Helicopter Skiing: The Ski Enthusiast’s Dream 

If you love skiing as much as we do, we highly recommend embarking on a helicopter skiing trip at least once in your life. Forge memories that will stick with you forever, carve your own path through untracked powdered snow, and relish in the breathtaking beauty of the backcountry – our helicopter skiing excursions are a truly unparalleled experience.

In this brief guide, we will delve into the magic of one of these trips and attempt to encapsulate what they entail. Additionally, we will touch on a few crucial pieces of heli skiing advice and offer some recommendations that should help you decide on the perfect adventure for your purposes. 

With Pure Powder, you have the most prolific helicopter skiing specialists in the UK at your disposal, and you would be hard-pressed to discover a better concierge service anywhere in the world. So, if you are curious about what makes these adventures so special, we are sure that you will find this guide to be to your liking. 

Deep Powder Snow: The Ultimate Skiing Conditions 

Some of you may have already been lucky enough to experience the difference that finely powdered snow brings, but for those who haven’t, allow us to describe the sensation. Let’s start by touching on the physical differences between powdered snow and the wet snow that one can often find at busy ski resorts. Powdery snow contains significantly less water, which makes it far lighter and creates an almost pillow-like surface for skiers. 

Firstly, this makes crashes and falls a lot less intense and substantially less painful because of the softer surface. Secondly, this snow allows for longer skiing sessions as it is much easier on the joints and far more forgiving. Ultimately, skiing becomes more enjoyable because you can get more runs in, while also concerning yourself less with unfortunate injuries and fatigue. 

Most importantly, powder snow is described as a skier’s dream because it is simply more fun to carve your way through the untouched slopes. The softer snow allows for sharper turns and an enhanced ability to slow down and make on-the-fly course adjustments. The sensation has been compared to flying or gliding over clouds, but as much as we attempt to describe it, it is one of those things that needs to be experienced to be fully understood.  

On the other hand, snow that you might find on busy resort slopes, while it can still be great fun, is far heavier and is much more likely to accumulate an ice layer compared to powdery snow. This happens because there are many skiers heading down the slopes each day, and this can compress it until it becomes similar to crud – which is packed snow that can be challenging to ski on and painful to fall on.  

 

Witness Some Of The Most Remarkable Vistas 

If you take a moment to look through the many destinations we frequent on our helicopter skiing trips, you will notice that we coordinate adventures all over the world. Each one of these incredible skiing destinations offers something unique when it comes to the surrounding landscapes – every single one is absolutely stunning to witness. These trips are not only about the adrenaline rush of exhilarating skiing, but they are also about appreciating and soaking in the elegant vistas in every direction. 

Whether you opt for a helicopter skiing excursion to Iceland with its breathtaking volcanic topography, Chile with some of the most extraordinary snow-capped mountain ranges, or Canada which turns into a wonderful, forested Winter wonderland when skiing season comes around – Whichever location you choose, we have no doubt that you will be left in awe. 

We encourage our customers to bring a camera or GoPro along for the journey, as it is certainly worthwhile to capture these moments. This way, you can look back on the photos and videos you took and recall the fond memories you created throughout the adventure. Additionally, we are sure that your friends and family would love to experience the journey through your eyes and relive moments with you.

 

We Know How To Put Together The Perfect Adventure 

When you choose Pure Powder to plan your helicopter skiing excursion, you receive four decades’ worth of personal concierge experience and immense know-how to boot. At Pure Powder, we handle everything from the moment you get in contact with us, to the moment you arrive back home after your incredible ski journey. We want our customers to be completely relaxed throughout the entire process – allow us to handle the logistics, resort stays, transport, guides, and more, all you need to do is enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that is heli skiing! 

Even if you are not entirely sure which destination is the right fit for you, we have been matching clients with their ideal skiing experience since 1978, and we would be more than happy to do the same for you. So, we encourage you to take advantage of our expertise and together, we can craft an adventure that you will surely never forget. 

