A Day in the Life of Heliski Enthusiasts

Planning an adventure helicopter skiing in Canada? If you've never done heli ski in Canada before, you're in for the adventure of a lifetime. Most Canadian heliskiing groups have about 4 to 12 skiers, plus a number of guides. While some are one day only, you can also opt for packages for heli ski in Canada that can trek through the mountains for several days.

The group particularly joins with the helicopter in an open area or valley. Skis and poles are loaded into the exterior basket by the guide. Everyone climbs aboard to be transported to a remote mountain on an established landing zone. Some are officially designated, but they are always pretty well known by the pilot.

Some Canadian heli-skiing outfits will do a hot load, where you launch from the helicopter with the skis hovering with the skids but not touching the ground, but you really have to know what you're doing. It's safer, far easier and a lot more common for the helicopter to first land and then deliver the skiers. The helicopter settles into the snow and cuts the blades in order to minimize snow clouds.

Passengers disembark as the guide unloads the skis. The gear is set out flat on the ground.
The skiers move away from the helicopter, covering their face from the extreme snow winds caused by the blades. As the helicopter takes off, the crew covers their face and skin from the stinging winds.

Once the party has assembled, you don't just start skiing on your own. Heli sking in Canada requires extreme caution. The group needs to stick together. The guide will first go out to make a snow assessment and survey glacier and avalanche conditions.

Skiers may heli ski Canada in mass, or go down one at a time, depending on the conditions. This decision is left up to the guide, though he or she will try to include the group's preferences. The guide may advise the group to ski off each others ski tracks to avoid glacial crevices or other hazards. In some treacherous conditions, the guide may instruct the group to follow in his or her tracks.

To Heli-ski in Canada is a wild winter adventure in the thick of nature. There's nothing to describe that infinite silence of pure white when there's nothing between you and the mountain but the sky. Helisking Canada is unlike any skiing experience you've ever had. Forget the chairlift. Canadian Heli skiing delivers adventure by the helicopter.

Ralph Birmingham is the author of this article on Helicopter Skiing. Find more information about Heli-Ski Canada here.