay without refund should the behaviour of a guest compromise the general safety of staff or other lodge guests, and/or constitute sexual harassment of a staff member or lodge guest.
  5. All guests must recognize that Chatter Creek management reserves the right to terminate a guest’s rebooking privileges should the behaviour of a guest compromise the general safety of staff or other lodge guests, and/or constitute sexual harassment of a staff member or lodge guest.