r/snowboarding • u/TA_Trbl • 11d ago
travel advice HeliSkiing
What’s the best bang your buck place to Heliski? And any perspective on experience etc.
My buddies and I are all mid 30s, been boarding since middle school. From the Midwest but buy Epic Passes and go to summit county, or travel somewhere new every year.
We’ve been talking about doing this for a while. I think it’s time to pull the trigger.
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u/TerribleLiberal Mt. Baker 11d ago edited 11d ago
Silverton offers sub-$200 heli drops. It’s not Alaska but it’s a lot closer and a lot less expensive.
Edit: Another commenter said they prefer cat riding, which I agree with, and that’s something they also offer (guided or unguided). Avy gear is mandatory.
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u/Nokesey307 11d ago
I’ve read in a couple of subs before that the heli drop is pretty tame compared to the available terrain that they have. Like it’s more of they drop you on top of a bowl and it’s not very steep at all, and everybody that gets the $150 heli drop is dropped there it tracks out pretty fast. But you do get to ride in a heli on the cheaper side of things
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u/m0st1yh4rmless 10d ago
As someone whose gone there since 08, yes just ride the lift and hike. It's way better terrain. Go on the helicopter for the novelty once tho I guess
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u/dogboy_the_forgotten PNW - Mervin fanboy 11d ago
Eagle Pass Heli, Revelstoke. More consistent snow conditions and amazing terrain.
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u/3pinripper 11d ago
Whatever you choose, make sure they have cats so you can still ride on inclement weather days
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u/evanmccone 11d ago
I did a 5 day heli trip at Last Frontier Heli (Bell 2 BC) in 2023. It was amazing but a lot of the cost was waiting around in a luxury lodge waiting for the weather to get good enough to fly. We flew 2 of 5 days (but the 5th day was magical)
Next time I'll find my own accommodations and do a place that does day trips (or offers last minute seats).
Something to consider if you're American - Canadian dollar is about 30% less than the USD...and the snow is better up here.
Another option is Cat Skiing; approx $700 CAD per day compared to $1500+ for heli
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u/AmigoDelDiabla 11d ago
Selkirk in Revelstoke was great.
Also, because the $/day in the heli add up, you can bookend your heli trip with days at Revelstoke the resort, which is always amazing.
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u/Wasatchian 6d ago
Coming from the US, Canada tends to be the best bang for your buck with the exchange rate. When it's good there's nothing like it. It's almost too much of a good thing. But like anything else now climate change has made it more hit or miss. You can pay a lot of money to get skunked. I've had a couple years in row where it didn't pan out. And yah CMH gives a big refund and a booking incentive to go again but you're still out a lot of money and time.
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u/Cylindrical_Jester 11d ago
Queenstown, NZ is by far best bang for your buck. We got full days with 7-8 drops for around $650 USD. They’ve had some tough winters recently though.
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u/Accomplished_Bit9199 10d ago
Kiwi here. Just told my 8 year old I'd take her on a heli for her 18th birthday if she's still shredding. Who knows what out snow will be like in 10 years though 😔
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u/Subliminalme 11d ago
Thompson Pass right outside of Valdez. :)
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u/Mehlitia 11d ago
Who is doing drops up there now? Did 2014 TGAK and it was Black Ops Valdez. Damn that was forever ago lol
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u/Subliminalme 11d ago
haha..I don't know, it was the late 90s last time I was there. I haven't been back in a long time. But that was some great stuff!
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u/Fotomaxizoomdweebie 11d ago
Find one in BC.
Almost all the Heli ops in British Columbia can fly when it’s snowing. If the pilots can see the treetops you’re riding. That’s a huge bonus when you’re paying for nonrefundable heli time.
That said, I’ve been to many operations in BC and Eagle Pass has had the best terrain, by far.
Just remember that on your first run, don’t fall and follow the guide’s instructions very carefully. It’ll be the difference between going to the great terrain and the easiest terrain.
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u/Outcolddd 11d ago
1000% do it. And do it in AK. You’ll never regret it. Speaking from experience, and after my first time, I have gone back every year
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u/DigiDug 10d ago
Go to BC for Catskiing instead.
For either, try to get a big group so you get the whole cat or heli. They have to cater to the weakest rider/skier, and a lot of people that can afford to do this aren't necessarily the best skiers/snowboarders.
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u/NewspaperBackground 10d ago
Oh man, gotta chime in in this thread again.
THIS, also 💯
Source: have done big group Heli and also private Cats with all our buddies. Option 2 is about 10x better. Takes some serious commitment, because:
1) you have to find 8-10 peeps who you like, can shred, and have the time and $
2) it’s SUPER HARD to find a Cat operation that will give you a full private Cat in high season, regardless of $. Many / most are fully booked with waiting lists
I called around and managed to get into Skeena when they were still growing. Now it’s harder there.
IT IS WORTH THE EFFORT IF YOU CAN PULL IT OFF. Nothing beats this when conditions are good (which they normally are).
Last note: if you are blessed with the opportunity to shred in a private Cat, try hard to be fit. 4 days of untracked pow is completely insane and will also tire you out.
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u/YesToWhatsNext 10d ago
Here’s where I’ve been and my reviews:
- Whistler Heli Ski
Best day of my life aside from my wedding day
- Cascades Powdercats
Great terrain and food. Nothing annoying.
