Choosing the Best Heli Skiing
Everyone has different factors that are important in the decision making process regarding which is the best heli skiing operation. To assist in choosing the best
heli skiing for you, we have provided
heli ski ratings on various operations in Canada, USA, New Zealand, India and Japan. Also check out our detailed reviews for some of the operations as well as the awards below for the best heli skiing as rated by readers of Powderhounds.com.
Heli Ski Terrain
Most heli skiing tenures are huge but some aren’t, which limits their ability to find superior snow quality and fresh tracks. Elevation may also be an important factor in places where snow quality is marginal (e.g. Chile, New Zealand). See our heliski stats for each country to compare the size of the terrain, elevation, and typical vertical covered.
Vertical
Particularly with day ski operators where you pay for a certain number of runs, check the average amount of vertical feet or metres covered each run or each day. If the runs are really short or there are lots of groups using the one helicopter, you might not clock up much skiing or snowboarding vertical.
Snow
In some locations the chances of riding chest deep powder is minimal, whilst in destinations where it dumps 20 plus metres of snow each season, the likelihood is much higher. Typical snow quality also varies remarkably between the different regions.
Safety
Check out their degree of emphasis on safety: the avalanche mitigation strategies they use; the experience and qualifications of the guides; the quality of the birds; and the other safety equipment they have. Associated with safety is the guest to guide ratio. This may be partly dependent on the size of the helicopter. At one end of the spectrum, some operators use old Hueys and pack 12 guests and one guide into a helicopter. The size of the groups will also impact on their ability to group guests appropriately by ability level. With a large guest to guide ratio (particularly if it’s a small operation), you may get stuck with other guests where your ability level is completely out of sync with theirs.
Value and Inclusions
Pricing strategies vary significantly between heli skiing companies. Many guarantee a certain amount of vertical or a number of heli fly hours, and beyond that you pay as you go. This often makes sense, particularly in areas where there’s a high likelihood of no-fly days, but know what you’re paying for. Also check the refund policy for no-fly days and whether the rental of powder skis or boards are included in the rates. For multi-day operations you generally have to buy beverages, but après-ski lovers may want to check if they can BYO alcohol to the lodge or if it’s included in the rates.