Who wants to heliski?

I'm planning a day of heliskiing with Wasatch Powderbird Guides out of Snowbird, Utah. I'm looking to hit the Low season rates from December 15th to January 15th. I'd much rather ride with like-minded Maggots than strangers.

We wants to join me?

http://www.powderbird.com/index.html

Post here or send me a PM.

http://www.powderbird.com/images/utah_27_big.jpg

EDIT: BTW, I'm looking for a group of skiers that all ski alike - aggressive. I'm not willing to drop that kind of coin if the ability of someone in the group mandates low-angle powder. I want to ski steep shit. :D

pm sent.

Not too likely, but theres a shot, therefore, PM being sent.

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Originally posted by altachic
pm sent.

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You're in like Flynn. How many seats do we have to fill? 5?

pm sent ;)

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Originally posted by Twoplanker
You're in like Flynn. How many seats do we have to fill? 5?

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You'll have to fill 4 seats in the back of one heli, at least that's how we did it. The pilot and guide get dibs on front seats of course.:D

Hell yes. Count me in. :D

FKNA:

http://www.powderbird.com/images/utah_48_big.jpg

2p, your box is stuffed.

was going to pm you the following:

sweet.. this is of course only if i survive the heli and the touring in tdf w/ splat ;) hope i can help you guys get some good shots for your ads.. looking forward to it!

2P, if it gets down to the wire and you need a maggot to fly I'd be down. Just too far off to pla a single day for me right now as my bro / sister in law are due with a baby in Dec.

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Originally posted by Twoplanker
EDIT: BTW, I'm looking for a group of skiers that all ski alike - aggressive. I'm not willing to drop that kind of coin if the ability of someone in the group mandates low-angle powder. I want to ski steep shit. :D

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Maybe you should call the daily Utah avalanche center forecast first and then also listen to your guide's directions. Some days (ie early winter) are not "steep and deep" days.....

Cheers,
Halsted Morris
CAIC

Choppers hold 4 people. Four "average-sized" people. Our group last year had to recruit SLCFreshies to make the weight limit.

Heli ops are, in general, not going to take you anywhere extremo. Risk = liability = no more business. Plan on some decently steep pow but nothing technical.

I have mixed feelings about WPG. On the one hand, the day we went was a lot of fun, they sponsor the avvy center, &c. On the other hand, choppers are REALLY LOUD and definitely destroy the ability of tourers to enjoy the backcountry while they fly. I remember hiking on the Big Island (Waipio to Waimanu and back) and feeling like I was in a M*A*S*H episode because of the helis flying over all day. It really destroyed the experience.

I was gonna just say, "I'm in!!!".......but now i have some serious reservations thanks to Mr. Helper #1 and Mr. Helper #2. :rolleyes: Jeebus guys, lighten the fuck up, 2P is trying to set up a fun day for maggots to enjoy some powder turns together. If you don't want to risk dying in an avalanche or don't want to ruin some b/c travelers day, then don't go. Take your unsolicited advice and opinions elsewhere.

I've been skiing Little Cottonwood for 3or 4 weeks 11 yrs now & the heliers have never bothered me when touring or at the areas.It snows often so they don't seem to fly that much.After the Save our Canyons lawsuit I think they are even more restricted on the days they can fly. A buddy of mine works part time for WPB & I've met the crew & they're good people.If I could afford to Heli ski all the time,or even once,I would!!!!

I heart ski touring w/helis.Really.:cool:!!

Heli-skiing is something every maggot should do sometime in their life. That is all.

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Originally posted by Hacksaw
Maybe you should call the daily Utah avalanche center forecast first and then also listen to your guide's directions. Some days (ie early winter) are not "steep and deep" days.....

Cheers,
Halsted Morris
CAIC

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Thanks for the sage advice!!

Like I said, I don't want my skiing to be dictated by the skiing abilities of someone in the goup. But my skiing will always (obviously) be dictated by the conditions and the guide. When I said I wanted to ski some "steep shit", did an alarm bell and a flashing red light go off somewhere deep in the bowels of CAIC, waking you from your long slumber and bringing you here to warn me about the dangers of recklessness, haphazadry, and foolhardiness?

