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Once a bucket-list splurge for expert skiers with deep pockets and a high tolerance for risk, heli-skiing has entered the mainstream.
Operators now dot the Rockies, the Alps and even the Andes, but the sport’s beating heart remains in British Columbia, where the snowpack is famously deep, the guiding standards world-class and the regulations particularly favorable.
It’s in Canada’s westernmost province that the sport first took flight. In the early 1960s, Canadian geologist Art Patterson, who used helicopters for summer fieldwork, wondered if he could ferry skiers up those same mountains in winter. He teamed up with an Austrian-born Canadian mountain guide Hans Gmoser, and together they ran their first heli-skiing day for just $20 per person (about $220 in today’s dollars, a fraction of what a modern helicopter trip will set you back).
In 1965, he founded Canadian Mountain Heli-Skiing and Summer Adventures (CMH), the world’s first commercial heli-skiing company, combining lodging, transport and guiding into one seamless experience. Now, six decades later, CMH sits at the center of a fully fledged industry.
“We’re coming into an extremely dynamic period of change,” said Will Forbes, president and COO of Alterra Mountain Company’s experiences division. “It’s not just about expansion — it’s about diversification. Guests are looking for community, skill-building and a connection to a place.”
It’s a sustained boom, with demand far outstripping supply, added Andy Culp, CEO of Heli, a booking platform.
“It used to be that you knew one guy who’d gone heli-skiing once,” he said. “Now, everyone you ski with has either gone, or wants to go.”
Today, heli-skiers can expect pulse-pounding excitement served alongside better booze and grub, more luxurious accommodations, shorter programs designed for modern travel schedules, as well as affinity trips like women-only weeks. That is to say, heliskiing is entering a golden age. Here are the players driving that change.
The gold standard: CHM
Sixty years in, CMH is still the category’s leader. With 11 lodges across a range of BC’s mountain ranges, they offer everything from first-timer programs to expert-only terrain. Think big mountain adventure with a classic communal lodge atmosphere, guided by the pros who practically invented the sport. As an Alterra Mountain Company operation, Ikon Pass holders get up to $2,000 off CMH trips. Day trips from Purcell Mountain Lodge near Golden, BC, are available, but weeklong trips remain bread and butter.
Best for first timers.
From $1,805 for one day.
Rhymes with squiggly: Mike Wiegele
Think of Mike Wiegele as CMH’s boutique little brother. Instead of the communal lodge model, however, Wiegele operates a unique “chalet village” of freestanding accommodations — which are great for large groups, small groups or couples in search of some privacy. A fellow Alterra operation, Ikon Pass holders are eligible for special discounts here, too.
Best for those who crave a little alone time.
From $6,765 for three days.
No nonsense: Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing
Based in the ski-bum town of Revelstoke, Selkirk Tangiers has been flying since the late ’70s and remains one of the most approachable options in the business. They focus on small groups and flexible trip lengths, with one-, two-, and three-day options. Ideal for adding on a couple days of skiing after a couple in-bounds days at skier favorite Revelstoke Mountain Resort.
From $1,899 for one day.
An eco-friendlier choice: Bella Coola Heli Sports
It wouldn’t be Canada without an eco-friendly way to crush off-piste powder. In 2020, Bella Coola became the first heli-skiing operator in the world to crown itself “carbon-positive” by off-setting more carbon than it uses. Via a 2% guest surcharge, the company supports conservation and community development projects and invests in carbon offsets. After experiencing the soaring summits and dramatic glaciers where they fly, you’ll be more than happy to chip in a bit more to keep them around.
From $6,371 for four days.
Luxury at 10,000 feet: Mica Heliskiing
Boutique operator Mica is already a cult classic for its small-group trips, fancy cuisine and high-end accommodations, but this winter it’s upping the ante with an 11,000-square-foot lodge expansion. The new wings add single-occupancy rooms for every guest, a wellness area with a sauna and a hot tub, and sleek gathering spaces, all framed by Mica’s signature panoramic views. Entire lodge buyouts are available.
Best for those who demand five-star comforts deep in the backcountry.
From $2,600 per person, per day.
The newcomer: Gold Rush Heli Skiing
The big news this winter is the debut of Gold Rush Heli Skiing set in the province’s remote northern reaches, just inland from Skagway in Southeast Alaska. That location gives the company the best of Alaska’s enormous snow dumps combined with British Columbia’s clear skies. Gold Rush’s enormous exclusive area is about 120 times the size of Vail, Colo., spanning everything from high alpine bowls to technical tree runs.
Rookies welcome but it’s best for seasoned skiers in search of untouched wilderness.
From $12,500 for five days.
