Did a couple of days with Eagle Pass heli out of Revelstoke and despite very challenging conditions they did their best to find us some decent lines. The terrain is excellent and would be fab in pow conditions. Here’s a highlights reel
Did a couple of days with Eagle Pass heli out of Revelstoke and despite very challenging conditions they did their best to find us some decent lines. The terrain is excellent and would be fab in pow conditions. Here’s a highlights reel
You've been spoiled in Verbier and Hokkaido this season.
Most people would give their left nut for the conditions you had at Eagle Pass
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Mike Pow wrote:
You've been spoiled in Verbier and Hokkaido this season.
Most people would give their left nut for the conditions you had at Eagle Pass
Haha it’s a (flattering) edit of just the best bits. Anything not high and north facing was crust or dust on crust. Certainly not stellar conditions. Their snowpack is half the usual for this stage of the season and there was a heatwave the week before we arrived
That’s part of my hesitation for going heliskiing.
I have a pair of friends who go heliskiing almost every other year. Their track record wasn’t the best. Many instances of getting grounded by weather, or just not that good snow condition when they did fly. Obviously , they had some fabulous days when the helicopter flies, and the snow was good. The good clearly outweighs the bad so they continue to book trips.
In the mean time, by camping out at a mountain for a couple months once every few years, I lucked out with a lot of days of fresh snow of varying depth also. (Plus a bunch of so-so days as well of course)
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@abc, I do around 5 - 10 heli days a year and only ever go when it’s blower and the bird is blue.
I never have to book too far out though so can always just chase the good days.
Re-visiting this thread since it seems to have been resurrected. Wonder where poster @doryz, ended up going?
Re-my original post
I got my week in Alaska with Silverton. Everything I’d hoped for and more.
As for the risk of Weather downtime, there were 2 days where we used old fixed wing ski planes to get away from poor visibility which used up heli time as well because the heli had to fly with reduced passengers to the new location.
So by paying more $$$ for fly time the risk of weather in AK was mitigated a lot by the vast permit area of Silverton.
Hard to pick a highlight but the pillows and spines in Tordrillo range were mind blowing.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
When it’s on there’s nothing like it. I’ve skied single lift-served or touring accessed runs which are just as good and you’ll never get snow like Japan but for multiple, long, untracked powder runs nothing beats a heli
After all it is free
After all it is free
Mike Pow wrote:
Most people would give their left nut for the conditions you had at Eagle Pass
Instead of the left nut, they charge an arm and a leg.
In BC Wiegele [same snow belt as EP] had to close for two weeks, an all time record. Conditions definitely weren't the best, but it's all relative. I didn't ride anything I didn't want to ride, but the guides had their work cut out now and then. The better skiers probably enjoyed it more than those who are happier on very consistent snow. I had a couple of friends postpone one week because they heard conditions were meh, then that week turned into a doozy with masses of fresh and face shots every day... that's the way it goes.
Iceland's had a ton of snow; probably so much that they'll be down waiting for it to stop (no trees....), then riding mellow stuff waiting for it to stabilize.
abc wrote:
That’s part of my hesitation for going heliskiing.
Having a machine means you can get to the good stuff when it's there, but it doesn't create the good stuff.
That said, I worked for a daily cat operator for a lot of years, and every day I was riding there, customers would volunteer that it was their best day ever.
But the last thing anyone wants is people paying a lot of money and being unhappy; don't do it if you're unsure!
Here's some of mine from a few weeks over a couple of trips to BC this season, so far.
Snowboarding in Blue River 2023-24 from phil 45464
Hard to pick a highlight but the pillows and spines in Tordrillo range were mind blowing.
Sounds good - images? The lasses I was riding with in BC in March were heading up there for some filming, at a different operator.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
hang11 wrote:
@abc, I do around 5 - 10 heli days a year and only ever go when it’s blower and the bird is blue.
I never have to book too far out though so can always just chase the good days.
It’s worth it
I would have to camp out in NZ
(Not the worst place to stay for a while. Which months are the typical heli window?)
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
abc wrote:
hang11 wrote:
@abc, I do around 5 - 10 heli days a year and only ever go when it’s blower and the bird is blue.
I never have to book too far out though so can always just chase the good days.
It’s worth it
I would have to camp out in NZ
(Not the worst place to stay for a while. Which months are the typical heli window?)
July/August/September with August being the best month usually.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@BobinCH, Amen to that.
Been to Japan many times because it delivers my pow fix every time BUT the places a heli can drop you are spots and the full on adrenaline rush of the experience is like nothing else.
If I was to pick the only negative it would be that it’s actually (well was for me) quite an individual experience. We were a group of 8 who had ridden together on and off for 20yrs but felt like we didn’t ride or even see each other ride all week, because Silverton runs with a lead and rear guide so the whole run is top to bottom with no stoppin.
No chance to ride down beside a buddy and not even much chat time in between. Just ride/chopper/ride….repeat.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Instead of the left nut, they charge an arm and a leg.
