Heliski in Canada – The ultimate off-piste experience

The ski season is approaching and you may have started dreaming your way to the snow-capped and untouched mountains, with powder on your knees and snow under your feet. Heliskiing in Canada offers us the perfect powder snow on the pristine mountains.

So get rid of the many hours of queues at the ski lift and instead sit back in the helicopter and enjoy the beautiful nature, while you are transported from the bottom of the mountain to the top. Here you are offered the ultimate off-piste skiing, with a high dose of adrenaline as we make our way through the deep powder snow, when it is your skis that make the first tracks.

What is heliski?

Heliski is off-piste skiing where the transport up to the mountain top takes place in a helicopter. This gives you access to remote areas consisting of untouched snow, as well as the opportunity to take the first tracks down the mountain.

With a heliski, you avoid the long queues at the lifts, the ride up and crowded slopes. When you go on a heliski trip, there are no marked areas that you have to stay in. This makes the mountain a big “off-piste”, which you can ski down through. Of course, it is always a good idea to follow the guide’s recommendations for where to go, as the guides know the mountain better than anyone else.

When heliskiing, it is not only skiing down the mountain that is an experience, it is also an experience in itself to sit in the helicopter. You fly up over the treetops, enjoy the impressive landscapes and look down over all the snow-capped mountain peaks as far as the eye can see, while you are transported up to the next ride. Heliskiing is therefore the ultimate off-piste experience beyond the ordinary, even for the most experienced skier.

What makes Canada’s snow perfect for off-piste skiing?

Canada, the country known for its beautiful scenery, skiing and powder snow. You have probably heard skiers and snowboarders all over the world talking about this magical powder snow. Ski lovers make a pilgrimage to Canada to experience the legendary snow.

The snow in Canada is better known as “champagne snow” or powder snow. The snow is characterized by the fact that the newly fallen snow has a low water content, which makes the snow extremely light and dry, which makes it feel like a dream to go inside.

You will therefore have the perfect foundation for your off-piste skiing, as the snow will help you develop your skiing to the next level.

Why is Canada the perfect place for heliskiing?

In Canada, their powder snow and off-piste skiing are a central part of the overall skiing experience. They have therefore made 2 large areas for off-piste skiing only. One area is called “In-bounds”. “In-bounds” is an area that is a safe piste and off-piste terrain. This means that “In-bounds” is everything that is shown on the mountain piste map, which you have to ski on. The terrain is secured against avalanches and is checked every morning by the ski patrol, and there are still plenty of opportunities to get powder snow and “free riding”. However, without the major risks.

The second area is called “out-of-bounds” or backcountry. This is an area or a mountain that is with completely untouched powder snow, and it is in this area that you come out in when you have chosen to go heliskiing.

In the “out-of-bounds” area, the mountains are in most places filled with trees almost all the way to the top. One of the advantages of driving between the trees is that they cover bad weather and other advantages of standing off-piste between the trees is that we are less affected by wind-affected snow, as well as the extra challenge you get from the obstacles that may arise here. In addition, heliski can offer a terrain that includes glaciers, bowls, drops and gutters.

Where in Canada can you try heliski?

If you want to try heliskiing, it is ideal to do so in the province of British Columbia which has become the capital of heliskiing.

British Columbia has millions of acres used for off-piste skiing each winter. This terrain is covered every year by between 8-18 meters of the legendary Canadian powder snow and you will therefore have plenty of opportunities to take an off-piste trip down through the newly fallen powder snow in Canada.

We offer heliski trips to Revelstoke, which is the epicenter of heliski in British Columbia. Every year during the winter season, an average of 18 meters of snow falls. The area is particularly known for its knee-high powder snow, off-piste skiing among trees and their alpine and glacial terrain, making Revelstoke the ultimate ski paradise.

What does heliski cost?

Heliskiing is an expensive activity, but for most it is worth all the money. Prices vary depending on how many flights you want up the mountain, which area you want to drive in, how many people you take with you on the trip and if you travel during the high or low season.

On average, 3 helicopter rides up the mountain will cost between 800-1000 Canadian dollars and for 5 helicopter rides it can cost between 1,000-1,200 Canadian dollars. Therefore, heliskiing can quickly cost a lot – for a single day of accommodation, meals and ski rental.

On our heliski trip to Canada, we offer a package solution, where you will ski for 3 days and where accommodation, full board, ski rental and inspection of safety and avalanche equipment, etc. are included. You will be able to get between 9 to 15 helicopter lifts per day.

