Heli Skiing, How To

Deep Powder Skiing Tips

How to Ski Powder

In this post, our heli ski experts offer some deep powder skiing tips to help you get the most of your heli skiing experience here in British Columbia, Canada.

Deep Powder Skiing Through Snow Covered Trees in BC Canada

Tree Heli Skiing At It’s Best!

Our Top 5 deep powder skiing tips include:

  1. Using fat skis
  2. Terrain & Speed
  3. Creating a Platform
  4. Heli Skiing Stance
  5. Rhythm & Movement

1. Use Fat Skis

Fat skis help you float. At Northern Escape Heli Skiing, you only need to bring your own ski boots; we provide you with fat skis. We like fat skis with a little reverse camber (rocker skis) because they offer exceptional float in deep powder. They also allow for easier turning and manoeuvring, putting more pressure on the ski tip and tail. This helps to keep your ski nose up and decrease your chances of catching an edge.

2. Terrain & Speed

Deep powder will slow you down. Deep powder skiing tip #2 – the steeper the run, the faster you go, so the more float you achieve. Steeper, faster runs make heli skiing easier. Heli skiing is like mogul skiing, except with heli skiing…you are creating the moguls. This means using your momentum to push into and compact the snow during the middle of your turn, and then flexing out of it like in mogul skiing.

3. Create A Platform

In deep powder you want more float. To create more float in untracked powder you need to keep your skis together and ski as if they were one large ski. This narrow stance creates a platform that helps you stay centered and helps you float better. With even pressure on both skis you’ll also stay closer to the surface and be able to execute your turns more easily.

4. Stance – Get Back on the Board

A Heli Skier with Go Pro Cam showing us BC's Deep Powder skiing.

Good Form for Heli Skiing

Stay centered and lift your ski nose up out of the powder. When heli skiing powder, set your stance (weight) slightly back on your skis and keep your feet underneath your body. Stay centered, and maintain a tight core. Ski with your legs narrower than your shoulders. Keep your knees over the ankles and position directly below your hips. In powder skiing, you also want a slightly longer ski nose and a slightly shorter tail end to help you lift the nose of your skis up out of the powder. For speed, don’t allow your skis to fully cross the fall line during your turns because if they do, it will only slow you down.

5. Rhythm & Movement

Create a rhythm in your turns. Using your ski poles to initiate a turn and working your legs to edge, steer, and rebalance will help you create and maintain a rhythm when turning. Heli skiing in rhythm will assist you in transferring your energy from one turn to the next. Use only your lower body to make your turns. There should be very little upper body rotation, as this will affect your balance. Powder turns tend to rely more on “whole body” leaning and less edge. It’s easier to maintain your momentum and overcome resistance when your hands are in front of you. Keep your turns gradual, round, and smooth, and shaped more like a “C” letter shape. You can make the powder turns easier by adding a small jump at the end of your turn to lift your skis out of the powder.

About NE Heli Skiing

Heli Skier Cutting a Path Thru BC's Deep Powder skiing terrain.

Cutting Thru Deep Untracked Powder

Since 2004, Northern Escape Heli Skiing has been offering three all inclusive heli skiing packages in Canada including Classic, Elite, and Private heli skiing trips.

Heli skiing in perfect untracked powder can be like floating on a cloud that takes you a little closer to heaven. Surround yourself in an endless white landscape. Come experience the magnificent snow covered peaks of northern British Columbia, Canada. There’s simply no feeling like being covered by the driest, lightest snow crystals of untracked powder.

If you have a passion for deep powder and the ultimate Canada heli skiing experience, try off-piste powder skiing here at Northern Escape. Give us a call at 1-866-619-3184 or send us an email. See our Bookings page for available heli skiing dates.