Whistler has been continuously rated number one top ski resorts by magazines. Whistler's ski district is primarily made up of three areas, such as, Whistler village, Whistler's South Side, and Blackcomb. With umpteen options to choose from, Whistler caters to tourists of all levels, no matter they are veteran or novice.
Whistler provides opportunities for the visitors to enjoy a variety of winter as well as summer activities. With its unbelievable mountains such as Whistler Mountain and the Blackcomb Mountain, the winter in Whistler is simply amazing with facilities for such recreational activities as cross country skiing, ice-skating, sleigh riding, snowboarding, snowmobiling, spring skiing, and dog sledding.
From top-notch golf, mountain biking, and horseback riding to fishing in trophy lakes, canoeing, and kayaking, Whistler summer activities are also as incredible as winter activities. In other words, Whistler is not only popular as a resort for winter activities but also considered a year-round playground.
Apart from these, Whistler is also regarded as a haven for heli activities such as heli skiing and heli-snowboarding. Whistler boasts of superb mountain ranges, all of which render some of the best heli-skiing in the world.
Heli skiing in Whistler allows you to ski through the untouched powder, while enjoying the stunning high alpine terrain and beauty of the place. Al though it is same as the normal skiing, heli skiing is very much exciting than the normal one, and hence more demanding.
A subset of alpine sport, this popular winter spot is believed to have been originated from sports including skateboarding and surfing. But, now it has become one of the most popular winter sports in Whistler.
When normal skiing is done on reasonably high mountains with solid snow, heli skiing is performed on more than 14000 ft peaks with soft as well as powdered form snow. In heli skiing, the skier who is fully geared drops from the helicopter to the hilltop. Here begins the challenge. The skier then runs down the hilltop at a great speed. Usually, a professional heli ski guide will accompany you during heli skiing.
Whistler provides different types of heli skiing, such as, powder heli skiing, Big Mountain heli skiing, and mini golf heli skiing. Powder heli skiing is a great way to explore the untracked expansive ice fields that are filled with powdered snow.
In Big Mountain heli skiing, skiers can ride through steep exposed couloirs, lines, and spines of high alpine mountain ranges. Mini golf heli skiing is one of the best options for those interested in terrain park-style riding. Of these heli skiing types, mini golf heli skiing is the most popular heli skiing in Whistler, for which a fine example is K2 Back9 Mini Golf invitational that took place in March 2006.
Also, available are a multitude of packages that goes with the personal preference of heli skiers. For instance, there are packages that are exclusively designed for intermediate skiers and boarders, which in turn are inclusive of three runs of approximately 1,400 - 2,300, two-engine helicopter with capacity to seat 7-10 people, and video and photo services.
Some kinds of packages are particularly designed for advanced skiers and boarders, and they are replete with four runs of approximately 6,000-10,000 vertical feet and transportation from Whistler Village to the heliport. For veterans who are interested in performing extra runs, special packages are available designed with six runs of approximately 9,000-15,000 vertical feet, Bell 407 Helicopter with capacity to seat 5 people, and services of a professional photographer.
A plethora of companies that solely engage in providing heli skiing are now in the scenario to provide you the best in this activity. Heli skiing is also nowadays made available by some of the first-class hotels and resorts.
No matter you have chosen a heli skiing company or a hotel or a resort for heli skiing, it is important to make a detailed investigation regarding its professionalism and the quality of the service it renders. It must also be checked whether the company you have chosen provides the service of expert heli skier.
Making reservations in advance is very crucial. Visitor traffic to heli-skiing locations is variable through different seasons, and booking well in advance will make sure that your plans become successful. An easy way to book your trip is through online heli-skiing websites. There are many good websites that will offer you quality services at modest rates.
Choosing Your Operator
Different heli-skiing operators offer different packages. Knowing what your package contains is important while choosing an operator. Services offered usually differ as per geographical locations and accommodation facilities. With online heli-skiing websites you can browse through different operators to study the services and the pricing structure on offer. This is a good way to choose the operator best suited for your needs.
Accessibility
Accessibility to your chosen heli-skiing destination is also an important issue to consider. Most heli-skiing locations are typically located at all possibly diverse locations. Before you book with your operator, you will need to know exactly about accessibility to the site.
Different Heli-Skiing Offers
There are many different heli-skiing deals you can choose from. Deals are usually structured around user requirements and different budget ranges. The best packages are obviously the private packages. A private package will allow you to enjoy all the best services possible. You can lodge in luxurious five start resorts, use a private helicopter entirely for your own group or members, have as many ground transfers you want, and many other such high-end amenities. This however, will come at a good price. If budget constraints are not a worry for you, then private packages are the best for all your needs. The other packages are scaled down versions that will offer different features as per budget ranges.
No matter what type of package you choose, be sure that you have ensured decent accommodation. Heli-skiing can be physically trying and given the usually climatic conditions of Heli-skiing locations, it is important that you have a good place to rest and decent food to energize you to have fun in the day.
The Perfect Heli-Skiing Season
The perfect heli-skiing season has to offer you adequate snow availability. This will change slightly as per different geographical locations. Heli-skiing packages also vary considerably during different months. For instance, January will offer shorter days and good snow packs, while March can assure almost no down days but crowded visitor traffic.
Both Dan Wallace & Mira Williams are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.