Selkirk Powder

What Selkirk Powder does

Selkirk Powder Company is a privately held Idaho adventure outfitter founded in 2003 by Ken Barrett and Chip Kamin, currently operating from the Priest Lake area near Coolin, Idaho after relocating from its original Sandpoint/Schweitzer Mountain base in 2024. The company provides guided backcountry ski touring, snowcat-assisted skiing, guided snowmobile tours, and AIARE-certified avalanche education courses across more than 200,000 acres of Selkirk Mountains terrain. Core products include BC101 intro touring, advanced backcountry touring, the 2-day Selkirk Traverse (with overnight poly-dome accommodation at 6,000 feet), cat skiing at the new 6,250-acre Atlasta-Casey zone with 2,025 feet of vertical descent, and Avalanche Rescue / AIARE 1 / AIARE 2 certification courses.

The business holds an Idaho Outfitter license, an Idaho Department of Lands permit, and AIARE provider certification, and was the first helicopter skiing operator in the Idaho Panhandle (launched 2016) in partnership with South Coast Helicopters. Technology infrastructure is limited to standard SaaS tools — Shopify for e-commerce, FareHarbor for embedded booking, Smartwaiver for digital liability waivers, and Google Maps for directions — with no proprietary software, AI/ML systems, or APIs.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through the company website with integrated booking, phone/text reservations, and email, supplemented by organic social (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TripAdvisor), a "Powder Bell" text alert service, and earned media coverage in publications including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Vogue, Ski Magazine, and Powder Magazine. Pricing ranges from $390 per guide for a half-day snowmobile tour to $1,290 per person for AIARE 2; the company also sells $100 gift certificates. Customer segments are primarily individual recreational backcountry skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers, and avalanche-education seekers, with no disclosed enterprise or institutional customers.

Name

Selkirk Powder

Legal name

Selkirk Powder Company

Website

https://selkirkpowder.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Selkirk Powder is a privately held Idaho adventure outfitter founded in 2003 that provides guided backcountry ski touring, cat skiing, snowmobile tours, and AIARE-certified avalanche education across 200,000+ acres of the Selkirk Mountains to individual recreational guests.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Tourism & Outfitting Services

NAICS

Skiing Facilities (713920), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Guided Backcountry & Off-Piste Services (Ski Touring, Splitboarding, Heli/Cat Skiing) (THAAAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Winter & Mountain Guides (Ski, Snowshoe, Avalanche, Ice Climbing) (THAAALAF), Snowmobile & Motorized Snow Tours (Snowmobiling, Snowbike) (THAAAJAF), Mountain Safety & Patrol Services (Avalanche Training, Rescue, Medical) (THAAAJAI)

Keywords

• Guided backcountry skiing
• Cat skiing tours
• Snowmobile touring
• Avalanche education courses
• Adventure outfitter services

Headquarters

HQ city

Coolin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Guided Backcountry Ski Tours: Revenue from guided backcountry skiing experiences including BC101 intro tours, advanced touring, and Selkirk Traverse multi-day tours. Priced per person with group sizes of 2-6 participants.
2. Cat Skiing: Snowcat-assisted backcountry skiing at the Atlasta-Casey zone. Priced per seat ($530) or private group (6 seats). Includes 3-4 laps per day with access to south and north runs from dome area.
3. Guided Snowmobile Tours: Guided snowmobile experiences in the 188,000-acre permit zone spanning from Schweitzer to Canadian border. Partnership with Crown Jewel Rentals for equipment.
4. AIARE Avalanche Education: Certified avalanche education courses including Avalanche Rescue ($420), AIARE 1 ($840), and AIARE 2 ($1,290) taught by qualified instructors. Can be incorporated into ski tour days.
5. Gift Certificates: Gift certificates available in $100 increments, valid for the season purchased, non-transferable and non-refundable.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Selkirk Powder Company is a licensed Idaho outfitter that sells guided winter backcountry experiences in the Selkirk Mountains of northern Idaho. Its core offerings are guided backcountry ski touring tours (BC101 Intro, Advanced Touring, multi-day Selkirk Traverse), snowcat-assisted cat skiing at the Atlasta-Casey zone, guided snowmobile tours in a 188,000-acre permit zone, and AIARE-certified avalanche education courses (Rescue, Level 1, Level 2). Customers are individual recreationists and small groups who book per-seat or per-person tours, with full payment at booking.

