Where is Eagle Pass Heli Skiing Located?

Heli Ski Terrain

Eagle Pass Heliskiing Ltd. General Business Terms and Conditions

Management/Organizer

Eagle Pass Heliskiing Ltd. (EPH) is the organizer of the ski packages described throughout the EPH brochure and website. Any travel agent or individual representing EPH is acting only as an agent authorized for encashment. Note: the term Heliskiing shall include heli snowboarding, heli telemark skiing and heli access ski touring skiing.

Registration Policies and Conditions

By submitting a signed Payment Authorization Form and/or Registration Form the guest has agreed to a legally binding agreement with Eagle Pass Heliskiing Ltd. as outlined in the policies and conditions below.

Deposits, Registration and Payment

It is essential that each guest familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions and the information below as well as on the EPH website. This will ensure they choose the best package for their needs, have a full understanding of what their Heliskiing package includes and are fully aware of EPH’s policies in regards to cancellations, refunds and credits.

Heliski packages are booked directly through the EPH office. A non-refundable deposit and completed registration form are required within two weeks of the booking date to confirm the reservation. The deposits for all of the packages are 30% of the after tax package price.

Final payment is required 90 days prior to commencement of the package or November 1^st, whichever comes first. If booking less than 90 days prior to the start of the ski package the full payment is due upon booking. All rates and prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD) and are subject to change without notice. A 5% Goods & Services Tax (GST) is not included in any of the ski package prices. If a guest lives outside of Canada and books a Multi-Day Lodge-based Heliskiing package that includes accommodation/meals then only 2.5% tax is applied.

Payment details are outlined on the EPH Payment Authorization form. EPH accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Bank Transfers and Interac Email Money Transfers (Interac Transfers limited to $3,000 CAD per transaction).

Guest Responsibility

Guests are responsible for familiarizing themselves with EPH Terms and Conditions before booking their Heliski package. It is also the guests responsibility to fully understand their package – what is included, and what is not included.

For guests travelling from outside Canada a Valid Passport and/or Travel Visa is required to enter Canada. Refunds will not be given to guests that are denied admission into Canada.

Guests are responsible for being on time and prepared to ski on their specified Heliski day(s). Arriving late or ill equipped may result in a guest missing their Heliski day(s) in part or in whole. Refunds will not be given to guests that arrive late or ill equipped.

Eagle Pass recommends that all guests are able to ski at an advanced level (black diamond runs). Guests should be comfortable skiing all types of terrain – trees, glades, steeps, deep powder, chutes, and variable snow conditions. As Eagle Pass Heliski does not have any intermediate terrain, previous Heli or Cat skiing experience is recommended. Refunds will not be given to guests that are unable to competently Heliski due to lack of skill or experience.

Heliskiing can be a demanding physical activity, especially for those guests that ski at an intermediate level. It is recommended that guests assess their own fitness level well in advance and prepare themselves accordingly – through on-slope skiing or by undertaking a regular fitness routine. Refunds will not be given to guests that are unable to competently Heliski due to lack of physical fitness.

If there are any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact the Eagle Pass Office.

Trip Cancellation Insurance is strongly recommended to guests for any unforeseen circumstances that may interrupt or cancel their Heliski trip. Refer to the Trip Cancellation Insurance section below.

Refund and Cancellation Policy

There are a few circumstances that may force EPH to cancel a Heliski day, in part or in whole: Inclement weather, avalanche conditions, operational emergencies or mechanical reasons. In the event that Eagle Pass must cancel a day, guests will be given the option to rebook for the next available day, or will be offered a credit or refund, depending on the circumstance and the product that they purchased.

Heliskiing is a unique experience that is highly subject to weather & snowpack conditions. These conditions are constantly changing, and add an element of complexity to each Heliski day.