:D

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Originally posted by lph
I was gonna just say, "I'm in!!!".......but now i have some serious reservations thanks to Mr. Helper #1 and Mr. Helper #2. :rolleyes: Jeebus guys, lighten the fuck up, 2P is trying to set up a fun day for maggots to enjoy some powder turns together. If you don't want to risk dying in an avalanche or don't want to ruin some b/c travelers day, then don't go. Take your unsolicited advice and opinions elsewhere.

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S'ok, brudda, no one can dampen my stoke! Let's do this!!

there are certainly liability issues.. but i always jump at the chance to go with a group of skiers that are exceptional and are also well trained and knowledgable about the snowpack and backcountry skiing. I wouldnt look at a heli day as any different than a day touring.. but it is nice if you can convince the heli-op of this - and get into some more interesting terrain. halsted - i dont think anyone here would advocate going into that kind of terrain without the knowledge and skills to hopefully avoid an accident, and if one happened, to perform a rescue.

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Originally posted by Spats
Choppers hold 4 people. Four "average-sized" people. Our group last year had to recruit SLCFreshies to make the weight limit.

Heli ops are, in general, not going to take you anywhere extremo. Risk = liability = no more business. Plan on some decently steep pow but nothing technical.

I have mixed feelings about WPG. On the one hand, the day we went was a lot of fun, they sponsor the avvy center, &c. On the other hand, choppers are REALLY LOUD and definitely destroy the ability of tourers to enjoy the backcountry while they fly. I remember hiking on the Big Island (Waipio to Waimanu and back) and feeling like I was in a M*A*S*H episode because of the helis flying over all day. It really destroyed the experience.

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I'm not looking to go anywhere "extremo". I am not an extremo skier. I live in Logan, Utah and ski mostly at Beaver Mountain, which is about as extreme as... well it's not very extreme. I just want to ski some steepish terrain with people of the same ability level. I would hate to drop $600 and then have the guide poiunt us to terrain based on the lower ability level of one of the group.

I've spent a lot of time in the wilderness in Utah. The only place I've ever seen a lot of heli activity is the Cottonwood canyons. Utah is a big place and there's lots of places to tour where there are no helos.

Please, please, please, lets not debate helicopters and their impact on the environment, at least not in this thread. I just want to ski, man. :)

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Originally posted by snorkeldeep
there are certainly liability issues.. but i always jump at the chance to go with a group of skiers that are exceptional and are also well trained and knowledgable about the snowpack and backcountry skiing. I wouldnt look at a heli day as any different than a day touring.. but it is nice if you can convince the heli-op of this - and get into some more interesting terrain. halsted - i dont think anyone here would advocate going into that kind of terrain without the knowledge and skills to hopefully avoid an accident, and if one happened, to perform a rescue.

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Sorry man, I'm not well-trained and knowledgable about the snowpack and backcountry skiing. I do have experience and I can ski well enough, but I plan on listening carefully to my guide and relying on his expertise to keep me safe.

I don't plan on (nor do I believe that we could) convince WPG to take us anywhere other than where they normally take their clients.

then lets go skiing! sorry - didnt mean to imply that we should try and convince them to take us somewhere else.

blah blah blah

how did a thread about something as cool as heli skiing turn out to be such a drag?

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Originally posted by snorkeldeep
then lets go skiing! sorry - didnt mean to imply that we should try and convince them to take us somewhere else.

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Yeah, I know, it's all good.

I've gotten so many PMs we may have to fill two helicopters. I really did not expect this many people to be down with this.

So cool!

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Originally posted by A-wreck
how did a thread about something as cool as heli skiing turn out to be such a drag?