Product overview

Selkirk Powder is an adventure outfitter and guiding service (not a software platform) offering a portfolio of guided winter outdoor experiences in Idaho's Selkirk Mountains. The core offerings consist of guided backcountry ski touring products (BC101 Intro to Backcountry Skiing, Advanced Backcountry Touring, and the multi-day Selkirk Traverse), snowcat-assisted skiing (Cat Skiing at the Atlasta-Casey zone), and guided snowmobile tours from Priest Lake. Educational add-on modules include AIARE-certified avalanche education courses (Avalanche Rescue, AIARE 1, and AIARE 2). The company operates across over 200,000 acres of the Selkirk Mountains from its new base near Coolin, Idaho, having relocated in 2024 from Schweitzer Mountain Resort.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BC101: Intro to Backcountry Skiing Introductory backcountry ski touring course that teaches the skills of backcountry ski touring to beginners; priced per person for small groups.
• Advanced Backcountry Touring Advanced guided backcountry ski touring for experienced groups on challenging terrain in the Selkirk Mountains of northern Idaho.
• Selkirk Traverse 2-day guided, non-mechanised ski touring traverse of the Selkirk Crest featuring overnight accommodation in a 14-ft poly-dome at 6,000 ft; 6-mile route summiting Mounts Keokee, Casey, and Atlasta.
• Cat Skiing Snowcat-assisted backcountry skiing at the Atlasta-Casey zone above Priest Lake; access to Mt. Atlasta at 6,400 ft with 3-4 laps per day on south and north runs, accommodating 4-6 participants per day.
• Guided Snowmobile Tours Guided snowmobile tours from Priest Lake in partnership with Crown Jewel Rentals, with half-day (3 hr) and full-day (6 hr) options accessing a 188,000-acre permit zone for groups of up to 6 participants per guide.
• AIARE Avalanche Rescue One-day AIARE Avalanche Rescue course teaching companion rescue skills including beacon search, probing, and efficient shoveling; prerequisite for AIARE 2 and Pro 1 courses.
• AIARE 1 3-day (24-hour) AIARE 1 avalanche education course with 2 field days and online study that introduces decision-making tools to help groups manage risk in avalanche terrain; maximum class size 12.
• AIARE 2 3-day AIARE 2 advanced avalanche education course for experienced backcountry travelers, focusing on leading groups, nuanced decisions in complex terrain, and integrating wider information for hazard assessment; maximum 12 participants.
• Gift Certificate Gift certificates for Selkirk Powder adventure experiences, available in $100 denominations; valid only for the season purchased, non-transferable, and non-refundable.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 inches annual snowfall in high country
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Crown Jewel RentalscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 July 2024Partnership with Crown Jewel Rentals (CJR) in Coolin, Idaho to provide snowmobile rental equipment and lakeside showroom meeting location for guided snowmobile tours. CJR provides Ski-Doo Grand Touring 600 Ace rentals with all necessary outerwear including snowsuit, boots, gloves, helmet, and goggles. Tours access the 188,000-acre permit zone from CJR's location.
• Polaris AdventuresminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 December 2020Polaris Adventures Verified Outfitter program providing factory-supported snowmobile fleet including Assault models with GPS-mapping screens. Program provides 16 new trail snowmobiles for guided tours.
• American Institute for Avalanche Research & Education (AIARE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelkirk Powder is an official AIARE course provider, authorized to deliver Avalanche Rescue, AIARE 1, AIARE 2, and professional-level courses. AIARE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization that develops and standardizes research-based avalanche education curriculum for backcountry users and snow professionals in the United States.
• Idaho Department of LandscoreOthersIdaho Department of Lands permit holder with access to state-owned backcountry terrain including the 6,250-acre Atlasta-Casey zone and 188,000-acre snowmobile permit zone spanning from Schweitzer to Canadian border.
• South Coast HelicoptersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelicopter operating partner providing A-Star B2 and Bell 205 aircraft for heli-skiing operations. Previously operated heli-skiing from Granite Aviation at Sandpoint Airport. Chief Pilot Kimber Warder and Director of Operations Vince Lopardo lead the helicopter team.
• Schweitzer Mountain ResortminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer concession agreement and lease holder at Schweitzer (2003-2024). Schweitzer purchased Selkirk Powder's operating IDL lease in July 2024. Prior partnership provided lift access and base area facilities.
• Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center (IPAC)minorOthersSelkirk Powder serves as Professional Observers for IPAC, providing avalanche observations used by forecasters for public forecast reports and social media distribution.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH): Largest and most established cat skiing and heli-skiing operator in British Columbia, offering multi-day lodge-based and day-trip packages with premium per-seat pricing — the benchmark cat/heli-skiing business model Selkirk Powder's Atlasta-Casey and heli operations emulate.
• International Mountain Guides: Washington State-based IFMGA-certified guide service offering backcountry ski touring, AIARE avalanche courses, and ski mountaineering worldwide — comparable to Selkirk Powder across the guided touring + AIARE education portfolio.
• Jackson Hole Mountain Guides: Wyoming backcountry ski guiding operation offering guided touring, AIARE avalanche education, and ski mountaineering programs — closely comparable service portfolio to Selkirk Powder's touring + AIARE stack.
• Exum Mountain Guides: Jackson Hole-based guide service offering backcountry ski touring, climbing, and AIARE-certified avalanche courses — closely overlapping Selkirk Powder's combination of guided touring and AIARE avalanche education.
• Sawtooth Mountain Guides: Idaho-based mountain guide service offering backcountry ski touring, AIARE avalanche courses, and helicopter skiing in the Sawtooth and Smoky ranges — directly comparable to Selkirk Powder's mix of guided touring, avalanche education, and heli access.
• Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing: Iconic British Columbia heli-skiing operator running large-scale helicopter skiing with extensive terrain and lodge infrastructure — directly comparable to Selkirk Powder's helicopter skiing line in the Idaho Panhandle.
• American Alpine Institute: Washington State-based alpine guide service and AIARE provider delivering backcountry ski tours, avalanche courses, and mountain skills programs — a direct peer across Selkirk Powder's touring and AIARE avalanche education product lines.

Regional players

• Schweitzer Mountain Resort: Northern Idaho ski resort that purchased Selkirk Powder's prior 3,150-acre IDL lease in 2024 — a regional incumbent now operating adjacent backcountry terrain, comparable in mountain setting but offering lift-served skiing rather than guided-only backcountry services.
• Brundage Mountain Resort: Idaho ski resort in McCall serving the same Idaho skiing market as Selkirk Powder — comparable regional geography and customer base, though operating a lift-served resort model rather than guided backcountry tours.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SelkirkPowder
• Facebookfacebook.com/SelkirkPowder
• Instagraminstagram.com/selkirkpowdercompany
• Xx.com/selkirkpowder
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/selkirkpowder

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Selkirk Powder