When Is Unlimited Vertical Heli-Skiing a Good Idea?
Unlimited Vertical Heli-Skiing is priced higher than base plus or pay as you go. When is it worth it?
The answer depends on the prices (unlimited price and base price + extra vertical price), conditions, skiing pace (including group size and number of groups), the weather and the season.
Later in the season the weather is better and the days are longer. Further to the East, helicopters fly more often.
You may be surprised at the break-even points!
The break-even for 7-day trips.
At the Extremes:
The lowest price base + operator is less expensive unless you ski over 200K vertical!
The highest base + becomes more expensive than unlimited vertical at 120K vertical.
The Average
The average base + becomes more expensive than unlimited vertical at 140K vertical.
Extra vertical rates range from $40 to $60 Can. per 1,000 vertical. So depending on the extra vertical rate, you may never hit the break even.
Here are the Unlimited Vertical Prices. 4, 5 & 7 Day Trips by Season
These Canadian Heli Skiing Operators offer unlimited vertical.
Cheap heli skiing, as you might guess, is relative. It depends on what cheap heli skiing means to you. Is cheap heli skiing the lowest price, aka affordable heli skiing, or the best value.
To find the cheapest heli skiing for your group, email TJ or call 866-HELISKI (435-4754)
Cheap Heli Skiing Canada – Lowest Price
The lowest price heli skiing is going to be a resort – based operator. These heli skiing operators cater to first-timers. The number of runs and the vertical feet are very low, compared with destination heli skiing operators. These bucket-lister offerings require safety briefings every day. The first run is usually very mellow, to make sure everyone can hang. This is often combined with a long lunch, and quitting early. Here are some of the cheapest heli skiing options in 2023 (as in lowest price).
Operator
Price ($US)
Runs
$/Run
Extra Runs
RK Heliski
$720
3
$240
$69
Whistler Heliskiing
$1,112
4
$278
$100
Selkirk-Tangiers
$1,230
5
$246
Eagle Pass DAY Program
$1,400
7
$200
$92
Silverton Mtn. Colorado, US
$283
1
$283
$1,290
6
$215
Phantom Heli (Whistler)
$1,473
Unlimited (8-12)
$147
$0
Cheap Heli Skiing Canada – Best Value
Calculating the cheapest heli skiing based on the amount of skiing, or value, is more challenging.
There are two pricing models in Canada: Unlimited Vertical and Base Price Plus Extra Vertical. So the more vertical you get, the less expensive the former and the more expensive the latter becomes. And the price of extra vertical, and the vertical feet included also vary.
Further, the relative value requires considering all of the other important factors in choosing a heli skiing operator and trip. Those include location, terrain, snow quality and quantity, number of groups per helicopter, the size of the groups, lodging, food and amenities, travel, guides and safety. Read our blog for more.
Here is an example of the analysis I did for a client who was trying to determine which pricing model fit them best:
Base
Feet Included
Extra Vert / K
0
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
CMH Monashees
$6,762
71,438
$47
$6,762
$7,164
$7,634
$8,104
$8,574
$9,044
$9,514
Crescent Spur
$6,184
80,000
$38
$6,184
$6,184
$6,564
$6,944
$7,324
$7,704
$8,084
Northern Escape
$7,500
72,000
$35
$7,500
$7,780
$8,130
$8,480
$8,830
$9,180
$9,530
Northern Esc. Unlimited
$8,819
Unlimited
$-
$8,819
$8,819
$8,819
$8,819
$8,819
$8,819
$8,819
I hope it’s obvious that the calculations can get complex. But, I love doing it. Let me know if I can help you choose your next heli skiing adventure.
You read it correctly! First-time guests can now book 2024 heli skiing trips with Last Frontier for half price. But you must have heliskied before.
I have skied with Last Frontier three times and loved it! Small groups, massive terrain and two lodges to choose from. Check out my reviews on both locations, and my interviews. I’m happy to help you choose, too.
Half Price 2024 Heli Skiing from Last Frontier Heli Skiing
WHO QUALIFIES?
