Heli Skiing
Heli skiing Canada is the ultimate experience for powder hounds, although you don’t have to be a true powder hound because there’s no need to sniff out the powder. Helicopters drop you right in amongst it. After that, all you have to do is follow the guide and enjoy the remote backcountry terrain that you normally only get to look at from afar.
Heli Skiing CanadaA commonly reported statistic is that 95% of all heli-skiing in the world occurs in British Columbia, Canada. The validity of the statistic is questionable, but BC Canada is certainly the capital of the heli-skiing world. Hans Gmoser, an Austrian Mountain Guide, had a major pioneering role in heli-skiing in the 1960s and formed Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH). The profile of Canadian heli-skiing has continued to increase, in part due to the exposure in Warren Miller movies that shows extreme skiers making the most of the fantastic conditions.
The province of British Columbia is perfect for heli skiing (and heli-boarding) with millions of hectares of backcountry terrain that are covered in legendary BC powder. There are a large number of heli ski operators in BC.
In the Central Interior of BC to the west of the Rocky Mountains are the Columbia Mountains, which comprise the Purcell Mountains, and then moving in a NW direction the Selkirk, Monashee and Cariboo Mountains. These mountains are heli skiing havens, and the snowfall in some of these areas is world famous with reported annual snowfalls of 12-15 metres. The dry champagne powder is a distinct advantage for heli skiing in this region, but the proximity to various ski resorts is also a plus for those who want to combine some resort skiing with heli skiing. Some of the heli-ski operations are near Golden (e.g. Purcell Heliskiing near
Kicking Horse),
Revelstoke (e.g.
Selkirk Tangiers), and
Panorama (
RK Heliski). CMH also have various operations across this area.
There are also a couple of operators around
Whistler (Coast Mountain Range) such as
Whistler Heliski, which allow the possibility to combine resort and heli skiing. A 2.5 hour drive north of Whistler is TLH in the the South Chilcotin Mountain Range, and further north there are couple of operators around the Bella Coola area.
In Northern BC (approx 15 hours drive north of Whistler) in the Skeena, Stikine and Coastal Mountains are various heli-ski operators that are based near the towns of Terrace, Smithers and Atlin.
The climate within BC varies significantly, but as a gross generalisation, the snowfall further inland tends to be more dry and fluffy. Associated with this may be a weaker snowpack and associated avalanche risk, particularly on extremely steep slopes.
Heli Skiing BC TerrainThe heli-ski terrain varies somewhat from that found in other places such as Alaska, Chile and with
New Zealand heli skiing, in that some of the skiing is below the tree-line. Choppers might still be grounded due to weather factors in Canada (so keep your itinerary flexible), but the likelihood of “down-days” is reduced somewhat because the trees afford some protection from inclement weather and provide better visibility for skiers. Other advantages of tree skiing include less wind-affected snow, and the added challenge of skiing around obstacles. In addition to the tree skiing, other heli-ski terrain can include wide-open glaciers and bowls, drops and chutes.
You don’t have to be a Warren Miller stunt skier to go heli-skiing, but it’s certainly not for beginners, and possibly not for many intermediate riders. Most operators claim that they can cater for intermediates, but in reality, intermediate skiers and boarders would need to be very, very strong intermediates, and be capable of coping with a variety of snow conditions including waist deep powder, dust on crust, wind-affected snow, and have the ability to manoeuvre around trees. An intermediate level for resort skiing on groomed runs is very different to that required for off-piste conditions. Nevertheless, operators can generally cater to a range of abilities and will group people accordingly. If you’re unsure of your ability, it’s best to check with the individual operator.
Most heli ski operators guarantee a certain number of vertical feet for each package they sell. Typically most operators will guarantee about 4,350-5,000 metres per day, but on average the daily vertical will be about 7,000 metres, and up to 9,000 if you’re lucky.The amount of vertical per run varies between operators, between runs, and will be dependent upon the snow condition and terrain available on any given day. The average vertical per run may be approx 760 metres with some runs as long as 1,700 metres in vertical.