What should your ski level be for heliskiing?

When you go off-piste skiing, it is physically difficult. Therefore, it is important to have a good basic form and to be able to ski down the red slopes in a controlled manner. It is recommended that if you are going out heliskiing, that you have previous experience of off-piste skiing. When you are transported up by a helicopter and released on the mountain top, it can be really far down to the nearest piste, so it will be a really long descent if you do not have control over the techniques and the physical shape for it.

Risks and safety measures in connection with heliski

Skiing is considered as an extreme sport. Therefore, when going off-piste, it is extra important that safety is in order. If you are going on a heliski holiday, you can ride with rocks on one side and glacier cracks on the other – therefore heliski is not risk-free. That is why the areas we travel to are chosen by professional and skilled guides. They strive to minimize the risks that may be associated with our off-piste skiing.

One of the risks of off-piste skiing is avalanches. One should always look at the slope of the mountain, if there has been a heavy snowfall recently or if there have been major changes in temperature, as this can contribute to increased risks of avalanches – the guides know all about this, and they always keep a eye on it.

Another risk of being off-piste in Canada is the so-called “tree wells”. A tree well is the space around a tree under its branches, which does not get as much snow as the surrounding area next to the tree. This creates a cavity under the tree where there is no snow and that is why it is dangerous for skiers and snowboarders if one falls into one of these cavities.

Due to the risks of off-piste skiing, all reputable heliski companies use experienced and professional guides who know the mountain and the conditions that apply to that particular area.

We always have a mountain guide with us on our trips who has experience and knows the mountain, so we can ensure that safety is top class and that everyone comes down safely. Before our first heliski ride, we have a safety information and review of avalanche equipment together with the mountain guide.

If you want to protect yourself from avalanche danger or be ready to provide effective help to others who get caught in an avalanche, it is a good idea to have avalanche equipment. Well-known brands that sell avalanche equipment are Pieps, BCA and Mammut.

Is there an age limit for heliskiing?

Heliskiing involves some risks and dangers. Each participant must be able to help themselves and others in an emergency. Therefore, most heliski companies require that participants are at least 15 years old. All participants under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian who signs a waiver to go heliskiing.

What equipment does a heliski require?

When you go heliskiing, it is not like going on a regular ski holiday, you will go off-piste and therefore it is important to have the right equipment with you, so that you get the most out of your off-piste skiing.

Boots: Choosing boots is one of the most important things when skiing and especially off-piste. It is the boot that transfers the body’s intentions down into the ski. If you find the right boots, you will experience good control and higher performance, which is important when you go off-piste.

Skis: The skis are an important part of one’s equipment. For off-piste skiing, it requires a very specific type of ski, namely a pair of powder snow skis. The skis are wide and long, which helps to give you maximum performance in the snow and gives you the soft turns in the powder snow.

Attire: When choosing which clothes to wear, it is important that the clothes are waterproof, windproof and breathable. It is a good idea to have several sets of gloves and ski socks with you, as there can be high temperature variations depending on the weather and the height you have to stand in. It is also a good idea to bring clothes so you can put on more stock or remove them as needed, so you do not freeze or feel too hot.

Safety equipment: A good helmet and a back shield are crucial if you are unlucky and crash. The helmet and back protection help prevent injuries that can occur in a crash on the off-piste. As previously mentioned with risks and safety measures, there is also a risk that avalanches can occur when you are off-piste. Therefore, it is a good idea to bring avalanche equipment.

The avalanche equipment you are advised to bring is an avalanche shovel, an avalanche tracker and an avalanche probe. If you have these things in your backpack, you are safe and ready in the event of an avalanche. These things can usually be purchased in a complete package. You can also choose to add a first aid kit to your backpack.

Ski goggles: Ski goggles are also an important part of one’s equipment. The ski goggles help to ensure that you have visibility and can see the structure of the snow when you ski. Therefore, the glasses must match the weather conditions you have to stand in the current day.

An alternative to heliski

If you want to try the completely untouched ski areas, but think that heliski is a bit too expensive, there are other options. A popular choice is catski. Catskiing is incredibly similar to heliskiing, but with catskiing you are transported up the mountain with a piste machine that has been rebuilt to be able to transport skiers up to the top of the mountain. When you choose catski, you can thus still experience getting the first tracks in the snow and get out on untouched areas where there is also powder snow.

We offer catski trips to North Macedonia and Georgia!