SNAPSHOT Quotes of 2012 by Heliski BC operators

Posted by admin on Apr 30, 2012 in Heliski BC | 0 comments

COMMITMENT – to each experience

UNBIASED – no personal ties, it is all about the experience

HONEST – keeping it real

RESPECT – highest form of communication

INSIGHT – 17 years of personal and industry experience

HELISKI HOLIDAY 17 YEARS of defining personal dreams and making memories! Heliski BC continuing the making of memories process using a few simple guidelines and help from operators below.

 

Last Frontier Heliskiing

 

“The 2012 season was one for the record books at Last Frontier Heliskiing. Snow stability was excellent all season long, which allowed us to take full advantage of our vast terrain. Superb weather conditions resulted in only 6 “no-fly” days for the entire season. On top of that, we had record breaking weeks of vertical skied. With 20 meters of season snowfall, the guest satisfaction levels were at all time highs.”

Eagle Pass Heliskiing

 

 

2012 welcomed many exciting changes for Eagle Pass Heliskiing. EPH recently received access from the government of Canada to expand tenure, which brings their tenure to 345, 000 acres of ski-able terrain. Their terrain offers a total spectrum of alpine bowls chutes and spines, tree line chutes and pillows and below amazingly natural spaced trees. Eagle Pass Heliskiing also switched lodges from last year. Their new lodge, Echo Bay Lodge, is a 7700 sq. ft traditional cedar lodge on the shores of Upper Arrow Lake and presents the perfect back-country atmosphere. It is located just 20 km’s southwest of Revelstoke, British Columbia, in a charming and secluded wooded peninsula.

 

TLH Heliskiing

 

 

 

The 2012 season started out with the La Nina predictions for a big winter being a little optimistic but rest assured as we rolled into the middle of February the snow just kept coming and coming with over 5 meters on the ground by the end of the season. As March moved closer instabilities in the snow pack started to disappear and the low avalanche hazard allowed exploration within new. One run that stands was an additional line in the Hallway of the Gods that was added to our run list this year. 1470 meters long with the top 900meters over 40 degrees! “Ares” will be a great addition to the inventory. In total there was 11 full days no-fly days out of the entire season which was great considering how much new snow accumulated over the season. Many guests enjoyed the opportunity to visit the hot springs and even stop by the beach mid day to enjoy some Pacific Oysters.

 

Our single group, unlimited vertical program was a huge success for us this year. Many of our groups skied over 50,000 meters this winter with 3 weeks exceeding 65,000 meters! 2013 is shaping up to be a great winter for TLH Heliskiing there is already have a waiting list for a number of weeks in the high season.

 

 

 

Great Canadian Heliskiing

 

Oh yeah, this season has definitely been one of the best, if not THE best in their 24 year history! There was a magical combination of huge amounts of dry interior powder and phenomenal lodge staff, guides and helicopter crew made it the best year ever. There was a snow base of at least 4 meters in many parts of tenure! A brand new sauna was added this winter and it was a huge hit with the guests.

 Comments from many of GCH guests came back to this: it is a home away from home except everything is provided, anticipated, larger than life. There are already weeks in January sold out!

 

Bella Coola Heliskiing Sports

 Winter 2012 was definitely a stormy one! A record snowfall was received which made it possible to ski on runs that had previously been impossible. Guests enjoyed our newly renovated lodge. After trying global financial times, our numbers were up and we hosted many new guests searching for powder. We recorded our youngest guest to date to ski 100,000 vf at the age of 10!

 

Skeena Heliskiing

 

 

Our 2012 winter season in short could be summed up as having one of the best snow levels to start and one of the best March/April weeks. We had great snowfall very early already in the late fall into early winter which gave us a great starting base which we normally attain in mid Feb. Our March and April was blessed with great stability and super consistent weather, probably one of the best March /April weeks we ever had. All in all, hope this repeats next winter and our relations with Skeena Heliskiingcontinue.

 

Mike Wiegele Heliskiing

 

 

The 2011/2012 heli ski season at Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing in Blue River, BC was just another epic season to add to its 42 year history. The resort hosted guests from 34 countries between early December and mid April both at the Blue River Heli Village and Albreda Lodge. Highlights included the Christmas Kids Camp, Tony Horton Week, Spring Kids Camp, Spring Fling, and Mike Wiegele being presented with a ‘Golden Buckle’ for his lifetime accomplishment of skiing over 84 million vertical feet(That’s 1/5 the distance to the moon!) Advanced booking is well under way for the 2012/2013 season and we look forward to seeing guests of Heliski BC in Blue River!

