We received some great feedback from recent guests that shows that a trip to Great Canadian Heli-Skiing is more than just amazing powder skiing:

“We could certainly tell everyone absolutely loved their roles as the pervasive genuine camaraderie that exists between everyone at GCH cannot be faked. Everyone was absolutely professional, eager to anticipate every need possible but relaxed and doing it because I believe they truly felt it in their hearts and it’s who they really are. GCH is a home away from home except everything is provided, anticipated, larger than life. It’s where everyone knows your name! My congratulations to the management for putting together such a strong ski family.” For more on the guiding and helicopter team see Our Guides, and for non-guiding staff see Our History.

And of course the heliskiing is an integral part of the trip! We love it when we win a new convert! From Mark B to Deane, our Business Leader:

“Deane, missed you at the lodge last week, absolutely fantastic week, great times.  My buddy Tim that I dragged along from Spokane because he wasn’t sure, kept saying every day “this is now the best day of skiing I ever had in my life”.   Please let all the lodge staff and guides know how great a time we had and how much we enjoyed it.”

NICE!

Wouldn't you like to be in this photo!? Run: "Goats in Lust" at Great Canadian Heli-Skiing

Here’s an absolutely awesome video made by one of our guests, Mark Caines. As you can tell Mark, Andy, Phillip and Christophe had a great time!

The film beautifully captures some of our amazing burnt forests. And the blooper reel at the end is hilarious!

Mark and crew are already booked in for 2013. Looking forward to seeing you guys next winter!

Great Canadian Heli-Skiing is located between Golden and Revelstoke BC in the heart of the world’s heli-skiing powder belt where it snows +46ft (14m), yet averages only 2 down days a winter. Most guests can leave their homes in the morning and be eating dinner in our lodge that same day! Great Canadian Heli-Skiing was the first operation to ski exclusively in small groups of 4 and with Unlimited Vertical (i.e. no extra vertical charges)! Having the greatest flexibility in the industry, guests can choose ANY trip length (2, 3, 4, 5, 6+ days) and start ANY day of the week. We will work to your schedule!

WE’VE JUST EXPERIENCED THE BIGGEST STORM OF THE SEASON! DON’T MISS OUT!

We’ve just had a mega-dump…… over 1 metre (i.e. + 3 feet) in 72 hours! It is DEEP and SUPER LIGHT.

This is the deepest storm of the season. It’s the same storm that hit the Banff region, which you drive through to get to us, and deposited the most snow in over 30 years!

The snowbase in parts of our tenure is now over 3 metres (10 feet)!

There’s not much time or availability left!

For a short video update click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq94haaoyjA

To book, we need groups of 4 or more to confirm (though if you don’t have 4, but are super keen to join us, let us know and we can try and pair you with others). Give Tim or Deane a a call NOW!

Availability (any days during the following weeks);

• March 10 – 16 : good availability
• March 20 – 23: only 1 seat
• March 24 - April 6: good availability

Last day of the season is April 6th, however, if you have a group of 8 or more, we could possibly run from April 7th.

Yes, we have snow! We're getting burried! Our Western Knot Cedar Sauna: Left photo was taken in late November. Photo on the right was taken March 6, 2012

For heliskiing it’s all about layers! A Gore-Tex, non-insulated shell plus several synthetic shirts and pants with varying thickness will allow you to adapt. Remember – no cotton, it gets wet and stays cold. There is no need to bring an extensive wardrobe, as the lodge is very casual.

Something to keep in mind is when you are sitting in the helicopter you tend to overheat and battle sweating and fogging up. You can easily wear 1-2 less layers than you would when you go resort skiing.  When you are at a resort, you sit on a long, exposed, chairlift, causing your body to cool down.  When you heli ski, your body warms up when you are skiing downhill, then you get into a helicopter which screens you from the elements, preventing your body from cooling down.

Because we use the best heliskiing machine out there, the A-Star B2, the rides back up to the top are literally just a couple of minutes. So wearing 1-2 layers less is important! That’s way we emphasize the layering concept. Helmets can increase your heat retention and wind can increase the need for insulation, so adjust accordingly. Below are some suggested layering systems;

-8°C (17°F) or warmer: Gore-Tex Shell (non-insulated), Light micro-fleece pull over, Silk Weight long underwear. Thin hat and cuffed powder gloves.

-8 to -16°C (17°F – 3°F): Gore-Tex Shell (non-insulated), light micro-fleece pull over, medium weight long underwear. Thin hat, thin neck warmer and cuffed powder gloves. Lunch time vest ideal.

