Size Does Matter: Smaller Is Better Than Crazy Massive Heli-groups

FORWARD TO A FRIEND

4 Per Group  -  Unlimited Vertical  -  Convenient Location  -  Average 2 Down Days A Year

Hi %%FIRST%%!

Repeat guests - only 1 day left to secure 2010 pricing! Have a friend new to GCH? Get them your deal. See below..

Skier: Dan Treadway.
Photo: Jordan Manley.

This past week I've been looking over our competitors' websites and noticed many interesting things happening in the heli-skiing industry in Canada... all of which makes me proud to be working for Great Canadian Heli-Skiing.

So what's happening out there? It seems many operators are now, finally, catching on to concepts that we have been promoting for years. You'll even notice companies that openly criticised concepts such as Unlimited Vertical on their websites are now offering it...but with a catch...they only offer it during early season, when there's less daylight... ohhhh the hypocrisy!!

Before starting work here 11 months ago I knew the basic story of the heli-skiing pioneers in the 1960's, however I wasn't aware that since starting up 2 decades ago, Great Canadian Heli-Skiing has been the pioneering force of a new wave of heli-skiing operators. GCH Founder Wayne Bingham knew that small helicopters and small groups were the way to go and heliskiers were getting frustrated with the slower pace, as one long time GCH guest put it, of the "nerd herd" in their "nerd buses" (ie large groups in large helicopters) at other operations!

Here's some cool facts that you might not know about GCH. As pioneers of the new wave, we were the first to:

• Operate exclusively with small groups and small helicopters on all programs, not just privates.
• Offer Unlimited Vertical on all programs. We were, in fact, the first to try out Unlimited Vertical (back in 1995 during shoulder seasons) and the first to offer it in all programs the next winter (1996).
• As far as we know, we were the first to offer the current year's pricing for the following winter for returning guests.

Skiing technique has changed significantly since heli-skiing started.....and our equipment even more so. Because of this, skiers are able to physically ski a LOT more nowadays than they did when they were on 205cm straight skis and rear-entry boots! Yet those operators that do not offer Unlimited Vertical still only include 100,000ft (30,500m) after all these years....why haven't they caught up yet? They will then charge you to ski more. When you ski more than 100,000ft with Unlimited Vertical we won't charge you for it!

Interesting fact: Looking at our statistics from the last 3 years, the AVERAGE group skied 39,300 m on a 6 day trip... that's 128,937 feet! And of course that's just an average... strong groups will do much more than that.

One of the reasons we introduced Unlimited Vertical was to get away from the alpha-male bragging about who skis the most... who cares... it's about the quality of the skiing and how much fun you are having...not earning a special one-piece suit, right?

We have noticed an increase of skiers who used to heliski at other operations but now exclusively heliski with us. So if you have friends and you'd like to tell them about heli-skiing at Great Canadian, here are some ideas. If you haven't been with us yet, here is what separates us from the rest and how it affects YOU!

Photo: Jordan Manley.

Small groups - With a maximum of 3 groups per heli and only 4 people per group, you get a lot of skiing in. Here's why small groups rule:

• Less time getting in/out of the helicopter.
• Safer - easier for the guide to communicate
• Smaller helis can get in to terrain the large buses...ummm helicopters, can't
• Small groups can access terrain big groups can't... think of the trees or a chute...would you prefer just 4 of you or 12??
• Much easier to group people of similar ability levels and the type of terrain people want to ski. In large groups the odds are very much stacked against you that everyone will be of your level.
• It's not all about skiing as much as possible; just join up with 3 others who want to go at a similar speed and enjoy your own pace.
• The operations that use the Bell 212 often ski with 3 or even 4 groups...that's between 33-48 people using the 1 helicopter! Because of all the extra lifting and weight, the large helis need to refuel 3 times a day so there's a lot of waiting around. At Great Canadian the heli only needs to refuel once... and that's when you are eating lunch!

Unlimited Vertical - As mentioned above, at GCH you pay just the one price and ski as much as you want. At operations where you get charged for skiing more, you are always keeping track of your total so you know when you hit the guaranteed amount, which often happens on day 4 or 5 of a week long trip. So will you 1) sit in the lodge or 2) pay for 2 more days of skiing, even though you've already invested a lot of money??

With Unlimited Vertical, we've eliminated the need to keep track since you just pay the one price. An advantage of this is guests are no longer pre-occupied by quantity....it all comes down to quality and just enjoying skiing for skiing's sake. But don't worry, if you want to know how much you've skied, our guides can tell you.

Location - We are the most accessible operation out of an international airport (Calgary - 330km or about 4 hours away). Our lodge is located just off the TransCanada Highway ... so no extra transfers are required. And the heli-pad is 50m from the lodge!