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Seriously. Here's something good about this thread:

http://www.powderbird.com/images/utah_53_big.jpg

http://www.powderbird.com/images/utah_50_big.jpg

http://www.powderbird.com/images/utah_46_big.jpg

http://www.powderbird.com/images/utah_45_big.jpg

I'm planning on on flying with powderbirds some time this winter as well. I think GT is in for that same time. I want to talk to them first and find out if and what they'll allow with regard to jumping cliffs. I figure big bottomless BC landings would be half the reason to get out there. :D Maybe a little later in the season too...unless the wasatch has a great early season snowpack.

altachic, you can't afford a season pass, but you can afford heli-skiing? :confused: ;)

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Originally posted by meatdrink9
I'm planning on on flying with powderbirds some time this winter as well. I think GT is in for that same time. I want to talk to them first and find out if and what they'll allow with regard to jumping cliffs. I figure big bottomless BC landings would be half the reason to get out there. :D Maybe a little later in the season too...unless the wasatch has a great early season snowpack.

altachic, you can't afford a season pass, but you can afford heli-skiing? :confused: ;)

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Awesome MD. Git sum! Maybe if we leverage the buying power of 2 or three full helicopters (8-12 customers) we can negotiate a lower rate?

Also, if the snow sucks early season, I'm all for going to a later date, although the price jumps a bit.

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Originally posted by Twoplanker
Thanks for the sage advice!!

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Your welcome. I should not have been so hard on you in my post, sorry.

I have just seen it several times where guys show up for their one day of heliskiing and all they want the " steep and deep," no matter what the avalanche conditions. They start actting "aggressive," demanding and generally pushing their guide to ski terrain that isn't safe. Your guide wants to ski the steep and deep, as much as you want to. But, its his/her job to in the end bring you home alive at the end of the day. Skiing the steep and deep is secondary.

Its a crap shoot, when you book your day of heliskiing. You may end up with stable conditions (Sorry, not as likely in early winter ) or conditions that will limit where and when you can ski. That's just the nature of the heliski game.

I have just found, if I approch my heliski day in a relaxed way, its a lot more enjoyable and fun. Yes, its great to have folks of equal ski ablity. But, also try and have them of the same mindset (IE "I want to have a great day of skiing, and I want to come home alive).

Cheers,
Halsted Morris
CAIC

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Originally posted by meatdrink9
I'm planning on on flying with powderbirds some time this winter as well. I think GT is in for that same time. I want to talk to them first and find out if and what they'll allow with regard to jumping cliffs. I figure big bottomless BC landings would be half the reason to get out there. :D Maybe a little later in the season too...unless the wasatch has a great early season snowpack.

altachic, you can't afford a season pass, but you can afford heli-skiing? :confused: ;)

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That season pass is going right onto a credit card (i'll do that at the last minute, the day before the pre-season offer ends), per Powho's persuasion and good looks. He says it's not an option for me to just not have a pass...:D

I'm only hoping that the price is reasonable...heli-skiing with maggots....doesn't happen everyday.

Congrats on going heli-sking twoplanker! It’s a memory you won’t forget. :)

But have you thought about going somewhere other than the Wasatch? There is a HUGE user conflict between the heli-ski clients and the backcountry ski community in the Wasatch. Basically since access to the heli terrain is so easy by foot the Utah bc skiers hate the heli because it turns their mountains into Disneyland. And the heli operation doesn’t respect the rights of others much at all.

I was out there last year and we skied the heli terrain for 4 days bagging 20k of vert and 10 or so heli runs….all for free (thanks to a pair of skins). The mountains are so easy to get to you don’t need a heli…you need a city bus. Helis should be used for the hard to reach peaks like in AK, North Cascades, or the Ruby Mtns.

I’m sure you’re set on going to the Wasatch Powder Birds but don’t say I didn’t warn you if the Heli-Free Wasatch Crew beats you to the goods and tracks out your runs. There is a group that listens to where the heli plans to fly and actively beats them to it…making the heli clients less than thrilled.

Yeah, this whole debate things is ruining it...i flew with them last year and had an amazing experience. I don't see why this is such an issue. It's skiing for fukk's sakes.

I'm done.

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Originally posted by altachic
...heli-skiing with maggots....doesn't happen everyday.

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Well said.

My apologies altachic,

I didn’t intend to “ruin” anything…just make people more aware of it.

http://home.comcast.net/~d.witherspoon/HFW_Sticker.gif

Please direct all non-stoke posts elsewhere! Hello!!

PS. I won't go heli-skiing because I know I'd have an accident. The second those blades started spinning, I'd pee my pants!

