For the best in advanced heli ski destinations, Pure Powder has you covered, facilitating top-quality skiing trips for heli ski enthusiasts around the world. Expert heli skiers often seek out steep shots, pillow drops and intense wilderness adventures, and we help make that happen. Pure Powder is connected with heli ski lodging locations with deep powdered snow and exciting routes all throughout.
With Pure Powder, we organise the trip so you can focus on skiing. In this article, we’ll cover some of the greatest destinations for advanced heli skiers, detailing what’s on offer and where you can stay.
Who Can Heli Ski?
Anyone can heli ski if they put in the time and effort. The first step to heli skiing is becoming a strong piste skier – from there, you can transition to heli skiing and begin to hone your skills. Pure Powder even facilitates coaching programs for strong-piste skiers looking to try out heli skiing.
In general, heli skiing does not equal extreme skiing, there are plenty of options for novice and intermediate heli skiers, such as regular gradient skiing. The main difference with heli skiing is that you’re taking on run after run with fresh powdered snow, guaranteed to give you one of the best skiing experiences available.
Of course, the mountains are also full of steep slopes and pillow drops for advanced heli skiers looking to test their skills and push themselves to the extreme. In the sections to follow, we’ll cover the perfect destinations for expert heli skiers – from Alaska to Europe.
The Best Heli Ski Destinations For Expert Heli Skiers
Alaska: Tordrillo Mountain Lodge
The Alaskan wilderness boasts gorgeous, steep terrain characterised by superb couloirs and powdered spines that advanced skiers crave. The slopes of Alaska are not for newcomers and novices, you should be a confident and expert heli skier if you choose this destination.
At your feet awaits big open bowls and supremely aggressive “movie lines” – essentially, this is a trip like no other. The exclusive use of Pure Powder’s heli ski tenures means nobody out there is going to steal the perfect powder line. As for the lodging, the Tordrillo Mountain Lodge is a dream location, surrounded by open glacier terrain, tantalising couloirs and classic Alaskan spines. The remote lodge can accommodate 8 to 12 guests at any one time, serving as the ultimate heli ski getaway for adrenaline junkies and experts.
With over 1.2 million acres of terrain, 600 inches of seasonal light snow and long runs of up to 4,000 vertical feet. The incised couloirs and towers mean exceptional skiing runs that are bound to give you lifelong memories. Within the region, high-pressure systems are common, meaning dry weather, clear skies and solid snow stability.
Canada: Kootenay Lodge
In Canada, among the mountains of British Columbia, incredible slopes and spines await. Kootenay is well-known for its perfectly spaced glades, steep bowls and endless pillow lines, a dream for advanced skiers.
The lodge itself is situated in the quiet town of Nakusp, easy to access from Kelowna and close to the Arrow Lakes. It is a quirky, fun, and relaxing hotel with large and comfortable rooms. A short drive from the natural hot springs means you can thoroughly enjoy your time in between runs.
Around you waits a powdered playground for expert heli ski enthusiasts with challenging routes and steep powdered spines. The 1,155 square kilometres of skiable landscape is beautifully spread between the Selkirk’s and the Monashees ranges – holding an annual average snowfall of 18 metres. Advanced heli ski experts can explore the wide terrain, finding challenging and exciting spots to tackle.
Canada: Monashees Lodge
Canada is also home to the Monashees Lodge, close enough to the Monashees ranges to keep advanced heli ski experts thrilled, challenged and excited. The lakeside remote lodge is next to some of the finest most mind-blowing ski adventures out there, including some of the best tree skiing on the planet.
Right on the banks of the Columbia River, the breathtaking views are hard to ignore, giving you a full scope of the lake and surrounding mountains. You’ll even have access to a rooftop hot tub where you can relax after a long day of expert-level skiing. In terms of the skiing opportunities themselves, the Monashees is perhaps British Columbia’s most challenging destination, with 1,712 square kilometres of exciting, skiable terrain. A consistently reliable powder snow throughout the season captures an average annual snowfall of 20 metres.
Canada: CMH Galena Lodge
For hardcore heli skiers, Galena is a popular choice. Offering steep tree skiing and epic pillow line sensations, adventurers can test their limits and take on some of the finest slopes in the world. The 1,080 square kilometres of skiable terrain is known for its incredibly deep snow, steep spines and challenging pillow lines. Anyone serious about heli skiing will find that this is the perfect destination to scratch that adrenaline itch.
The rustic lodge itself comes with plenty of relaxing activities and enough space for everyone to relax – big enough to accompany up to 44 guests and only accessible by helicopter. The calming atmosphere allows you to shut down in between runs or after a full day of skiing. Based in the Badshot Range of the Selkirk Mountains, the area gets an average annual snowfall of 18 metres.