1) This must be your first booking with Last Frontier Heliskiing2) You must have heli skied elsewhere prior to October 20223) You must bring a piece of clothing or memorabilia from your previous trip 🙂Why is Last Frontier Heliskiing doing this?Breaking Inertia. A force exists making first time heli skiers think they have found true nirvana. It gravitates heliskiers back to the same place every year. This is an ever so gentle reminder that other options exist.Last Frontier Heliskiing has been at it for almost 3 decades. This is the (probably once in a lifetime) opportunity to see the difference and judge for yourself at such a huge saving.How does this impact me, as an existing Last Frontier customer?While criteria number one might sound like it excludes you, it does not. If you have skied with us previously, rally a group of friends that have heli skied elsewhere. How you arrange to split the discount amongst the group is up to you.What if I haven’t heliskied before?Well, share this offer with someone who has heliskied before and how you split the discount is up to you.
Is this subject to availability?
Yes. It’s strictly first come first served. They have a limited and varying number of seats allocated per tour (for which the formula is top secret). Check availability here.
When does this offer expire?
On December 24, 2022, or when all seats are booked.
Give me a call at 866-HELISKI +1 866-435-4754 or email TJ@heliski.com
Call Last Frontier directly and tell them TJ sent you +1 (888) 655 5566.
Enjoy!
tj
1. Get the lodge/heliski operator you want 2. Get the best dates 3. Get time to put together the best group of buddies 4. Long lead time for spouse ( aka Tower Clearance) 5. Save 5-10% – Get 2016 pricing 6. Get a great exchange rate ($1 US = $1.34 Can.)
7. Up to 12 months to get stoked and in heliskiing shape!
Heliskiing demand is an excellent leading indicator of the economy. Although traditional economic signals are mixed and uncertain, heliskiing bookings are bullish on 2012.
John Forrest, GM Northern Escape Heli-Skiing, says, “ Our reservations for next year are very strong as well. We are currently up 100% on reservations to date over last year. Most of the increase is actually in our Classic program while the high end Private bookings seem to be lagging a bit, but still up 50% over last year.”
One might think that heliskiers are immune to economic fluctuations. That is true for the financially independent. There is a core market of heliskiing enthusiasts who have the means, skill and health to indulge every season (and sometimes multiple trips).
Everything Pointing up the Heliskiing Canada Business
However, there is also a segment of the helicopter skiing market on the margin – which can only go when the planets align. These helicopter skiers can be fueled by the big bonus, the great year, the big sale, the big settlement, kids graduating college, inheritance or whatever. Aging knees or bucket list anxiety motivates others. But for most it is expectation of future earnings. When they book, it is good news for the economic outlook.
CMH Heli-Skiing, the industry giant with 11 lodges, has seen very strong demand, suggesting the recession may be ending. Sarah Pearson of CMH adds, “Our bookings are strong for 2012 and space is steadily filling up. After last-season’s epic snowfall, mind-blowing skiing and endless laughter, both guests and staff are eagerly anticipating another stellar season of heli-skiing.”
At HELISKI LLC we represent 95% of all heliskiing operators, and most are seeing a surge in demand. HELISKI.com, the top heliski and heliboard agents, offering expert heliskiing advice and recommendations to help groups find the best trip. Demand is way up, and some lodges are already sold-out for next year.
Small lodges are often the first to sell-out. Giacum “Jake” Frei owns and operates Skeena Heliskiing, one of the many boutique heliskiing operators that have opened in the last 15 – 20 years. “We offer an intimate lodge experience, catering to groups of 10 per week. 2012 has very few openings.” Darryn Shewchuck, Director of Sales & Marketing, Mica Heli Guides, adds, “We have a strong repeat business, and are 95% booked already.”
“Some countries are up and some are down but overall and believe it or not, we’ve had more requests in June than ever before,” according to Mike Watling, Director, Sales and Marketing –Last Frontier Heliskiing,
2011 was a ‘biblical’ powder year; so many groups are booking early. February always sells out fast, but for 2012 January and March bookings are the strongest in years. The helicopter skiing market is hot. Heliskiers and heliboarders are booking now, in anticipation of the cold, and the economic recovery.