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Originally posted by bcrider
Congrats on going heli-sking twoplanker! It’s a memory you won’t forget. :)

I was out there last year and we skied the heli terrain for 4 days bagging 20k of vert and 10 or so heli runs….all for free (thanks to a pair of skins). The mountains are so easy to get to you don’t need a heli…you need a city bus. Helis should be used for the hard to reach peaks like in AK, North Cascades, or the Ruby Mtns.

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The north cascaeds are hard to reach????? WTF? have you ever been here? its super easy, infact the terrain that northcascades heli flys is, and quite often does get skied mid winter by us poor folk ussing snowmobiles to acces it. Hell all you really hve to do is take a sled up a snow covered road for a few miles.

MBS,
I was fortunate enough to enjoy a trip North Cascades Heli in 1997. From memory…(not the best) it was a pretty far drive to Mazama and then to the NCH lodge. From there, the peaks we skied seemed to be far from the roads…unlike that of the Wasatch where you can get to the heli-terrain by the city bus and a pair of skins. Literally.

Maybe I’m wrong and the peaks we skied in WA were easier to get to than I thought.
I also put the sled in the same category as the heli though...neither are human powered and both are destructive to the environment.

Its all good though if you have the money to pay and play for them. Just be aware of others that “get their stoke on” a little differently and stay within your zones. No illegal pouching into the Wilderness Areas.

ps. Nice pic in Powder btw.

Just so you don’t think I’m a TOTAL tree-huggin-hippy-splitboarder…:rolleyes:
http://www.splitboard.com/heli/north...s%20heaven.jpg


And two more from Team Heli-Free Wasatch.

http://pic10.picturetrail.com/VOL348...1/40455769.jpg

http://www.freeheelskier.com/photopo...i_free-med.jpg

I understand the debate, but my experience touring around the wasatch helidoods was quite pleasant. They were very friendly and didn't ruin my day. They have come a ways in attempting to coexist with the touring skiers by posting where they are going to fly and by helping out if/when any sort of backcountry rescue is needed. To a certain extent its people just being tolerant of everyone and people's different choices. There is not one best way.

Only heli'd once, not in the US, but to the Monte Rosa in Swiss. and ya Phunk, almost lost it the second we lifted off the helipad. Fuckin cool.

I don't mean to pee in anyone's Cheerios. I'm just trying to make sure that people have realistic expectations -- because for $500+, it's the sort of thing most of us will only get to do once. And I don't want anyone to go in thinking it's going to be like a TGR movie and get pissed off that they spent nearly a season pass worth of jack on five or seven runs that are over in time for a late lunch.

That being said, do I regret it? No, we had a great time. Would I do it again? Not in the Wasatch. I'd go to AK or some other place with bigger lines and less conflict with other mountain recreation. (If I had the money to burn :D)

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Originally posted by bcrider
MBS,
I was fortunate enough to enjoy a trip North Cascades Heli in 1997. From memory…(not the best) it was a pretty far drive to Mazama and then to the NCH lodge. From there, the peaks we skied seemed to be far from the roads…unlike that of the Wasatch where you can get to the heli-terrain by the city bus and a pair of skins. Literally.

Maybe I’m wrong and the peaks we skied in WA were easier to get to than I thought.
I also put the sled in the same category as the heli though...neither are human powered and both are destructive to the environment.

Its all good though if you have the money to pay and play for them. Just be aware of others that “get their stoke on” a little differently and stay within your zones. No illegal pouching into the Wilderness Areas.

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I own 2 sets of touring gear and love touring, BUT Sleds area great way to acces terrain farther back then what skiing alone can take you. Sleding / any motorized trafic in wildenress areas is wrong except for rescues, but there is nothing wrong with usiing a little bit of an assist to help you cover more terrain and get to the goods faster, thus safer, and ultimatly get to ski more pow :)

Why heli the wahsatch? Why not go to a different area to ski such as the Ruby's or Idaho or somewhere you haven't been? I undertand that it is close and all but......

And please...keep the choppers out of the wilderness areas. That is why they are wilderness areas.

Two...we'll be early season touring the wahsatch if interested.