Day Heliskiing

At Eagle Pass our Day Heliskiing program is based on runs skied rather than vertical skied. We have recently revised our Minimum Guarantee/Refund Policy to reflect this:

• We guarantee each guest will be given the opportunity to Heliski at least 6 runs per day. A standard Day Heliski package averages 6-8 runs per day.

• Refunds/Credits will not be offered to guests who are unable to Heliski at least 6 runs per day due to late arrival, early departure, physical fitness, ability level or injury.

• If Eagle Pass cancels a Heliski day at least 12 hours before the scheduled start time the guest will be given the opportunity to rebook for the next available date or a later date that season. If they are unable to rebook a full refund or credit will be given.

• If Eagle Pass cancels a Heliski day once registration, rental allocation and safety training has been completed then guests will be given the opportunity to rebook for the next available date or a later date that season. If they are unable to rebook a full refund or credit will be given, less a $25 Administration fee

• If a Heliski day commences and Eagle Pass is unable to deliver the guaranteed minimum 6 runs due to the aforementioned circumstances then a refund or credit will be offered based on the following:

Day Ski Refund/Credit Policy

Eagle Pass Lodge Heliskiing

At Eagle Pass our Lodge Heliskiing program is based on vertical skied. We have recently revised our Minimum Guarantee/Refund Policy to reflect this:

• We guarantee each guest will be given the opportunity to Heliski an average of at least 3,000 meters per day. This daily guarantee is cumulative for the duration of their trip.

• Refunds/credits will not be offered to guests who are unable to Heliski at least 3,000 meters per day due to late arrival, early departure, physical fitness, ability level or injury.

• If EPH cancels a guest’s Heliski package before the guest’s scheduled arrival date the guest will be given the opportunity to rebook for the next available date or a later date that season. If they are unable to rebook, a full refund or credit will be given.

• If Eagle Pass cancels a Heliski day once the guest arrives at the Lodge, then the guest will receive a $1,325 credit (Single Day Heliskiing Rate). The guest’s guaranteed meters for their package will also be reduced by 3,000 meters to adjust for the down day. This credit can be applied toward a future booking or used to cover incidentals during the guest’s stay (liquor/wine/beer and retail purchases). This credit cannot be used for tips and massages.

• At the end of a guest’s package, the total vertical skied will be calculated. If the total vertical skied is less than 3,000 meters per day then the guest is entitled to a credit at the rate of $139 per 1,000 meters. This credit can be applied to a future booking or used to cover incidentals during the guests stay (liquor/wine/beer and retail purchases). This credit cannot be used for tips and massages.

Eagle Pass Lodge Package – Guaranteed Vertical

Guest Cancellation

All ski packages start and finish on the specified dates and have been offered as a complete package. There are no refunds, partial or full for any of the following reasons: late arrival or early departure for any reason, sickness or injury, or lack of skier ability or fitness.

Cancellations must be made in writing and received by registered mail. Time of cancellation is established upon arrival or registered mail at EPH. If a guest is unable to attend their ski package after the final payment date then the ski package is transferable to another person. If EPH is able to find a replacement for your space then your package may be deferred to a ski package in the following season.

Cancellation more than 90 days prior to the start date of package will result in loss of the non-refundable deposit. If cancellation is received 90 days or less, prior to start of confirmed package, then no refund or credit will be issued. EPH reserves the right to cancel any Heliskiing package at any time. Should this occur, a full refund of payments including deposit will be given.

Trip Insurance

EPH strongly recommends purchasing travel/trip cancellation insurance.

Eagle Pass Heli Skiing Review

• The Eagle Pass terrain has lots of juicy features for experts such as cliff bands of varying sizes, pillow lines and other launching pads. They’ve really got the goods with respect to terrain.
• The small helicopter and group size has multiple benefits including: safety factors; better access to terrain in tight spots; more freshies; and a higher probability of being grouped with others of the same ability level, which is particularly important for experts who are hankering to get to that awesome terrain. Only one other Revelstoke outfit offers small group heli skiing and they don’t provide day trips.
• This is a small company so the experience is somewhat personalised and it doesn’t feel like a mass production.
• In addition to multi-day trips with lodge accommodation, Eagle Pass provides single day heli skiing. This caters to a range of budgets and allow the flexibility to combine heli skiing with resort skiing or cat skiing. Eagle Pass is only one of two Revelstoke heli skiing companies to provide day trips.
• Eagle Pass Heliskiing has an excellent emphasis on safety considerations.

