Selkirk Tangiers
Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing ReviewHeli skiing or
heli boarding provides some of the best powder skiing possible, with hectares galore of untouched powder. Heli skiing anywhere in Canada is the ultimate experience for powder hounds, but Revelstoke in particular is recognised worldwide as the mecca for heli skiing due to the amazingly consistent snowfalls of dry powder. Avid powderhounds can generally only dream about this, but at Selkirk-Tangiers with relatively inexpensive packages, an awesome heli-skiing adventure can become a reality.
Heli Skiing Packages
Historically Selkirk Tangiers only offered multi-day packages, but recently they have added single day trips to their repertoire. On Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays they offer 3 run packages for $747 plus tax (2011-12 rate). The package includes the guided heli skiing, breakfast, lunch, apres snacks, use of powder skis or snowboard, and use of an avalanche transceiver. That's a lot packed into a package! Additional runs cost $58.93 per run (with group consensus).
The traditional multi-day packages are 3, 5, 6 or 7 days in length. All five, six and seven-day packages start on a Saturday (first day of skiing on Sunday), with three-day packages starting on a Saturday or a Wednesday (first day of skiing the following days).
All packages include the heli skiing, the use of powder skis, all meals, and accommodation at the
Hillcrest Hotel. See our review regarding this hotel, but in summary it gets the “big thumbs up”. If your partner or family don’t want to heli-ski, they can also stay at the hotel and enjoy everything else that Revelstoke has to offer – resort skiing, cat skiing and other activities.
There is an early season 3 - day special package including 4 nights accommodation, meals and 9000m of vertical (between Dec 10 and Dec 31).
As a guide to rates, a 3 day classic package that includes 10,000 vertical metres costs $3,700 in high season (21 Jan to 17 March) and as little as $2,590 in December (10-31). Rates for a 7 day classic package that include 30,500 vertical metres are $8,399 in high season (21 Jan to 17 March) and as little as $6,439 (31 Dec to 21 Jan). Extra vertical is $95 per 1,000 metres. This is some of the cheapest (if not the cheapest) heli skiing in Canada.
Where is Selkirk Tangiers Heli-Skiing Located?
The town of Revelstoke is in British Columbia, Canada, and is 2 hours north of Kelowna and 5 hours west of Calgary. The main offices of Selkirk-Tangiers are based at the Hillcrest Hotel which is a couple of kilometres outside the town of Revelstoke, and you can also make bookings at the Revelstoke Mountain Resort which is also a few kms away on the other side of town.
Private heli-ski packages leave from the heli-pad at the Hillcrest Hotel, whilst the regular operation uses shuttle vans to get to one of multiple staging areas.
Heli Ski Terrain
The terrain available is vast, with 500,000 acres across the Selkirk and Monashee Mountains. This area is renowned for the reliable powder snow conditions and variability in terrain. The terrain includes alpine bowls, chutes and steeps, but there is also plenty of tree skiing which is advantageous during inclement weather. The operation still has a few down-days, but these are minimal. Run lengths can vary from 500 to 2,200 vertical metres.
Selkirk-Tangiers suggest that a strong intermediate skier could adapt to the deep powder skiing and terrain. This is possibly based on a skewed Canadian perspective of what an intermediate skier is. In our opinion the minimum ability level required is probably more appropriately labelled as advanced, and the rider should have the ability to tackle any ungroomed single black run at a resort.
As to be expected with all heli skiing operations, the snow conditions, snowpack stability, and visibility will dictate the terrain covered each day.
More Reasons To Heli Ski With Selkirk Tangiers
Apart from the inexpensive packages, there is plenty of “all the good stuff” on offer – snow, terrain, gourmet food, excitement and fun. Every powder hound needs to do this – go on you deserve it.
See our
Selkirk Tangiers review for more reasons to go heli skiing with Selkirk Tangiers Heli-Skiing (STHS).
A Taste of Selkirk Tangiers
Bookings & More InformationSelkirk Tangiers will be operating from 11th Dec 2010 to 8th April 2011.
If you have any questions or would like to enquire about a specific date
click here.