Another major benefit of our lengthy time in the industry is that we have created many strong connections with ski operators and resorts all over the world. Not only does this help us get fantastic prices – oftentimes going through us is cheaper than going directly through the operator – but it also means that we have a great understanding of the overall experience our customers will receive. This allows us to offer many useful tips, provide recommendations, and go above and beyond to ensure that our clients’ adventure goes as smoothly as possible. 

 

Stay In Some Of The Most Extraordinary Remote Lodges 

A large part of any great skiing adventure is the accommodation that you are placed in; it can make or break a trip in terms of enjoyment. Luckily, we make no compromises on the quality of the lodges our customers stay in. Each one is truly unique and offers a different brand of luxury, but all of them are an absolute pleasure to lodge in. Of course, every destination has a few choices when it comes to accommodation, and we take your budget into account when presenting options. 

These lodges provide an amazing opportunity to kick your feet up and relax after an exciting day of skiing in the backcountry. Many of them include an in-house restaurant, sauna, bar, and many other amenities that facilitate great Aprés ski activities. There really is nothing quite like being able to retreat into a warm, cosy environment, enjoy some hot chocolate or gluhwein, and swap stories of your exploits out on the slopes. It is in these moments that bonds are strengthened, and energy is regained for the excitement of a new day. 

Soar Above The Snow Covered Landscapes 

It wouldn’t make sense to create a guide about the magic of helicopter skiing adventures without talking about the difference it makes to have a helicopter on hand! Firstly, the elevated view you have from the helicopter is exquisite. On days when the visibility allows for it, you can see for miles in all directions, and it is a fantastic time to soak in the majesty of the location you chose. Secondly, there is zero cause for concern regarding the ability of the pilots and the general safety of the flights. All heli skiing pilots we utilise are highly trained and qualified and have immense knowledge of the terrain and conditions. 

 

Lastly, the helicopter drops you and your small team exactly where you need to be to start making your runs down the mountain. This is perhaps the largest difference between off-piste adventures and heli skiing – you are able to get a lot more adrenaline-filled skiing packed into the experience. For ski enthusiasts, this means you can head out on run after run of incredible deep powder skiing in the backcountry, without the lengthy trips back to the summit. When skiing in a resort, this is possible with the use of lifts or other similar systems, however, there is simply no better way to go about in the wilderness than by using a helicopter.  

 

Helicopter Skiing: Experience And Fitness Level 

This is a question that comes up regularly, so allow us to walk you through our recommendations: Some people might assume that you need to be an expert-level skier to be able to partake in one of these experiences, but this is not the case. At Pure Powder, we seek to dispel the idea that heli skiing is extreme and is the kind of thing that only adrenaline junkies and professionals should attempt. 

If you are considering embarking on your first helicopter skiing trip, we suggest that you should be at an intermediate ski level. We say this because going into the excursion with a decent amount of skiing experience allows you to make the most of the conditions and feel relaxed while out on the slopes. There are certain destinations that can accommodate beginner skiers, however, we like to ensure that our customers never feel out of their depth. If you are a first-time skier, it could be a good idea to get some practice on resort slopes before heading out on a heli skiing trip. 

When you first get in contact with us, we will inquire about skiing trips you have been on previously and attempt to gauge what your skiing level is. This way, we can get a good sense of the kind of trip that is best suited to your ability. So, whatever level you are currently at, you can rest assured that we will match you with the perfect skiing adventure for you personally. As we touched on earlier, we have been in the industry for some time, and we know how to ensure that our clients are both comfortable and confident on the slopes. 

 

Helicopter Skiing: In Conclusion

 

Hopefully, this guide gives you a good sense of what to expect on your helicopter skiing adventure. With Pure Powder, the helicopter skiing world becomes accessible and simple for any ski enthusiast. As much as we may try to explain these trips in words, one needs first-hand experience to truly understand what makes them so special. 

So, if you have been thinking about setting off on your own heli skiing journey, there is no better choice than us to assist you in all aspects of the trip. Get in contact with us today and begin planning the journey of a lifetime.