Coast Range
Coast Range Heliskiing, Whistler BC Canada
A ski or snowboard holiday at
Whistler Blackcomb in BC Canada is absolutely awesome! Whistler’s got everything going for it: fantastic terrain; family friendliness; shopping; nightlife; restaurants; and an abundance of off-slope activities. It may come as no surprise that Powderhounds.com has rated Whistler as the best ski resort in the world!
Despite this prized accolade, no ski resort is perfectly suited to a true powder hound. Freshies disappear all too quickly, and standing in a lift queue and looking at chopped up snow is a powderhound’s worst nightmare! Get the best of both worlds by adding heli skiing to your Whistler itinerary. Enjoy all that
Whistler has to offer and also head out with Coast Range Heli Skiing for the ultimate activity for powderhounds!
With Coast Range Heli Skiing near Whistler, you’ll get an amazing backcountry experience. Riding in the helicopter and ogling the dramatic mountain views will be a thrilling experience in itself, but you’ll also get to shred the big white wave. Mother Nature drops the powder bomb on the Coast Mountain Range, so you can revel in line after line of fresh white powder!
Where is Coast Range Heli Skiing Located?
As the name suggests, the heli skiing terrain is within the world renowned Coast Mountain Range of British Columbia in Canada. The hub of the Coast Range Heli Skiing (CRH) operation is in Pemberton, a 25 minute drive north of Whistler.
CRH has an office at Whistler Blackcomb, and conveniently Coast Range provide accommodation pick-ups and transport to the staging area in Pemberton.
Heli Skiing and Heli Boarding Packages
Coast Range Heli Skiing offers single day excursions, although once you get a taste for the untouched powder, you may want to head out for multiple days!
The “Discovery Package” consists of 4 heliski runs, whilst the “Powder Hound Package” offers 6 runs. Extra runs are also available (based on a group of four). Each package includes the guided heli skiing, shuttle transport between your
Whistler accommodation and the staging area, a light breakfast, gourmet luncheon, après drinks, and use of safety equipment. It’s also possible to rent powder skis so you can completely find your snow-jo.
Elite powderhounds can go for the “Powder Elite Package”. Hire the helicopter and a guide for the day and head deep into the backcountry.
Heliski Terrain
If you thought
Whistler Blackcomb was big, then Coast Range Heliskiing will blow you away. The tenure is 200,000 acres (81,000 hectares); 24 times the size of Whistler Blackcomb, so there are fresh tracks galore! Much of the terrain is in the alpine, with elevations up to 9,000 feet and runs of over 4,000 vertical feet. When conditions are not conducive to riding in the alpine, CRH have sub-alpine terrain and tree skiing on offer.
The 4 run package offers 6,000 to 12,000 vertical feet, whilst the 6 run package covers 9,000 to 18,000 vertical feet of blissful skiing or snowboarding. The weather, terrain, and the speed and ability of the guests dictate the amount of vertical covered.
Like most heli skiing, the terrain isn’t all gnarly and for experts only. The CRH terrain is suitable for fit and confident intermediate skiers and boarders, and really ideal for advanced riders.
More Reasons to Heli Ski with Coast Range
Coast Range Heliskiing use A-star and Bell 407 helicopters which are powerful and agile machines. This results in small group heli skiing with only four to five guests per guide, rather than the 11:1 ratio that is evident with some other Canada heli skiing operations. These small group sizes further enhance their emphasis on safety, and enable better grouping of guests according to ability and desire for speed. This means that powderhounds on their “L” plates can learn at a relaxing pace, whilst experienced riders can get more fresh pow!