To get to the vast majority of other operators, you must stay the night before in an airport or city hotel, then spend many hours the next day just getting to the lodge by plane and/or bus. It's then the following day when you get on your skis. At GCH, you fly in to Calgary and you are skiing the very next day.

Guides/Safety - We have NEVER EVER had any fatalities or even serious injuries in 22 years of operation. Our guides are experienced and certified professionals (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, Canadian Ski Guide Association and International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations). They are all trained in snow safety, weather analysis, and emergency medical techniques and mechanized ski guiding. You know you are in safe hands since all of our guides have, at the very least, +10 years of experience out in the field.

G.G.
Years guiding: 21
Years at GCH: 18

T.M.
Years guiding: 20
Years at GCH: 15

Rob
Years guiding: 17
Years at GCH: 16

Dave
Years guiding: 10
Years at GCH: 8

Paddy
Years guiding: 10
Years at GCH: 6

Julian
Years guiding: 11
Years at GCH: 11

Alison
Years guiding: 20
Years at GCH: 4

Sue
Years guiding: 13
Years at GCH: 12

The above are our main, tangible selling points that us marketing guys like to promote. But what do our guests think about our operation? Here are some recent testimonials from some of them. If you've never been heli-skiing with us and would like speak to one of our guests to get their feedback, we'd be more than happy to put you in touch.

"Other than the unlimited vertical, the convenience of the location, small groups, A Star helicopters.....what can I say? I have heli-skied all over Canada at various operations over the last 23 years. What it all comes down to for me is DID I HAVE FUN? Undeniably, at GCH, I can answer that question with a yes every time! I want to leave at the end of a trip tired, but happy, and with the desire to come back. All four trips I had with your operation this year, 2009/2010, I had a blast, and that is the bottom line. What defined a perfect winter for me this year was what took place on my skis; GCH made that happen. I will be back, and I can't wait"! Tom, Reno, Nevada.

"After skiing 11 weeks with various heli-skiing companies over the past ten years, I now ski exclusively with Great Canadian. Everything there is first-class: Terrain, guides, weather, helicopter, food. Why would I go elsewhere?" Jon, Seattle, Washington.

Smiles and powder faceshots: it's what GCH is all about!
Photo: Jordan Manley.

"Enjoyed how well my family fit into your operation. We were well taken care of from guides giving safety number 1 (priority) to Terry and Julian giving ski tips on how to ski the snow. We had great family time with you. I do enjoy skiing with other skiers and making new friends. I have been in the 405 helicopter with small groups at another heli operation and felt we didn't mix much with other guests". Tom, St Paul, Minnesota.

"Was very impressed with the guides. Very clear they take a continuous improvement attitude to their work and have a high level of mutual respect. I appreciated learning about slope cutting and avalanche risk management. Guides clearly take an "owners' attitude" to the slopes (cutting branches etc., improving the runs) Impressed with how long they have been with the operation. Speaks well of your org!" Don, Calgary, Alberta.

"Well, I'm up to 40 some odd days at GCH in the last 4 years and as I was driving in for my last week I was thinking "man you are a creature of habit going to the same heli operation time after time; maybe you should try someplace new next time". By lunch on the first day I dismissed that thought. By the end of the week, I was signed up for another trip. The snow was magic, the guides did their usual awesome job, flying was too cool as always and the food simply the best. AND... we skied 175,000 vertical feet in 6 days of non stop deep stuff. I should mention that we have had a total of 3 hours downtime in 40 plus days at GCH. I ski Alta Utah roughly 80 days a year and I always get my fair share of the goods. People ask me why go heli skiing when you have what you've got at home. I tell them all that Alta is like driving a great sports car on a mountain road, GCH is like racing a Porsche race car on a great road racing track... amp it up!" Harry the Dreamer, SLC, Utah.

1,2,3,4 - that's a whole group!
Photo: Alison Dakin

"The experience was GREAT as always. The company was named appropriately. I really enjoy the time I have spent with everyone at Great Canadian. Everyone treats you like a friend, they know your name, ask about your family, and provide an excellent time. The skiing was great - 3 bluebird days and one light snow day. I made new friends and had a tremendous time with my group. I really like the 4 day trip (with unlimited vertical). Danny, Boulder, Colorado.

Refer A Friend Deal - If you tell your friends who have never been here how great heliskiing with us is and they end up booking, we will extend the same deal that you get to them, even though they have never skied with us before!

Here are all the details;

If you have any questions, please drop us a line!

Tim Wilkinson
Director - Marketing and Communications

Great Canadian Heli-Skiing   PO Box 2284, Golden, BC, Canada VOA 1H0

Ph: +1 250 344 2326   Toll Free: 1 866 424 4354   Fax: +1 250 344 2316

Email: tim@canadianheli-skiing.com   Web: canadianheli-skiing.com