Canada: CMH Bobbie Burns Lodge
In Calgary, experienced heli ski specialists have the chance to take on big verticals at a fast pace with around 50% trees and 50% alpine. The remote lodge is only accessible by helicopter but is one of the closest heli ski lodges to Calgary – meaning a short travel time and more time in the lodge or out skiing.
Located in the Purcell and Selkirk Mountains, at your feet sits a vast surrounding area with a massive variety of terrain. The area itself is more than 1,700 square kilometres with an average annual snowfall of 15 metres – together, you get the ultimate combination of spaced trees, high alpine and expansive glacier runs. Fast-paced skiers will love this location, as its challenging and quick nature is not for the faint of heart.
Off Piste Skiing Options
Unfortunately, heli skiing is banned in France, however, these resorts offer fantastic lift access off piste skiing:
Europe: La Grave
Outside of Canada and Alaska, there are plenty of other options for advanced skiers, with a full range of big mountain wilderness options found throughout Europe. Right beneath the shadow of the Le Meije mountain, you have La Grave, providing some of the most exciting and challenging lift-serviced skiing terrain in the world.
Situated close to Lyon, superb open bowls, high glaciers, small chutes and steep couloirs await adrenaline junkies looking to challenge themselves. For the expert skier, La Grave has several great options for off piste skiing. You’re also right next to neighbouring ski resorts, giving you the flexibility to take on a range of different altitudes, should you want to.
In the village of La Grave itself, you will find an old-school, rustic, mountaineer-like resort. The atmosphere is welcoming, comfortable and friendly. Overall, La Grave is a great option for heli ski experts.
Europe: Chamonix
Another popular European destination sits on the border between Italy and Switzerland, perfectly situated to provide access to supreme off-piste skiing for all weather conditions. A massive variety of terrain means adrenaline junkies, expert skiers and adventurers get a range of powder ski options.
At Chamonix, you get different deep powder options due to the regular and reliable snowfall across the multitude of skiing areas. As such, a full suite of skiing possibilities is at your doorstep, from the ultimate adrenaline-driving couloirs to famous high alpine skiing across the glaciers. Pure Powder can quickly find and book the perfect accommodation for you, whether that be a five-star luxury hotel or a private chalet.
How Does Pure Powder Help Heli Ski Adventurers?
Pure Powder has helped facilitate and organise thousands of ski trips for heli ski enthusiasts throughout the world – from advanced heli skiing specialists to newcomers to the sport. Operating since 1978, we are the biggest heli ski specialist business in the UK and serve guests throughout the world. The experiences we craft for heli skiers are of the highest quality, with great attention to detail aimed at meeting your needs and wants. Our proven track record of consistently happy customers can attest to this. Every one of our trips is created by skiers for skiers, offering concierge-style support throughout with guidance on whatever you need help with.
We offer a multitude of options to suit different budgets, goals and needs. We guarantee that our trips never cost you more than they would through an operator. As passionate ski lovers, we are committed to providing only the best in heli ski experiences. Our goal is to make your planning as simple as possible – we can take care of flight booking, accommodation and everything else. If you have any questions about how we can assist travel-wise, give us a call.
At Pure Powder, we also offer a fitness program to help you prepare for intense heli ski adventures. The program is designed to help customers heading out onto the slopes guarantee that they’re fit enough to take on the powdered terrain. Remember, the fitter that you are, the less likely you are to get injured or feel heavy fatigue during the trip. You’ll also be able to ski for longer periods of time, allowing you to make the most out of the trip.
Getting the right ski equipment is also a key consideration to make sure you’re comfortable and warm while out on the slopes. The key to proper dressing for your trip comes down to layering. Luckily, our partners at Surefoot and Ellis Brigham have everything you need to tackle the deep powdered snow mountains of the world.
At Pure Powder, we take care of all the difficult parts of organising a heli ski trip so you don’t have to. You can focus on your fitness and bask in the excitement as the trip approaches.
Heli Ski Adventures With Pure Powder
Choosing Pure Powder for your heli skiing adventure means only the best in carefully organised trips where you can truly experience the beauty of taking on mountain slopes from remote lodges throughout the world. As the leading heli ski specialists in the UK, we continue to provide customers with unforgettable and remarkable skiing experiences.
For advanced and expert heli skiers, we find challenging and steep terrain, perfect for testing your limits in this adrenaline-filled sport. From Alaska and Canada to destinations throughout Europe, we’re here to help you find the perfect skiing destination and accommodation. As heli ski experts, you can rest easy knowing that we’ll find what you’re looking for.
If taking on the world of heli skiing interests you and you’d like to plan a memorable heli ski trip, connect with Pure Powder today. Reach out via our website and take the first step to mastering slopes around the world.