• One minor shortcoming was that the flow of the day (the morning in particular) lacked finesse.

Powder Snow
As is typical for Revelstoke heli skiing, the quality of the powder is generally really good. Further strong points of Eagle Pass include huge terrain with plenty of aspects to find great snow, as well as lots of tree skiing where the powder is highly likely to be primo. The day we headed out the powder was boot deep. It was somewhat heavy and was sticky in a few spots. We only went to a maximum elevation of 2,150 metres (100 metres lower than Revelstoke ski resort), which may have been one of the contributing factors to the NQR snow. The annual snowfall at Eagle Pass isn’t cited. The three nearby Revelstoke heli skiing operators range markedly from 9 to 18 metres, with an average of 13.6 metres, so a guesstimate would place the Eagle Pass annual snowfall in this realm which is reasonably impressive.
Overall Terrain
The Eagle Pass terrain size of 157,000 hectares is about 6/10s of the average for Canada heli skiing, yet only a very small group of guests use the terrain, so it’s pretty massive. The terrain is outstanding and it has incredible diversity. They only lose a point for the way it can be utilised and the vertical on offer. Firstly there was a little déjà vu whereby the drop-off would be the same for 2-3 runs with slightly different lines down. The runs were surprisingly short (their stats average is 711 metres but we only did 510 metres per run) and we skied a lot less vertical than expected. Their vertical guarantee for the day is 3,000 metres (9,842 feet – which equates to less than two top to bottom runs at Revelstoke Mountain Resort). Top Dog skied 3,576 metres (11,700 feet) of vertical with a fast group, whilst I managed much less due to a slow skier in the group (they don’t undertake screening of guests’ ability level except for ticking a box on a registration form). Sure it’s not all about scoring vertical, but you can get more vertical with most BC cat skiing outfits and the Eagle Pass package is touted as “unlimited vertical”.
Alpine Terrain
Eagle Pass Heliskiing has a lot of alpine and sub-alpine terrain, and like any backcountry operation, the degree to which it can be ridden depends on the weather, snow and avalanche conditions. Eagle Pass has a moderate amount of low angle alpine terrain (for high avi risk days), but much of it is steeper, and some of it is super steep and challenging so there are many days that it can’t be readily accessed. This could be considered a pro and a con, because many of us would happily forego the dramatic yet mellow alpine terrain to ride the steep trees instead!
Tree Skiing
These mountains are renowned for the tree skiing and Eagle Pass doesn’t disappoint. The terrain includes slopes of varying pitches, diversity in the tree type (including burnt forests), and some of the zones are littered with a feast of features. Get high on magic mushrooms, test the knees on big pillow lines, or launch off a variety of other treats. The trees are definitely interesting! The only minor shortcoming (and this just comes down to opinion) was two runs that were largely on alternating camber, traverses and little gullies that our snowboarder guide took the primary fresh line through. The guide might have reveled on the run, yet the 4 skiing guests really wanted to hit the fall line a bit more. The trees varied from sparse to gladed so there was always plenty of space to get the momentum up or fully let it rip. Steep, tight, technical tree skiing is not the forte of Eagle Pass, but this probably isn’t a concern for most riders.
Strong Intermediate Terrain
Eagle Pass has some wide open mellow terrain that strong intermediates could tackle, but the likelihood of being out with others of the same ability are somewhat slim (unless you organise your own group) because the operation tends to attract more experienced riders. First timers and those with limited powder experience would be better placed to go out heli skiing with Selkirk Tangiers.
Advanced Terrain
Eagle Pass has phenomenal terrain for advanced riders. The only potential limitation is that it’s mixed in beside expert terrain. We had an inexperienced guide who didn’t check whether we wanted mandatory air before getting us cliffed out, so you’d potentially need to be very clear with your guide if you didn’t want to leap.
Expert & Extreme Terrain
