Who wants to heliski?

**meatdrink9** · 08-10-2004, 07:58 AM

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.

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?

**Twoplanker** · 08-10-2004, 08:15 AM

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. 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?

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.

**Hacksaw** · 08-10-2004, 08:55 AM

Originally posted by Twoplanker
Thanks for the sage advice!!

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

**altachic** · 08-10-2004, 09:08 AM

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. 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?

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...

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

**bcrider** · 08-10-2004, 09:10 AM

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.

**altachic** · 08-10-2004, 09:12 AM

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.

**Buzzworthy** · 08-10-2004, 09:12 AM

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

Well said.

**bcrider** · 08-10-2004, 09:32 AM

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

**phUnk** · 08-10-2004, 09:36 AM

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!

**mtbakerskier** · 08-10-2004, 10:03 AM

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.

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.

**bcrider** · 08-10-2004, 10:53 AM

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…

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

**comish** · 08-10-2004, 11:56 AM

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.

**Spats** · 08-10-2004, 12:45 PM

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

)

**mtbakerskier** · 08-10-2004, 01:27 PM

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.

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

**Stoysluttie1** · 08-10-2004, 02:39 PM

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.

**Buzzworthy** · 08-10-2004, 03:11 PM

Pondered this a good bit today. I have come to the conclusion that when I go up in a bird, it is going to be out of the state of Utah. I thought I really wanted to hit this and go with a bunch of maggots and great friends (still want to, just somewhere else) but the more I thought about it, this would not be "the" heli trip I have dreamed of.

Another time, another place.......

**meatdrink9** · 08-10-2004, 03:22 PM

1. because I haven't skied those lines before.

2. because my schedule doesn't allow for 4 days to log 20,000 feet of vert when it can be done in 1.

3. I gots the flow to make it happen.

It seems like the largest problem these guys have is player hating. You've got the time to earn the turns, but not the cash. Sweet. Some people have the cash, but not the time. Don't be a hater.

**comish** · 08-10-2004, 03:31 PM

Spats and Stoy,

Completely agree on all points, especially the wilderness aspect. I don't know what the official designations are around there, but the Wasatch wouldn't be wilderness in my book given the roads / ski areas etc already there.

I think the main reason to do it in the Wasatch would be if one only had the time / money to do one day. The Ruby's / AK / BC all require more time / money to get to. Would they be a "better experience" Depending on the group, prolly.

**Spats** · 08-10-2004, 03:56 PM

Utards could definitely do the Rubies as a weekender.

http://www.helicopterskiing.com/home.php

They only list pricing on the site for full vacation packages, but I'm sure someone could email them and find out the deal.

**slim** · 08-10-2004, 03:57 PM

Originally posted by meatdrink9
2. because my schedule doesn't allow for 4 days to log 20,000 feet of vert when it can be done in 1.

MD9... always squeezing a weeks worth of work into a weekend. The unions must hate you.

**bcrider** · 08-10-2004, 04:06 PM

I agree MSB.
There are a bunch of lines we do where a sled for the slog-approach would be great. I’m just salty cause I don’t have one.

meatdrink9,
1). Yes…because you haven’t skied those lines before…so go ski them. You just don’t need $500 per day…$5 for the bus and a sack lunch will get you there too.

2). Hmm, you don’t get the weekends off? You can’t use some vacation time in addition to the weekend for a special trip?

3). I guess you got me…kinda.
If I had the flow…I would heli ski more often, plain and simple. It’s just too easy and too fun. But even if I had all the money in the world I would only heli ski so much. There is soooo much more to the stoke and being in the mountains than just coming down. There is also the sense of being alone and self reliant, the challenge of getting up something under your own power, the sense of accomplishment by doing so, the serenity without the noise of a chopper or snowmobile, and the comradery amongst friends. Those are some things that draw me to the mountains too…not just ripping the pow and feeling uber. (although those are important too

)

BTW, I’m not a hater…go heli-ski the Wasatch and have fun dude. Dont forget to post a TR!

**tywhy** · 08-10-2004, 04:16 PM

http://www.powderbird.com/images/utah_32_big.jpg
this is the kind of shit i see powderbirds hitting most of them time I come across them when I'm touring. I don't see what the huge conflict is, get over it!!! I think heli skiing's sweet and you should go for it if you can afford it. I don't have then funds right now, but in a few seasons i'll definitely be flying.

**tywhy** · 08-10-2004, 04:19 PM

are you sure you're ready for this???
"Wasatch Powderbird Guides can match your ability to our broad mix of terrain, from gentle ridges and bowls to the steep and deep. Polished style and technical expertise are not prerequisites, but the ability to control your speed in a variety of snow conditions is critical. It is necessary that you are proficient at kick-turning, traversing, side-slipping and snowplowing. "

**meatdrink9** · 08-10-2004, 04:35 PM

twoplanker, I'd be down. I really want to talk to the op first and find out just how crazy they'll let us get.

bc, that's cool. I'm just lightheartedly returning the shit volley.

I don't have probs with the guys skinning for turns. (I have a BC set-up as well.) I don't have probs with guys paying for a heli ride. I do have probs with the people that think they own the hill and their way is the only way.

tywhy, hopefully 2p's idea of geating a similarly skilled group together can make it a little more rowdy. I'm sure to some degree thay have to make the experience sound easy enough (and probably deliver easy stuff) as to not exclude a lot of potential customers. At least that's what I'm hoping. I'm sure a conversation or two will tell more.