Holy Heli Skiing!!!

I have written a number of blog posts about my passion for heli skiing and my experiences during my trips. And whenever I speak to people, especially the ones new to heli skiing, I speak to them about what it is like for me to experience the fresh powder when I ski. During one such conversation I said to myself “Hang on a minute. What they really need, is to hear from someone who they don’t consider an expert. They need to hear from someone, who until recently was just as new to heli skiing as they are!”

This got me thinking and I decided to get the thoughts of my client, and friend, Mike who had recently gone on a Total Heliski trip.

The Total Heliski team asked him a few questions and this is what he had to say:

So Mike, what made you take the plunge and go heli skiing in the first place?

Hayley’s awesome salesmanship at the Heli Skiing Show, insisting anyone can do it who can competently ski or board off piste in a resort. I had relatively little snowboarding experience compared to what I expected you needed and hoped I would cope in the field!!

Where was your first heli skiing trip and what was it like?

400 miles inside the Arctic Circle, a Swedish village called Bjorkliden. Hell of a place to get to! Fly to Norway and drive across. I could have taken more time over the driving and seen more of these awesome countries in hindsight.

First trip, as I said, I was a bit concerned about whether my level was right, but I was unnecessarily worried. Heli skiing is much easier than piste boarding. It’s immensely enjoyable and far less effort to get through the fresh powder.

I had trained for this by climbing 1k verticals in snow shoes just to get a taste of powder prior to the trip. The heli could allow us to ski upto 20k feet per day if the budget and weather allowed.

Fitness is vital; one member of the group ended up sat in the heli for 10k feet of vertical due to tiredness. What a waste!!

What would be your advice to first timers?

And where would you like to go heli skiing next?

Anywhere with even greater vertical would suit me perfectly. Got an addiction now and banned myself from pistes!

So, there you have it. Straight from the horse’s mouth. Heli skiing is an experience like no other.

When are YOU starting??