TR: old rich gaper heli-skiing ...

[Danno]

Sweet bump. I still want to be a rich old gaper. I guess 2 out of 3 ain't bad, amirite?

[jerlane]

Hey Suit, can you share more info about Galena? We’re planning a trip in two years and are debating returning to Bobbie Burns or possibly switching to Galena. Thanks!


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[ex-powderbroker]

Quality.

[The Suit]

As a guide friend, Luke Griffith (son of longtime guide and Seven Summiter, Dan) shared - rather than investing in EFTs, we're collecting GFTs (Great Fucking Times)! Couldn't agree more!!

Nice! Luke was guiding during the original trip. He exploded on a backflip attempt, which amused the kids no end.

[Djongo Unchained]

Any interest in adopting a 59 year old ski bum?
I have skillz like a 3 minute breakfast, tramline design and yelling on the traverse.
Call me.

[The Suit]

Hey Suit, can you share more info about Galena? We're planning a trip in two years and are debating returning to Bobbie Burns or possibly switching to Galena. Thanks!

I haven't been to Bobbie Burns, but my wife has. From what she says, the Bobbie Burns lodge is quite a bit newer/nicer if that's what you're into. I think you've been to the Gothics, right? The Galena lodge is similar in ambience, which was fine for us.

It seemed like a lot of the staff & guides were Galena lifers, which was kind of nice because they obviously loved the place.

Skiing wise our experience was atypical for Galena. It was sunny and the snowpack was super-stable, so we skied quite a bit of alpine terrain. Everybody made sure to point out that the normal Galena experience is almost all steep tree skiing.

That's OK, though, because the steep tree skiing is phenomenal. I think it's probably tied with Kootenay for the best tree skiing in CMH land. If you like features - boulder fields, rock drops, little cliffs - I don't think Galena can be beat. It was our first time there, but it's now high on the Suit family approved list.

[The Suit]

@Djongo - we could grow old together, but you'd have to convince my wife first. She's a tough sell.

I've hardly skied at the Village since December. First my back and then my foot have been AFU. I got an appointment for some new boot fitting tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

[babybear]

I wish my in-laws took me heli-skiing [emoji1]

[jerlane]

Great info about Galena and good memory, Suit! We really enjoyed everything about Bobbie Burns. If I had one very minor gripe it would be that the game room with pool table etc was a floor below the bar area so pretty much no one hung out there. Not a big deal as everyone just hung out by the bar/living space and played crokinole or other similar games. I enjoyed the layout at Gothics with ping pong, foosball, and pool table being right next to the bar which seemed more social. Not a deal breaker by any means. CMH markets BB and Galena as faster paced and perhaps more advanced than some of the other lodges which is one of the big appeals. It's my understanding that they run four groups at Galena. Was that ever an issue? Did you ever feel like you were waiting for your ride?

[The Suit]

not quoting because it's a pain in the ass right now

@jerlane - The Galena game room is down a flight of stairs from the dining room/lounge/bar. People still hung out there a bit, but more at the bar. We got lucky on the groups for our trip. There was a semi-private with two groups of five in a 407, so the 212 program was only three groups, which was nice. There's always some waiting - moving groups in/out of the lodge, heli goes for fuel, home-goers get flown back to the lodge - but it was no more than normal and we averaged 25K feet of daily vertical.

[The Suit]

@Djongo - I just looked back at the old pictures. There are a few shots of Clint C. on page one.

[::: :::]

So for all of you looking to get adopted or whatever, that's how it's done.

I wish my in-laws took me heli-skiing

Right?
Makes me wonder: is the other daughter free?
I got a son who skis at a high level…

[schindlerpiste]

fun, fun, FUN!

[warthog]

<p>
Damn I did it wrong. If I wanted to play Augusta once a year, I am all set, but heli skiing, not so lucky. Unfortunately, I don&#39;t want to play Augusta, but I have offered to be their photog. Haven&#39;t been yet.</p>

[jerlane]

<p>
Damn I did it wrong. If I wanted to play Augusta once a year, I am all set, but heli skiing, not so lucky. Unfortunately, I don't want to play Augusta, but I have offered to be their photog. Haven't been yet.</p>

I get to ski Angel Fire once a year with my in-laws! Better than Minnesota but not quite heli-skiing. I guess I could golf in Arkansas as well.

[ski_the_fraulein]

Nice! Luke was guiding during the original trip. He exploded on a backflip attempt, which amused the kids no end.

That’s awesome. Good guy! He was at the Bobbie Burns last season. Skied with him there in March. Met him for the first time at Monashees about a dozen years ago.

Times there are achanging- many more newer skiers showing up to knock off their bucket list and get a shot for the gram. They’re having to triage guest ability more and trying to have certain lodges more focused on newbies and other lodges requiring some prior experience.

Definitely need to talk with someone who knows what’s up to get to the lodge/program/week that meets your needs and expectations if going up now. Seems they’re pushing the many timers toward private groups and smaller birds. Far cry from the days of 3 groups in 212, with some running multiple 212s if the lodge had the capacity.

We’ve consistently averaged about 25k’/day over my history, and mostly in the 212. At the Adamants in the 407 I did a couple 40k days to reach my Million that week.

I feel the skiing at each is more similar than different and truly dependent upon weather and stability. Monashees are supposed to be best trees and fast, but we skied Alpine due to warm weather. Bugaboos & Cariboos seems to cater to easier or newer groups. Kootenay, where I became addicted, has awesome trees and now they push the Steep Shots & Pillow Drops. Bobbie Burns for the longest time was the Euros favorite and tough to book - getting easier to get now where I got to ski with Bennie Reich last year. Gothics and Adamants are in the middle but offer some epic runs (ie Run of the Century), I really like that part of the Columbias (Selkirks). As stated a lot of repeaters at Galena, which is the only lodge I’ve not visited to date though it abuts the tenure of Bobbie Burns and Bugaboos in the Purcells, and indeed seems to be similar in design (old logging camp) as Gothics. Adamants has the best hot tub views and an awesome deck which is only matched by Cariboos and Bugaboos - and they share the same lodge design influences along with Bobbie Burns. Many have been updated recently (Thanks Alterra, I guess) to provide more contemporary amenities though it was nice tuning out back in the day before satellite communications were so abundant.

Can’t recall if I mentioned l, but I’ve been to Wiegele World twice also and I prefer CMH to Wiegele World as the lodge experience and staff-to-guest ratio makes the whole experience more “intimate” and allows you to get to know folks better during your stay.
They too are more alike than different though having all guests positioned in Blue River makes things seem a bit more commercial. In either case the fact the staff can come out and fill a vacant seat is among the best things going as they always bring the stoke and remind everyone why we’re there - to ski powder!!!

Might be a consideration for anyone looking for a side hustle Heli-ski bum gig if you can negotiate the current immigration challenges…


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