-16°C (3°F) or colder: Gore-Tex Shell. Medium weight fleece or soft shell jacket. Medium weight long underwear. Thicker hat, neck warmer/gator, and cuffed powder Mitts and glove liners. Down vest for lunch time stop for layering over jacket if cooling down.

Suggested Checklist:

• 1 pair of well-fitting ski boots (ideally not brand new). Do yourself a favour, bring them on the plane with you!
• Ski goggles (high quality with an anti-fog lens, a low light lens option is useful) If you are a prescription wearer, consider custom goggles with inserts.
• 2nd pair of goggles – in case of a ‘yard-sale’!
• Water proof or water resistant outerwear shell, Gore-Tex being the most common. (sized to allow layers underneath).
• 2 pairs of ski gloves or mitts with powder cuffs.
• 1 pair of glove/mitten liners; these are ideal for extra warmth and suitable during companion rescue briefing and at lunchtime
• 2 hats; 1 for colder days and 1 for warmer days
• 2 Synthetic or wool long underwear (tops and bottoms) 1 silk weight and 1 medium weight; no cotton!
• Ski socks (2-3 pairs). Make sure they do not create too much pressure in boots.
• Light micro fleece jacket or pullover (ideal for layering)
• Medium weight fleece or soft shell jacket (ideal for layering)
• Fleece, Soft-shell or down vest or jacket (ideal for lunchtime or cold days)
• Sunscreen and Lip balm (small tube)
• Sun glasses
• Camera
• Swim Suit and Robe (maybe flip flops…)
• Casual clothes to wear around the Lodge

Have you ever been heli skiing? If you want to experience the best in heliskiing (ie Small Groups, Unlimited Vertical, hugely experienced guides, flexibility and easy access), contact us!

Our main goal in the helicopter skiing business is to give our guests, new and old alike, the best possible heliski trip of their life…. until their next holiday with us!

It’s really cool when we hear back from our satisfied guests that we have achieved our goal…and that they want to come back!

Last year Huw, who has a place in Chamonix so enjoys steep and challenging terrain, heliskied with us last year with some buddies and had a blast. He knew we have great terrain and snow conditions for advanced skiers, however, he also realised we have terrain and highly experienced guides that could provide a memorable experience for his wife and teenage children as well! So this winter Huw, wife Alison and kids Tom and Anna joined us for 5 days of heliskiing.

Here’s what Huw had to say after I sent him a follow-up email;

“Hi Tim,

Was great to see you last week – seems like an age ago already!  Talk about depression … we had such a fantastic time with Great Canadian Heli-Skiing that I think we’re all suffering from withdrawal symptoms.

The whole package was just excellent, from time of arrival till our sad departure.  Skiing, food, staff were fantastic – can’t thank you enough.

In answer to your question, to say that Alison and the kids enjoyed it is probably the understatement of the year.  As Tom said to me: “now understand what you meant by having a smile on your face for a whole week!”.

We’ll definitely be back, but it will depend on finances and exams … (and work)!

The kids particularly enjoyed skiing with (heliski guides) JT and Alison – both of whom were fantastic fun as well as being very professional.  And what a great bloke (helicopter skiing pilot) Frank is.

I think your set up creates the perfect holiday for an adventurous family of four.  I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my time with my wife and kids!“

We couldn’t agree more! Thanks Huw and crew! See you next year!

Italy’s premier freeskiing magazine, 4Skiers, is just about to release their latest issue which features one of Jordan Manley‘s stunning aerial shots of our burnt forests. The shot features proskier Daryl Treadway who came heliskiing with us last winter.

If you would like to download the magazine, click to see Great Canadian Heli-Skiing in 4Skiers Magazine! The heli ski photo is on pages 66+67.

Daryl Treadway at Great Canadian Heli-Skiing in 4Skiers Magazine

POWDER PRIVILEGES - Our Guest Loyalty Program

At Great Canadian Heli-Skiing we simply love what we do – and we couldn’t do it without our loyal guests! In 2005 we introduced a new customer appreciation program to honour returning guests. Depending upon how many accumulated heliskiing days the honourees have, they are presented with a very special gift, decorated with the exclusive Powder Privileges emblem.

We hope to welcome many more to this exclusive heli ski club over the years to come and always strive to provide our guests with a heli skiing experience that will become the basis of a lasting relationship. We would like to extend our thanks to all of our guests, new and old friends alike.

Ski the following number of days and receive these custom-made gifts decorated with our exclusive Powder Privileges Program emblem:

10 days:	ARC’TERYX Thermal Pro Covert fleece
25 days:	ARC’TERYX Gamma AR soft-shell
50 days:	ARC’TERYX GoreTex Theta AR shell jacket
100 days:	Custom-made powder skis and snowboards, hand-made in B.C. by Prior Skis and Snowboards.