 

International  Heliski Nepal – Heliski Greece

Heliski Nepal had excellent conditions and weather it was one of the best years to date, so all is good! We have some groups inquiring about Heliski Greece which is the newest addition to our family of heliski operators. We need help to get the ball rolling and also help get the word out that Greece. We would like to thank Heliski BC for their efforts and consistent communications. In time, Heliski Greece will become one of the have to go to heliski destinations as the place has excellent skiing and of course snow conditions, but for now, most can’t imagine it snows in Greece, but we’re soon to change that opinion.

 The process undertaken by Heliski BC to determine what works for the group or individual takes time, it is never too early to begin “the process”. Let’s begin the conversation!

Contact Nina. info@heliskiholiday.com
1.877.428. 4354 North America
1.250.542.3852 International

Heliski Holiday BC A Heliskiing Concierge And Consultant Forms Working Partnership With Chilean Heliski

Posted by admin on Apr 12, 2012 in Heliski BC | 0 comments

Heliski Holiday, a world leader as a heliskiing concierge and consultant is proud to announce their partnership with Chilean Heliski based in South America. Heliski Holiday has been offering ‘heliski’ consulting and concierge service for 20 years and will now be supporting Chilean Heliski as a North American representative.

After careful review and discussion of safety, package details, cancellation & refund policies have agreed to promote and sell 1-7 day semiprivate & private heliski and Heliboarding tours in Chile starting at $1400 up to $14,000.

 

Making a summer pilgrimage to ski or snowboard powder during the South American winter has been a dream for many skiers. Rupert Shanks of Chilean Heliski says “this is a ski experience unlike any other terrain is spread over 3,000sq km in a private Andean region full of soaring peaks over 5,000m, glaciers, steep spine infested zones and vast valleys.There are countless first descents to be made”.

If you have ever dreamed of  A Heliski Chile Trip then you are here at the right time the heliski season in Chile is just getting under way and goes until September.

 

That’s right its always snowing somewhere so why are you sitting here reading this when you need to be heliskiing in Chile in 2012

A newly constructed luxury lodge is only 2.5 hours from Santiago (30 mins by air) and offers the perfect respite from a long day in the deep stuff, with a full SPA, bar, top-notch restaurant, gym and outdoor Jacuzzis. The heli-ski season begins June and completes in Sept. If you are interested in a South American heliski pilgrimage, please get in touch with: Heliski Holiday www.heliskiholiday.com

info@heliskiholiday.com
1.877.428. 4354 North America
1.250.542.3852 International

Links to Operator and Accommodations:

http://chileanheliski.com

http://www.pumalodge.cl

HELI-SKIING: SAFETY FIRST

Posted by admin on Feb 28, 2012 in Heliski BC | 0 comments

MOUNTAIN

Guides and safety teams continuously monitor the weather and snow conditions. They meet each morning and evening to discuss snow stability and terrain.

 

This information is pooled and shared across BC with other professionals. In spite of the operators’ best efforts, there are inherent risks and hazards associated with helicopter skiing that are beyond the control of the operator. It is important to follow the directions of your guide at all times.

 

GUIDE SAFETY

Guides are chosen not only for their guiding skills and qualifications, but also for their enthusiastic and outgoing personalities. They are professional guides who have passed a series of comprehensive examinations to qualify them as members of the A.C.M.G. or the U.I.A.G.M., the recognized Canadian or International Mountain Guide Associations. Guides participate in yearly refresher courses.

 

HELICOPTER And PILOTS

Guests enjoy the comfort and reliability of the helicopter chosen by the operator. Pilots are chosen to meet the same high standards as the guides and have an abundant level of experience flying in the mountains. On-site team of engineers provides helicopter maintenance.

 

EMERGENCIES

Continuous radio contact between the pilots, guides and the lodge ensures reliable communication in the event of an emergency. The guides carry radio & emergency equipment in their packs, additional equipment is carried in the helicopters.

Link – http://www.helicatcanada.com/mountain%20safety.html

Increasing your Physical Fitness Level for Heliskiing

Posted by admin on Feb 28, 2012 in Heliski BC | 0 comments

With any intensive sport, being at your physical peak will not only improve your performance and will increase the satisfaction.