Typical BC Heli Ski and Heli Board PackagesMost heli-ski companies offer the option of “private” heli-skiing (the definition of which might vary a little) or standard group packages, but a couple of operators only provide one option or the other.
Most of the operations consist of multi-day packages that include meals and accommodation, which is typically in a remote dedicated lodge. Alternatively, accommodation may be in a lodge or hotel in a small town. Either way, sharing the lodging with the rest of the group involves plenty of opportunities for fire-side conversations and embellished stories of the heli-skiing experience. These multi-packages are typically 3, 4 or 7 days in duration.
Only a few companies offer the option of single day heli-skiing, which is obviously a much more affordable option for many people and provides the opportunity to give heli-skiing a try. Single day operations include packages with 3, 4, 5 or 6 runs. Examples of operators that provide a one day option include
Selkirk Tangiers (Revelstoke),
RK Heli-skiing (
Panorama),
Whistler Heli-skiing and Coast Range Heliskiing (near Whistler). Due to their location, you can combine heli-skiing with resort skiing.
See our
Canada heli-skiing statistics document for more information on heli-ski operators and the package durations they provide.
Typical Heli Ski CostsHeli skiing is an expensive activity, but most people are happy to save their pennies for an opportunity to get access to the freshies and terrain on offer. Prices vary, but a single day 3 run package costs about $690-$770, and 5 runs about $810-$825. A 3 day package that includes accommodation and meals costs about $2,750 to $4,880. A standard week long experience can vary from about $7,590 to as much as $11,860 for twin share. (All prices are in Canadian dollars and do not include GST). For “private” packages, the cost is much more.
There are many factors that influence the price of the heli-skiing package. Some of the lodgings are incredibly luxurious with fine dining, hot tubs, and massage services, whilst others are more basic. The timing of the season is a major cost determinant and typically there are high, shoulder and low seasons. Other factors that may influence cost are: the number of people per helicopter and per guide (a group size of 4 or less is very good); vertical covered; and whether transport to the lodge (via road, cat or air) is included in the price.
In most cases, the use of an avalanche transceiver and the “hire” of powder fat skis is included in the price. For snowboards, it’s a hit and miss affair as to whether boards are available through the operator.
See our
Canada heli-ski comparison for more information on the cost of heli-skiing with all BC operators, and factors such as vertical and the guide to guest ratio.
Canada Heli Ski Safety The majority of the heli-ski operators are incredibly safety conscious and are happy to advertise this on their websites. The long history of heli-skiing in Canada is advantageous to safety because the operators have many years of heli-ski experience and significant expertise. The guides are licensed with appropriate bodies such as the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG), the Association of British Columbia Heliski and Snowcat Operators, and/or IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations).
There are risks associated with helicopter skiing, but the guides and pilots work their utmost to mitigate these risks which includes monitoring of weather, snow packs and choosing the right terrain on any given day.
Where is the Best Heli Skiing?
When choosing the best heli skiing operation for your next snow holiday, everyone has different factors that are important in the decision making process. For some the choice is largely based on location, but for others it may be about the quality of the tree skiing, the amount of expert terrain, the emphasis on safety, or value for money. To help you choose the best heli skiing experience for you, we have provided ratings on various operations in Canada, USA, New Zealand and Chile, and broken the ratings into various determinants including the most important factor of all….the powder! See our
Powderhounds cat ski and heli skiing ratings for more information.
Go Heli SkiingHeli-skiing is an incredibly exciting form of skiing or boarding. Avoid the crowds, tracked out slopes, and slow chair lifts at the ski resorts. Ride the ultimate chair lift, and enjoy powderhound paradise.
Heli Skiing Operations in Canada
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RK Heli Ski, Panorama Mtn Resort
Combine resort & heli skiing together on your next ski holiday - single and multi-day trips available. You don't have to be an expert, just a strong intermediate to enjoy this great experience.
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Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing Revelstoke
An iconic heli ski operation voted by Powderhounds as the best value heliskiing in Canada. Day and multi-day packages available. A huge amount of alpine terrain to suit all levels.
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