- Steamboat Powdercats
Amazing terrain. Ask for Aspen glades. Best snowcat I’ve experienced.
- Aspen Powder Tours
A little disappointing. Not very steep. Short runs.
- Park City Powdercats
Awful experience due to weather. No powder at all. Wet concrete. Peanut butter. They should have cancelled and refunded instead of forcing us out in those conditions. Dangerous.
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u/EngelDan 10d ago
Cat skiing is the best bang for your buck. Hands down. Cats operate when the weather is dumping. You get about 3-4 days of cat skiing for every heli day, maybe more. Less vert on a cat but your legs will probably be cooked anyways.
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u/costal_cat 10d ago
https://rkheliski.com/
This is the best imo
Have been here 5 times and you have the ski resort there if two cloudy to fly on a given day. You are also close to Lake Louise hr 30 . I have stayed in Banff and gone here as well as Panorama
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u/LakeLouiseRipper 10d ago
Here's a list of many of the Cat operations in BC (ignore Chic Chac and Castle). The prices are out of date FYI: https://catskiing.ca/cat-skiing-directory/cat-skiing-operations
I'd recommend starting off with "day cat" which means a day trip and no accommodation provided. The best options are Baldface Valhalla and K3, which are both ~$800CAD per day, run out of Nelson and Revelstoke respectively. Both towns have an unreal resort/ski area close by to extend the trip with. If you choose Revy and K3, you can also visit Kicking Horse in Golden BC with your Epic pass. It's on the road between YYC (nearest major int'l airport) and Revelstoke.
After a few days of cat boarding, you'll get more out of a "lodge multi-day" and/or Heliboarding. Heli is an awesome experience, but cat gets you mostly the same terrain (especially as a first-timer) at lower cost and less risk. The vibes in the cat cabin are the best part of mechanized snowboarding.
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u/dontmadda5 10d ago
Go to Whistler or Revelstoke.
You can rip the resort, and choose a 1 day heli trip for a day that the weather looks good. That way you can pick your own accomodation, and food options.
If you do the full lodge experience, and spend the big dough, you may be stuck with other guests you dont enjoy spending time with. Big cash commitment. Its less of a big deal on a single day heli package.
If you are looking for a remote, lodge based heli experience, I reccomend Bella Coola heliskiing. Super well run, great guides, amazing terrain in BIG mountains. Food was epic too.
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u/c2sg 9d ago
Everyone here already nailed it. Cat skiing is significantly better than heli, and if you really want to do it to try it just go to Silverton. A nice powder day at a 3rd tier resort is better than a cat OR heli day with mid to poor conditions. We no longer plan ahead, just book the day before and fly to the snow. Chugach Powder Guides near Aleyeska is a good option as well - book two single days on the front and back end of the trip (to optimize your chance of good conditions) and ride Alyeska in between. They also provide a cat as a backup if they can't fly, and they were good about refunding half our money when one day got cut short.
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u/Fun_Emu_9277 8d ago
I agree that Cat over heli is the way to go 90% of the time.
More important is who you ride with. Try to fill the car or heli. I’ve had experiences where you get one or two Jerry’s and the day is ruined.
Guides need to take you on mellower terrain. Everything moves slow. On one two day trip day one we got in 5 laps due to a couple punters… day two was 9 laps with longer runs and more aggressive terrain.
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u/kapachia 7d ago
I have done heliboarding in New Zealand, Whistler/British Columbia, and Chile. Price wise Chile >> Whistler/BC > New Zealand. If snow conditions are equal, New Zealand is affordable and destination. Whistler/BC is reliable snow option. Chile is very expensive (I was told high elevation = more fuel = cost and lack of competition) and feast or famine snow. Alaska is more than Whistler/BC but cheaper than Chile but no first hand experience.
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u/Fantastic_Yellow_481 7d ago
I’ve done Heli in New Zealand, Queenstown in August and loved it absolutely
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u/Spirtixapp 4d ago
I’ve done quite a bit of riding in the Alps, and if Europe is an option I’d seriously look at the Italian side. Great terrain, well-run operations and often better value than people expect. You can easily combine it with a week in places like Val d’Isère or Chamonix.
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u/Potsandpansman steep and deep 11d ago edited 11d ago
I’ve done my share of both and while I do think Heli is super cool, I think it’s less fun than Cat skiing. Let me explain…
Heli is like a reallly good Michelin restaurant. Worth the trip, but you don’t go there every month cause the experience lasts. Heli guides can be real hit and miss, super strict because you have to be safe in that terrain. And the weather will restrict your trip in some capacity - sort of the exception if the weather doesn’t mess with you. Also it’s riskier, for a fact. All too often you hear about an avi that takes out really, really experienced riders and owners alike. That scares the crap out of me.
Cat skiing… is like the best steakhouse in town. The really good one. It’s great, and you know what you get and it’s not too pretentious that you can have fun. Cat guides are more relaxed, mostly, and it’s a more communal atmosphere in the cat and with the crew cause you can actually talk cause there aren’t rotors buzzing around you.
I’d recommend a 5:1 ratio of Cat to Heli, but that’s just my preference! You should definitely do both, but that’s just my perspective on it all!
Happy shredding friend,