Heli Ski 101, The Basics
With the ski season fast approaching, I have been inundated with questions from friends and clients on everything heli skiing. Their main questions, I call Heli Ski 101, and can be summarized in three words:
When? What? How?
When is the best time to go skiing?
What can I expect once I get there in terms of facilities?
How do I prepare for heli skiing?
So here’s my Heli Ski 101…
One of the most popular questions was – Can I just jump into heli skiing? How do I prepare for it?
Snowwater Heliski!
Well, you do have to travel a long distance to usually get to your heliskiing location to find the fresh powder that makes for a great experience. It is hence highly recommended that you take at least a few days longer to warm up in a resort nearby. The key thing is fitness and making sure you can pull yourself up out of the powder when you inevitably fall whilst heli skiing. Ski fitness really helps. Total Heliski includes information for each of our packages on the most convenient resorts for your destination on our website.
Having skied at most of them myself, I can advise on all the ins and outs of skiing at these resorts. Once you feel you are in the zone, you can hop onto your heliski destination and blaze your trail!
Check out all that powder.
Seasons:
The other top question was – When is the best time to go heli skiing?
This is much more difficult to answer because, heli skiing is seasonal and the best time differs depending on the region. Every heli ski location has its own particular geography and meteorology that influences the length of the season. It’s important to know the differences between these so that you optimize your holiday in line with your preferences.
One person’s love of early season steep tree skiing maybe another’s nightmare idea of a holiday. So have a chat with us and we can advise on the best for you and your group.
Accommodation and Facilities:
And finally, the other enquiry usually is: What can I expect in terms of facilities?
Accommodation will be 3-5 stars and packages usually include lodging and meals. Every operator relies on his or her guests getting a good night sleep before heli skiing and they make sure you have everything to make your stay comfortable. They generally have hot tub facilities, internet (depending on operator), and a shop on-site for last minute clothes and incidentals, and on-demand massage services. Most heliski operators do charge a supplement for singles but will accommodate requests to share where possible to eliminate this cost.
Heliskiing is just as professionally organised as any other vacation you plan to take. And Total Heliski can assure you that we will cover all the bases and answer all your questions so that you can concentrate on the main aspect – the powder!