Training your body to withstand the demands of a high mountain heli-skiing holiday (which can actually be a lot greater than one may first imagine) is quite simple, and can be attained in either the gym, or at home. Try to begin at least six weeks before hitting the snow, although any late pre-training is understandably better than none at all.

Improving the cardiovascular and respiratory system is looking after your heart and lungs, leading to increased stamina and endurance, When HeliSki BC or Alaska you can expect a serious workout – in one typical heli-skiing run in northern BC, 3,000 vertical feet are descended. Repeated runs therefore demand a high level of fitness – cycling, jogging or rowing at a moderate pace for up to twenty minutes, three to four times a week, is a good base to work from.

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Assuming the majority of skiers and boarders looking towards their heli-ski holiday are already in good physical shape, the next progression is to work on their anaerobic strength. Anaerobic metabolism is the process that occurs during intense exercise, such as darting in and out of the trees on your skis’. When there is not enough oxygen to meet the energy demands, the body releases high energy phosphates or glucose to use as fuel instead. Our body can only supply us with a limited number of these energy-giving resources, a few minutes at a time. After exhausting them we begin to feel fatigue, needing to rest and recuperate.

 

Yet it’s possible to extend this process, through structured interval training with the common exercises below, static weight training, or more involved methods such as plyometrics – where explosivemovements can help fine tune and condition muscles to react in the shortest amount of time possible. Replicating the movements found in either skiing or boarding within our exercises is essential to the development of the right set of muscles. In the legs the quadriceps, the buttocks and the calves can all be strengthened with squats and lunges. The core muscles (in the stomach, back and sides) through sit- ups and press-ups. Try twenty repetitions of each, followed by a short break, and then repeat four or five times, increasing as you feel yourself getting stronger.

Flexibility, balance and coordination are also essential skills that will help improve a heli-skier’s ability. Stretching everyday is vital, and the more flexible you are, the less chance you have of incurring injury. Balance and coordination are so important in skiing, and both can be fun to train. Balance balls and boards are excellent materials for this job. Also becoming more popular are slacklines, providing endless balance practice, whilst simultaneously giving the core muscles a real work out.

In the end there is nothing like getting on the snow to reawaken those muscles that have become dormant over the summer months. However, with an objective goal, it is easy to get into good shape, and what better goal could one have than skiing endless lines all day long, the heli at your disposal, in the best heli-skiing mountains in the world, British Columbia.

Thinking about a heli holiday for heliskiing or heliboarding

Posted by admin on Feb 28, 2012 in Heliski BC | 0 comments

Thinking about a heli holiday, bet you are wondering: how safe is powder skiing by helicopter?

 

How worried should one be about safety?

What is the likelihood of an avalanche? These are legitimate questions.You will find that operators, while highlighting the great extent to which they go to be as safe as possible, do not brag about 100% safety records. Accidents can and do happen, but they must be put in perspective. Avalanches tend to be partnered, perhaps unfairly, with the ferocity of floods, erupting volcanoes, and tsunamis.

 

Avalanches can, to a large degree, be forecast, but there is still an art to the process of prediction–it is not an exact science. Just as there are risks to driving your car or sailing across an ocean or heading to your local ski resort, there are risks associated with cat skiing and heliskiing.

 

It is normal to be apprehensive about these risks, but as one gets used to the environment, one becomes more comfortable with it. It is the paramount role of the guide to help in this process. He/she constantly analyzes the surroundings, choosing where to take the group in order to effectively manage the exposure to this risk. They are not extreme-skiing fanatics or hardcore backcountry radicals trying topush the group’s limit—they are guides. Their role is twofold: first, to keep the group safe and second, to ensure the group has fun.

Accidents and incidents do happen on occasion, and those events are part of the continual learning process. Operators analyze those events and openly share information in order to ensure that they are not repeated. Each year thousands of man-hours are devoted to refresher courses and training all overthe province.

Given the number of skiers and snowboarders guided on a daily basis in the winter by members of HeliCat Canada, the small number of incidents speaks volumes for the measures taken to keep clients safe.

Most risk avoidance, regardless of the environment, boils down to prevention and preparation. By skiing or snowboarding with a member of HeliCat Canada, one is assured that safety is the top priority and that one could not be in more experienced hands.General content provided by the HeliCat Association of Canada.