Imagine two miles of untouched powder ahead of you, a personal heli-taxi to
take you back up the mountain and a cosy lodge with an open fire at the end
of the day.
Heli-skiing is an extradordinary adventure because of the skiing, but also
because of the wilderness experience. Okay, some of the heli ski lodges now
disappointingly have internet access because of demand from clients and
staff, but it's still a week spent away from traffic jams and mobile phones.
We stayed at the Monashees lodge, one of 12 ski lodges and ski areas operated
by Canadian Mountain
Holidays (CMH). Its unusual because it's one of the few reachable by
road - most are accessible by helicopter only during the winter months.
But this didn't detract from its appeal. I saw moose and a wolf from my
bedroom window and woke to serene lake and mountain views every morning.
The lodges are comfortable, but not luxurious, and many have saunas, jet
baths, steam rooms and massage therapists. All have lounges with open fires,
bars and dining rooms where piles of hearty food is served twice a day
(lunches are sandwiches, soup, snacks and cookies on the mountainside).
Electricity is often provided by a generator, although the Monashees was on
the national grid owing to its location, and food delivered weekly so all
bread, cakes and biscuits are baked fresh each morning.
So, back to the skiing. When you reach a certain plateau with piste skiing,
there’s only one way to go: off-piste. While European and North American
resorts offer a varied off-piste experience, it’s tough to get out of the
ski tracks. With heliskiing you share thousands of miles of powder with only
43 other skiers, so there’s no problem getting out of the tracks.
The Monashees has steep “runs” on mostly forested slopes means it’s not a
great first-timers’ destination, as other lodges offer more gentle terrain,
but if you're fit and regularly ski black runs without too much trouble,
it's manageable. Of course a few skiing lessons in off-piste terrain before
you go will make life easier.
There’s no getting away from the price. CMH publishes a full price
list, but a good starting figure for a week’s heli-skiing is CN$4,432.
This includes all meals, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, accommodation, use of
lodge facilities, hire of skies and poles, guiding, stretch classes and
transfer from Calgary airport.
Be warned though: this price is for an off-peak week in the least expensive of
the 12 CMH lodges. Weekly prices can reach CN$10,550, plus there’s the
extras, which include the flight, a CN$109 charge per 3,280 feet skied over
100,000 vertical feet (this figure is usually reached during day five of an
average six day’s skiing).
There are also trips of less than seven days, as well as private group trips,
Powder Introduction and Powder Masters trips. CMH welcomes first-time
heliskiers, but not beginners. The website has some good
information for those thinking of booking their first trip, and answers
most questions in its FAQ
section. There’s details here about how the 44 skiers in each lodge are
divided into four groups, how much skiing you can expect, what the terrain
is like, information for snowboarders and details on what to take.
I found my usual Alps ski kit sufficed - with hand and toe warmers (taped onto
the bottom of ski socks with insulating tape) an essential. The hip flask of
cherry brandy had to be left at home though, as there's a ban on alcohol on
the slopes, but the bar is well stocked and there's plenty to toast in the
evenings... if you can stay awake past 9pm after the thrilling but
exhausting days on the mountain.
