An austrian friend of mine wants to celebrate a birthday heliskiing in champagne powder with his wife (who is a school teacher = school holidays apply). Now I know there are only really two certainties in life (death and nurses ) but where has a high certainty of such powder conditions?
He was thinking heliskiing Canada at Easter one year.
I mentioned Japan and also thought it may be better for them to do it in South America during the summer (when his wife has the long school holidays).
Thoughts, ideas, experiences etc welcome.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Japan. Best powder I've ever experienced was at Feb half term this year, mid thigh depth and fresh and fluffy. Never been to Canada but have heard it can be amazing and apparently Chemmy Alcott loves summer skiing in Peru.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
South America... I'm not sure I've heard of particularly good powder there.
Japan has powder I hear, although their season is short and the snow has more moisture than some places. It's on my list, although I don't' want to go when it's raining, and I need to find somewhere steep.
The driest powder is supposed to be in Utah, and I've ridden some good stuff there. Find some of the less touristy places for lift accessed fresh lines in good snow days after a fall.
For heli, my choice is BC, and the Rockies are where the dry stuff is. I go there at least once a year, usually early season, where I cannot guarantee conditions anywhere else. I always get powder: that's why it's expensive. It's not always over-the-head white smoke though. I've ridden late season as well as early, and I prefer early as the snow's better (dryer, less sun affected) and the terrain tends to be more interesting - mostly trees rather than mostly Alpine. If you know what you want and what you're doing then you'll get more face shots in an afternoon than most people will get in a lifetime riding at resorts.
Japan, Hokkaido, Christmas or february half term (not Easter holidays).
Save the cost of the Heli, you don't need it.
Cat-skiing would be good though.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Yes I know he doesn't need a helicopter but for some reason my friend wants to do heli-drops.
After all it is free
After all it is free
philwig, snow in Japan has less moisture than average not more. Utah is around 8% average water content. Hokkaido has 5-8%. If you want steep in Japan consider a guide around Hakuba.
In terms of average what you really want for the best powder is the lowest average to coincide with the end of the snowfall rather than vice versa.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
I'm pretty sure Mike Pow got heli-dropped in Japan this year. IIRC it's from some outfit that just started. Sketchy half-remembered details are the best details.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I know someone who has done the CMH heli skiing in Canada- said it was the best weeks skiing they have ever done- but it will set you over $10k. He said you are pretty much guaranteed untouched powder, not sure 100% sure about that though. http://youtube.com/v/K9K5otNUUE0
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Anywhere there's a Tea Club Rep - all fresh snow is powder (allegedly)
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
if you have to book a holiday well in advance, in strict limits because of school holidays, presumably there's no guarantee of genuine "powder" anywhere? Just some places more likely than others.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Quote:
where has a high certainty of such powder conditions?
Catskiing is guaranteed to operate, whatever the weather. Heliskiing isn't, no matter how good the powder is.
I've never heliskied - but have skied fantastic powder on 8 days out of 8 catskiing in BC. That was on three different trips, with three different operators. A luxury wilderness lodge stay just can't be beaten in my book - and is half the price of heli for the same vertical. Based on my experience, I can't speak highly enough of Mustang Powder but wouldn't recommend Chatter Creek.
The third operator I've used (Fernie Wilderness Adventures) was also brilliant - but is mainly a day trips operation.
As far as Utah's champagne powder is concerned, I had 8 days skiing there (at five different resorts) one January - and unfortunately skied no powder. The weather was bluebird every day and everywhere was completely tracked out.
So, for me, it would have to be be catskiing in BC every time.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Hokkaido, but don't limit yourself to Niskeo; the secret's out there and you will be competing with the Aussie hordes for the good stuff.
I can highly recommend Black Diamond Lodge and Tours, they know where it's snowing (i.e. was dumping at Kiroro for a whole week when Niseko was bone dry when I was there), and know the hidden lines (skied 90% totally new terrain there on my guided day, having explored it pretty thoroughly on 3 previous days with people who'd been there before).
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
DB, I believe that BC is far less reliable at Easter (I've only been in Feruary/March.
How early do your schools break up? CMH start their season quite early and if they aren't looking for really steep stuff (which most heli skiing isn't unless you're in a private gig) they options are much more affordable that early.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
mountainaddict wrote:
Catskiing is guaranteed to operate, whatever the weather. Heliskiing isn't, no matter how good the powder is.
I have some commercial interest in both cats and heli. They are different products and I use both every season.
It's true that cats don't have "down days", but they do need enough snow in the right places to build roads, and there are some days when they can get up there, but you don't want to ride down. Other times if the local "snow machine" is turned off, they may run out of fresh tracks and have to wait for more.
Heli will always give you more vertical assuming you're not limited by cash or ability. Most people are limited by both.
I've ridden with CMH. They will vary their timetable depending on the snow pack, so although they may advertise early dates, they will shut down if they don't have the snow. They have small fixed tenures, so they have less flexibility than Wiegele, who has multiple heli in one large tenure (in the right place). Early season is cheap because the days are short and the riding is likely to be trees, so unless you're good you'll burn less Jet-A.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
mountainaddict wrote:
Quote:
where has a high certainty of such powder conditions?
Catskiing is guaranteed to operate, whatever the weather. Heliskiing isn't, no matter how good the powder is.
I've never heliskied - but have skied fantastic powder on 8 days out of 8 catskiing in BC. That was on three different trips, with three different operators. A luxury wilderness lodge stay just can't be beaten in my book - and is half the price of heli for the same vertical. Based on my experience, I can't speak highly enough of Mustang Powder but wouldn't recommend Chatter Creek.
The third operator I've used (Fernie Wilderness Adventures) was also brilliant - but is mainly a day trips operation.
As far as Utah's champagne powder is concerned, I had 8 days skiing there (at five different resorts) one January - and unfortunately skied no powder. The weather was bluebird every day and everywhere was completely tracked out.
So, for me, it would have to be be catskiing in BC every time.
Also Big Red Cats are good. Plus you can ski a few days at Red to warm up and that place rocks.
Though as noted somewhere above, in the BC interior it might be getting a bit toasty by Easter time
I get confused in light powder - used to skiing powder that properly slows you down
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 26-03-14 4:37; edited 1 time in total
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
meh's sketchy half remembered details are correct! There is a new heli operation that started this season in Hokkaido. Hokkaido Backcountry Club (a sister company to BD Tours) have been doing heli drops on Shiribetsudake, right next to Rusutsu resort. I believe they are planning to expand to take in more extensive terrain so they could be worth a look. MikePow will probably be along soon with more info. Although in Hokkaido you don't really need a heli to access almost guaranteed powder.
Ben Thorpe of Japan Ski Experience - whom some Snowheads have used to organise their Japan holidays - got much better conditions and sunshine on his trip.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
) but where has a high certainty of such powder conditions?
