Heli skiing & heli boarding @ Bella Coola – Part 2

Is it about the journey or the destination?

The destination: For all the talk in my last blog about the journey. Let’s face it- when it comes to heli skiing or heli boarding, it’s totally about the destination.
So, in the last post, I shared the founding of Bella Coola Helisports. Now- let me paint the picture of your destination and the experience that is ‘Bella Coola’. Here’s a little photo essay. After all, they say a picture tell a thousand words, and to be quite honest, experiencing the real thing pretty much left me speechless…

The story goes like this:
Imagine, taking a group of your best ski or boarding buddies,

Flying over the amazing Western Canada mountainous coastline then land in this obscure valley called Bella Coola, 1hr flight north of Vancouver.

Change into your ski or boarding gear, and undergo a thorough ski and heli safety briefing

Then, hopping in your heli ship and flying towards your first run

You will see the amazing expanse that makes up Bella Coola’s terrain- quite incomprehensibly – it’s the size of the entire Swiss Alps, but only skied or boarded by 24 people at a time. Yes, 24 people. Flying in and around the most amazing mountains, glaciers and snow that you have ever seen. It’s as if it’s pasted on the mountains.

Landing at Bella Coola airport in the Bella Coola Valley

Then head to land on an amazing col just like this, but not until your pilot has done some amazing 360 degree manoeuvres to position the heli to land.

Strap on the boards or skis and head down this slope

Leave these tracks

Load back in the heli at this location

Fly again in this scenerySeeing amazing natural wonders just like this

Skiing or riding like you were a kid again

Safety briefing is an essential part of heli skiing.

Fly again in this scenerySeeing amazing natural wonders just like this

Skiing or riding like you were a kid again

Then heading back in the heli

Flying back to base at the Tweedsmuir Lode, Bella Coola

Jumping in the hot tub and have a beer with your mates

Enjoying a 4 star meal like being at a dinner party- only this time there’s something amazing to talk about.

Quaff wonderful wine from around the world- but do try the local drop. Good Canadian Pinot from the Okanagan is to die for.

Then sit by the fireplace and review the top pics from the day.

But most of all, remember- this feeling when you were literally, and figuratively ‘on top of the world’. That moment when you seized you life, you realized your dream, and most of all, you created everlasting memories that will be with you always. Just you, your mates and this amazing snowy playground of Bella Coola.

The story goes like this: