| You've
made the decision. This year, it's time to push your boundaries, to break out
of your comfort zone. It's time to lose the lift lines and hit the backcountry.
The
terrain you're going to rip should make your teeth chatter, your palms sweat and
your hair stand on end. Finding your ideal location shouldn't. Here's
our complete guide: all you ever wanted to know about motor-access backcountry
skiing destinations but were afraid to ask. Organized
by region, you'll find operations ranging from full-monty, week-long stints that
quench the desires of even the most extreme skiers to user-friendly (and wallet-friendly)
snowcat day trips. Regardless
of your ability or the depth of your pockets, this guide should send you on your
way to a spring vacation of smooth, powdery bliss. ALASKA
Alaska
Backcountry Adventures
Kenai, AK
888-283-9354
www.alaskabackcountry.com
6 runs, $330
e-mail: bcountry.ptialaska.net
Chugach Powder Guides
Girdwood, AK
907-783-4354
www.chugachpowderguides.com
Heli: $525 per day;
Powdercat: $190 per day
e-mail: info@chugachpowderguides.com
Glacier Snow Cat Skiing and Tours
Wasilla, AK
800-770-3118, 907/373-3118
www.akpowder.com
$175 per day
e-mail: akpowder@akpowder.com
Out Of Bounds
Juneau, AK
907-789-7008
6 runs, $425 guided per day.
akskiing@ptialaska.net
Points North Helicopter Skiing
Valdez, AK
818-754-4700
Valdez Heli Skiing Guides
Girdwood, AK
907-835-4528
www.valdezheliskiguides.com
$520 per day
e-mail: ski@valdezheliskiguides.com
Valdez H20 Heli Adventures
Valdez, AK
907-835-8418
www.h2oguides.com
$510 full day, $255 half day
e-mail: dean@h2oguides.com
Valdez Heli-Camps, Inc.
Valdez, AK
907-783-3243
e-mail: www.valdezhelicamps.com
COLORADO
Chicago
Ridge Snowcat Tours
Leadville, CO
719-486-2277
www.skicooper.com
10-11 runs, $225 per day (includes lunch)
El Diablo Alpine Guides (Powder Cats)
Durango, CO
877-241-9643
www.durango.com/eldiablo
$125 per person, $800 for whole cat.
e-mail: Eldiablo@outerbanks.net
Irwin Lodge
Crested Butte, CO
970-349-9800, 888/464-7946
www.goirwin.com
$225 per day
e-mail: irwin@crestedbutte.com
Monarch Ski and Snowboard Area
Monarch, CO
719-539-3573
www.skimonarch.com
15 runs, $165 per day
e-mail: school@amigo.net
Steamboat Powder Cats (Now, Blue Sky West)
Steamboat Springs, CO
800-288-0543,
970-871-4260
www.blueskywest.com
14 runs, $295 per day
e-mail: adventures@blueskywest.com
Telluride Helitrax
Telluride, CO
800-831-6230
www.tellurideoutside.com
5 runs, $650 per day
e-mail: powder@helitrax.com
IDAHO
Brundage
Mountain Adventures
McCall, ID
208-634-4153
www.brundage.com
$200
per day
e-mail: info@brundage.com
Peak Adventures Snowcat Skiing and Boarding
Cataldo, ID
208-628-3200
www.nidlink/~snowcat.com
5-6 runs, $550-600 per day
e-mail: snowcat@nidlink.com
Sun Valley Heli-Ski Guides
Sun Valley, ID
800-872-3108
www.svheli-ski.net
5-6 runs, $550-$600
e-mail: svheli@sunvalley.net
MONTANA
Montana
Backcountry Adventures
Big Sky, Montana
406-995-4037
www.skimba.com
6-8 runs, $225 per day
e-mail: coolrunnings@imt.net
NEVADA
Ruby
Mountain Helicopter Skiing
Lamoille, NV
775-753-6867
www.helicopterskiing.com
7 runs, call for pricing details per day
e-mail: rubyski@sierra.net
OREGON
Mount
Bailey Snowcat Skiing
Diamond Lake, OR
800-446-4555
www.mountbailey.com
5-7 runs, $200 per day
e-mail: skigus@mountbailey.com
UTAH
Park
City Powder Cats and Heli-Ski, Inc.
Park City, Utah 84068
435-649-6596,
800/635-4719
Snow Canyon Snow Cat Skiing
Park City, Utah 84068
801/649-1674, 801/731-3411
Wasatch Powderbird Guides
Snowbird, Utah
801-742-2800
www.heliskiwasatch.com
7 plus runs, $420- $700 per day
e-mail: info@heliskiwasatch.com
WASHINGTON
Arctic
Odysseys
Seattle, WA
800-574-3021, 206/325-1977
www.arcticoddysseys.com
5 runs per day
e-mail: arctic4u@aol.com
North Cascade Heli-Skiing
Mazama, WA
800-494-4354
www.heli-ski.com
7 runs, $575 per day
e-mail: info@heli-ski.com
WYOMING
High
Mountain Heli-Skiing
Teton Village, WY
307-733-3529
www.heliskijackson.com
6 runs, $550 per day
e-mail: heli-ski@wyoming.com
CANADA
Assinboine
Heli Tours Inc.
Banff/Lake Louise, Alberta
403/678-5459, 800/824-9721
Canadian Mountain Holidays
BC
800-661-0252
www.cmhski.com
Duncan
Lake Lodge
800-843-5557
www.whitegrizzly.com
$210 per day, $307 including
meals and lodging
snowcats@direct.ca
Great Canadian Heliskiing
BC
250-344-2326, 866-424-4354
www.greatcanadianheliski.com
The Great Canadian Adventure Company
Edmonton AB
780-414-1676, 888-285-1676
Great Northern Snow-Cat Skiing, Ltd.
Calgary, AB
403-287-2267
www.greatnorthernsnowcat.com
7 runs per day
e-mail: info@greatnorthernsnowcat.com
Island Lake Lodge Cat Skiing
Fernie, BC
250-423-4055
www.islandlakelodge.com
8-12 runs per day
Klondike Heli-Ski
Atlin, BC
818-754-4700
Last
Frontier Heliskiing, Ltd.
Vernon, BC
250-655-5566
www.lastfrontierheli.com
8-10 runs per day
e-mail: info@lastfrontierheli.com
Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing
Blue River, BC
800-661-9170, 250-673-8381
www.wiegele.com
8-10 runs per day
e-mail: mail@wiegele.com
Mountain Heli Skiing
Whistler, BC
403-678-5459
Purcell Helicopter Skiing
250-344-5410
www.purcellhelicopterskiing.com
3 runs, C495 plus tax
Retallack Alpine Adventures Ltd.
New Denver, BC
800-330-1433, 250-358-2777
www.retallack.com
6-8 runs, $400 per day
R.K.
Heliski
Panorama, BC
800-661-6060
www.rkhelieski.com
3 runs, C$599;
5 runs, C$699
Robson Helimagic, Inc.
Valemount, BC
250-566-4700
www.robsonhelimagic.com
6-8 runs, $439 per day
e-mail: brigitta@robsonhelimagic.com
Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing, Ltd.
Revelstoke, BC
800-663-7080
selkirk-tangiers.com
6-8 runs, $355 per day
e-mail: selkirk@rockies.net
Selkirk Wilderness Snowcat Skiing, Ltd.
Meadow Creek, BC
800-799-3499,
250-366-4424
www.selkirkwilderness.com
9 runs per day
e-mail: druryws@direct.ca
Topnotch Tours
Whistler, BC
888-676-6824, 604-938-1941
TLH Heliskiing, Ltd.
Vernon, BC
800-667-4854
www.tlhheliskiing.com
8-10 runs per day
e-mail: info@tlhheliskiing.com
Whistler Heli-Skiing
Whistler, BC
888-435-4754
www.whistlerheliskiing.com
3 runs, C$495-$515; 6 runs, C$735-$755
White Grizzly Snowcats
Meadow Creek, BC
800-843-5557, 250-366-4306
www.whitegrizzly.com
5-6 runs per day, C$260-$425
snowcats@direct.ca
Sea
To Sky Heli Adventures
Bella Coola Heli Sport’s Sea to Sky Heli Adventures
We are offering a 5% discount on all 2005 tours booked by May 30th, 2004.
This
tour is designed for private groups of eight guests.You’ve heli-skied before,
maybe you’ve taken a luxury cruise to Alaska, but you’ve never done
the two together. Now is your chance. Check out Bella Coola Heli Sport’s
Sea to Sky Heli Adventures. Be the first of your friends to experience this exciting
new form of heli-skiing. Bella
Coola Heli Sports is thrilled to be the first to offer heli-skiing from a private
comfortable yacht. Cruise the spectacular inlets and fjords surrounding our heli-skiing
tenure, then pop up to the alpine in a jet powered A Star B2 helicopter for world
class powder skiing. This is an unprecedented way to experience both heli-skiing
and the unparalleled wilderness of British Columbia. You will not find this exciting
way to heli-ski anywhere else in the world! Imagine
this: You awake in your private cabin and a scrumptious breakfast buffet is served.
Then you take a stroll on the deck drinking in the majestic views of the fjords
and snow-capped mountains. Maybe this morning you assist with the hauling in of
traps teaming with fresh west coast prawns and crab, or during a quick soak in
the hot tub, you see some of our abundant coastal wildlife. Whales, otters, bald
eagles, and seals frolic in these fjords. But don’t get too comfortable,
because the adrenalin-pumping sound of the helicopter warming up on the aft deck
kicks in, and it is time to go powder skiing. In very short order you are on your
first untracked run of the day, loving life, and a million miles from the office. Your
exclusive playground for the week is the Coast Range of British Columbia. For
ski and snowboard connoisseurs it doesn’t get any better than this. In terms
of both stability and quantity, you are at the center of the world’s most
reliable snow pack. And therefore, conditions permitting, you will have the chance
to push your envelope on the steeps. After all, this is also where the pros come
year after year to showcase their talent for the cameras of Matchstick, Standard,
TGR and Warren Miller Films. In
the afternoon, after a hot gourmet mountain luncheon and more tracks, our expert
pilot comfortably and safely transports you back to our vessel. Bring on the delectable
appetizers, tell stories of the day’s skiing or boarding highlights, and
then a long, hot Jacuzzi. Or if your legs can stand it, maybe a water ski/wakeboard
session, or a quick scuba dive before your well earned dinner. These expertly
prepared dinners are a feast fit for a king….or a heli-skier, with freshly
caught seafood and prime cuts of meat from the open air BBQ. Great care is taken
with specific dietary concerns. Just let us know in advance and we will take care
of the rest. Later it is time to retire to the upper salon for entertainment and
games, or simply to digest your fabulous dinner and the day’s excitement.
After a full day’s activity like this, it will be easy to drift off to sleep
to the gentle rocking of the ship and the sounds of lightly tapping waves on the
hull. Our
boat, the M. V. Ocean Explorer I, is a 110’ steel vessel with all the toys
on board. Its’ design is perfect for this kind of adventure, providing both
comfort and luxury while aboard, and rugged durability on the water. Peter “Swede”
Mattsson, one of the owners in Bella Coola Heli Sports, has in previous years
based heli-skiing & ski film crews from the Ocean Explorer. For more information
check out the Matchstick Productions film “High Society” (2001) and
Powder Magazine’s article “Casino Royal” (published September 2001).
Your guides, helicopter pilots, safety procedures and coordination are of the
highest standards that the industry can provide
All of our guests will need to sign a Liability Waiver before skiing or snowboarding
with Bella Coola Heli Sport’s Sea to Sky Heli Adventures
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