We are proud to partner with Arc’teryx and Prior, both small Canadian companies, whose dedication to quality and detail have launched them into industry leaders.

NO!!

She LOVED IT!

Last week Great Canadian Heli-Skiing was honoured to host The Ultimate Skibum for her very first heliskiing experience (actually, heliboarding in this case)! And she had an AMAZING time. I think she probably is still smiling from the experience!

Skibum Kate was the luck winner of Kootenay Tourism’s The Ultimate Ski Bum Competition. Contestants had to submit a video saying why they thought they were the Ultimate Skibum. The competition is to promote all the ski resorts, catskiing and heliskiing operations along the famed Powder Highway here in the interior of British Columbia. The prizes Kate won are mindblowing: 8 season passes, 4 days of heli-skiing, 8 days of catskiing, rental car with gas and accommodation all winter long!

Kate’s husband wanted to join in on the fun, so he chose to spend his hard eanred dollars on joining Kate to experience heliskiing in small groups and with Unlimited Vertical.

Here’s what Kate posted on our Facebook Wall: ”YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! I HAD ONE OF THE BEST DAYS OF MY ENTIRE LIFE!!! Thank you SO MUCH for the prize!!”

And here’s what she said on the Powder Highway Facebook page about heli-skiing with us: “I will do WHATEVER it takes to save up and go again after this year is over again and again it was the craziest/funnest thing I have ever done!”

Kate put together a great little video. Thanks Kate!

Ohhh I think you could say that!

Today I received great feedback about some recent guests’ heliskiing trips.

Our main sales agent in Austria had this to say: “I got fantastic feedback of clients EB and KS. They were really blown away. Thanks for making that happen. My regards to GG and the crew at Heather Mountain Lodge.Thank your team for me.”

The other email was from a dad in Ontario who couldn’t make the trip but sent his 21 year old son.  ”Hi Tim, my son… in his words said… best time of his life!!!   I want to thank you so much for taking good care of him.. he is now hooked on it and of course only with the best.”

Great to hear! If you’d like to read more testimoials, see our previous post here: http://canadianheli-skiing.com/blog/?p=231

From previous blog posts and videos you may recall Jordan Manley and Anthony Bonello joined us over New Year’s to take some amazing video and photos (you MUST watch the video they made: http://vimeo.com/34792656). For this trip Jordan invited his friends Andre Charland and Sarah Frood who joined our heliskiing program. Both are wicked skiers. Andre is co-founder of DogLotion (freeskiing website) and Sarah is a freeski coach with Girls Do Ski as well as being a big mountain competition athlete.

Andre wrote a nice trip report on DogLotion. I have copied it below but click the link to see more photos: http://www.doglotion.com/essays/new-years-great-candian-heli-skiing

“Not much to say about Great Canadian Heli-Skiing. All the luxurious amenities you’d expect and epic deep snow with great guides and sick terrain…

Actually, there are few things about Great Canadian that are worth at least words in this blog post as this place has changed my view of heli skiing forever and for the better. Of course helis are rad and get you to the top of just about any imaginable terrain you’d want to ski. However reality sets in quickly at most heli and cat operations due to the ability of skiers in your group and other safety concerns; you ski mellow, extremely conservative terrain and only in the alpine when the weather permits.  I’ve seen and even experienced this at various other cat and heli operations. Great Candian is different.

Greg Golovach (GG) and guide crew run a tight ship but love to ski and are great skiers. Combine that with amazing pilots and tenure with tree skiing right next to the lodge and you have a different kind of heli ski experience. We rarely saw the sun, never saw our tips and skied generally steep fall line and pillowed covered terrain for 4 days straight. Skiing with GG was just plain fun and he seemed like enjoyed a turn or two as well:) He took us to fun pillow lines, long steep tree lines, the burn and he never doated or micro-managed as I’ve seen other guides do. He also knew the snow pack and terrain better than anyone I’ve ever skied with in any location ever. I think this can only be attributed experience, his love for the mountains and ability to read the group. It was like skiing with an old friend who you knew should be trusted out for their skill and experience not only because they’re the guide and you’re a client.

AWWWWWWEEEESSOME.”

INFO:

GREAT CANADIAN HELI-SKIING
BETWEEN ROGERS PASS AND GOLDEN, BC
HTTP://CANADIANHELI-SKIING.COM
TOLL-FREE: 1-866-424-4354
INFO@CANADIANHELI-SKIING.COM
TWITTER: @TIMCNDNHELISKI