Ooooh divine! Above and below the treeline are plenty of drop-offs, cliffs, and big pillow lines galore. This is paradise for experts and those looking for an extreme experience. Of course the ability to access this terrain is dependent on being in a like-minded group. All cat and heli operators suffer from the risk of having some skiers and snowboarders over-estimate their ability level, which can impact on the experience of others. At least with small group heli skiing, the likelihood of a mismatched group is lower, or it’s much easier to pull your own group together. You only need three expert friends!
Guiding
We’ve heard great things about the guiding at Eagle Pass Heliskiing, but unfortunately our experience was incredibly mixed. Both of us had two different guides who were poles apart. The lead guide was excellent and clearly knew the terrain and operation very well. On the contrary, the associate guide did not fill us with confidence in his abilities and his instructions were lacking. In addition to the comments above regarding the cambre runs, on one run he took us down a slope that was largely tracked out from the previous group. On another we had to traverse or wait whilst he fossicked around to find a line. The guide didn’t ascertain the group’s preference or capability for mandatory air (he didn’t actually watch us ski for the first few runs because re-grouping spots were behind trees). On various occasions we got cliffed out, but luckily the group was keen for a bit of vaulting and the day worked out just fine. The small guest to guide ratio is far superior to a couple of the neighbouring heli ski outfits that have huge groups.
Heli
Rather than the bus type Huey helicopters that a couple of the nearby operators use, Eagle Pass has small agile helis that can land in tight spots. The pilot was awesome and seemed to enjoy landing on mushrooms! The rear of the heli was rather roomy relative to some other choppers, which made it more comfortable and a bit easier to get in and out.
Avalanche Mitigation Strategies
As to be expected for a BC heli skiing outfit, their emphasis on safety regulations and avalanche mitigation strategies was excellent, and the lead guide made these very apparent to the group out in the field. Impressively, all guests were provided with a backpack with an airbag, radio, shovel and probe. The lead guide provided advice and reminders on when to unzip the handle for the avalanche airbag, whilst the associate guide didn’t mention it so it was easy to forget to use it.
Safety Briefing
Other than not covering general backcountry hazards such as tree wells, the safety briefing was pretty comprehensive. It was a bit disorganised and skipped all over the place, but it was effective in conveying the right messages and allowing adequate opportunity for beacon practice. Safety considerations around the helicopter were very well covered.
Frills
The included frills are very good. A great range of powder skis and snowboards are available for use, and the après ski session with beers and pizza is a great finale to the day. Lunch was a simple affair with soup, a sandwich and tea. No snacks were on offer during the day and they provided us with water to put in our packs. As to expected for small group heli skiing, there was no photography service on offer. One weakness was that the start of the day was a bit of a shambles. No one seemed to know what was going on except the lead guide. It was an early start to the day, and those that didn’t need to use the Eagle Pass powder skis or snowboards could probably have turned up an hour later.
Value for Money
This is a fantastic experience that you have to pay a pretty penny for. It’s more expensive than the other Revelstoke day heli skiing operator, but the major difference is that you get small group heli skiing. For experts and upper end advanced riders, it’s definitely worth paying the extra loonies for Eagle Pass. The degree of value is probably somewhat dependent on the amount of skiing achieved on any given day. Some groups get 10 runs in and get good value, but if you only ski 6 runs and 3,000 metres of vertical, the value is somewhat diminished. For reference, Stellar Heli Skiing costs about the same, provides small group heli skiing, and you generally get about 6,000 metres of vertical. Of course it needs to be stated that this is famed Revelstoke heli skiing, so it’s probably worth spending whatever it takes to give it a crack!

Notes Regarding Review