If you’ve experienced powder skiing on your local ski hill, you know how addictive it can be. You may be dreaming of a heli ski trip to BC, to ride reams of deep powder all day long. But before throwing down big cash for that ultimate ski vacation, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the skill to do it. 


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Choosing the Right Heli Ski Operation for Your Trip

We’re often asked by prospective guests “How do you compare to CMH?” So we thought we’d take some time to explore the main differences and help you make a better decision about which operation might suit you best for your heli ski trip to Canada.

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The Lowdown on Trip Planning, Predictions and Travel Advice for the Upcoming Heli Ski Season

For first time bucket listers and seasoned shredders alike, heli skiing continues to be a much sought after luxury adventure activity. Few things can compare to the thrill of riding almost weightless over deep, untouched powder slopes in the backcountry of BC. As we look ahead to this coming winter, let’s see what’s in store. If you haven’t booked a heli trip yet and are still deciding if this winter is the time to give it a try, or go again, read on.

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What is mechanized Skiing?

Mechanized skiing is a type of skiing that uses either a helicopter or snowcat to take skiers and snowboarders up remote slopes in the backcountry, to untouched mountains, with deep powder, stunning views, and terrain features not found on-piste. This is very different from a ski resort, which may use a chairlift, gondola or T-bar to take skiers up marked and groomed slopes.

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Why Early Season Delivers the Goods for Deep Powder Heli Skiing

At Northern Escape, one of the questions we’re often asked is, “When is the snow the deepest?” And here’s where a bit of an explanation is in order. The snow ‘base’ is almost always deepest in late April, after it’s been piling on all season. However, the ‘ski depth’ is often deepest in December.

It sounds counterintuitive, so let’s explain further. At your local ski hill, you might have 2m (6’) of snow base, but it’s pure groomer, and nothing on top, so the ski depth is literally Nada.

How to Go Heli-Skiing and Not Be a Climate-Changing Jerk

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Last Chance to Save on 2022 Heli Skiing Trips

Demand has been extraordinarily strong for 2022 heli skiing and boarding trips and we are well over 90% sold out at this point. BUT, there are still some great dates left and now is the time to pull the trigger and book, before prices go up on April 30th. Yep, just 3 days left. Our Worry-Free Booking policy means you’ve got nothing to worry about if your travel is affected next winter.

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A Brief History of Helicopter Skiing

Hans Gmoser usually gets credit for being the father of the sport of heli skiing. The enigmatic Austrian moved to Canada at a young age and began guiding in the Rocky Mountains, where he pioneered several challenging routes and first ascents. As a filmmaker, he produced highly acclaimed skiing and climbing films. He was also one of the founding members of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG), Canada’s premier guide certification agency. In 1963, he first tried using a helicopter to shuttle skiers up remote slopes in the Bugaboo Mountains in the Purcell Range. He returned to the Bugaboos in 1965 to run the Read more

BC is the birthplace of heli skiing (or heliskiing or helicopter skiing as it’s variously known) and is home to more heli ski operators than anywhere else in the world. The rugged, majestic mountains, deep snowpack and world-class lodges have made it a mecca for those seeking the ultimate powder skiing experience. But it’s important to understand the different heli ski regions of Canada’s westernmost province, and the conditions in each throughout the winter so you know when to go heli skiing in BC.

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Around the globe, many different types of helicopters are used for heli-skiing. In the Far East, you might find a Russian built Mi-8 helicopter, a beast capable of carrying 22 skiers. In Europe, the most common machines are the Eurocopter AS350 B2 and B3 ‘Squirrel’, both small single-engine helicopters capable of carrying 4-5 skiers. (In North America, the AS350 is known as the A-Star).

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This guide is going to cover every detail of your heli-ski trip to BC, so you get the most out of this bucket list experience.

Let’s start by dispelling a myth…you don’t need to be an elite skier to go heli skiing! Yes, you read it right. Contrary to what you might think or have seen in pro skiing videos, heli-skiing isn’t just for the world’s elite shredders. You don’t have to be an expert who leaps out of a moving chopper and launches off of cliffs. If you’re a strong intermediate (blue-square) rider or above on your local mountain, you have enough skills to try heli-skiing.

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