Heliskiing vs Resort Skiing – We do the Math to Maximize Powder Value
EASY MATH: CANADIAN HELISKIING FOR MAXIMUM POWDER VALUE
Written by Tom Jackson
This time of year skiers and riders start to make plans for their winter trips. Most assume that a resort trip is less expensive. That may be true (although by a surprisingly small margin when you compare, so keep reading.) But heliskiing is more cost effective.
It is not obvious, so we did some analysis. We compared a week of heliskiing Canada to a week at Vail, Colorado. And we love Vail. I spent two seasons and many, many weekends there! This analysis is getting long in the tooth. Time to revisit it.
The lodging we chose for the Resort comparison was Vail’s Tivoli Hotel – a nice 4 Star within easy walking distance of the lifts (although significantly farther than the chopper is from the lodge…..) It is also not the kind of remote lodge/setting you can get when helisking.
We skied every day, hired an instructor to skip lift lines, ate at moderately priced (for Vail) restaurants and rented nice equipment. February is the month we chose. We assumed the same airfare for both (even though some heliski operators actually pick up the last leg of the trip.) Now that the Denver airport (DOA) is in Kansas, we assume the travel hassles to be comparable. In either case, guests can drive, ride a couple of hours in a shuttle or take a puddle jumper.
Amazing, eh? Admittedly, we conveniently omitted extra vertical charges – some Canadian heli-skiing operators include unlimited vertical, some charge over 100,000 vertical. Extra vertical is optional, that’s my story and I’m sticking with it. In any case, the Resort is still cheaper, even if only barely.
The rest of the Story:
Any comparison must include qualitative information, too. It is hard to compare a week in a remote heliskiing lodge and the convenience, decadence and comfort it offers. The reader will have to weigh the difference.
Skeena Canadian Heli-Skiing Lodge
How much more exciting and enjoyable is heliskiing? Untracked on every run, all week, without hurrying?!? It’s subjective, but for me a powder run is probably ten times better than a non-powder run. Maybe it’s five, maybe it’s 20. Let’s use Powder Value (PV) to compare. Each vertical foot of powder will be one PV. One vertical foot non-powder is therefore is 1/10 PV or 0.1 PV.
Is a powder run 10 X better?
A powder run which you do not have to hustle and compete for is certainly more enjoyable. We could say there is nothing like it on earth, but that’s Vail’s slogan. So, we give a heliski powder run 25% more powder value (PV). I know the locals ski until it’s tracked (11-12:00 and that is getting earlier every year…)
The average Vail resort skier/rider accumulates about 12,000 vertical feet/day, totaling 72,000 for the week. Anyone interested in heliskiing is probably doing more, so we bumped it by about half, calling it 100,000 vertical feet for the week.
On average, one storm will hit in our week. In Vail, that’s a foot of ‘new’, if you’re lucky. Untracked powder runs will dry up by 11:00 or 12:00, unless you know the mountain and hug the trees. A side note: this is getting worse every year with faster chairs and fat skis proliferating, but I digress. We give the benefit of the doubt, and assume ½ of one day, so 9,000 feet of powder skiing (PV) with some effort. The rest of the week amounts to 9,100 PV (91,000 feet * 0.1).
On my visits, I was accompanied by veteran heliskiers who had been to many, many other operators and are now committed to Crescent Spur. It is usually sold out.
Crescent Spur Heli-Skiing is a very good value, too. For example, in high season:
6-day, the 7-night trip is $9990 Can. ($7503 US)
5-day, the 6-night trip is $8400 Can. ($6309 US)
Extra Vertical is an industry-low $38/K ft (cheap)
Great Tree Skiing at Crescent Spur!
They ski in two groups of 10, each group with two guides. There is very little or no waiting for the helicopter with just two groups.
They have an intimate atmosphere and truly family-owned.
Great high alpine bowls.
Offering heli-ski packages since 1992
Relatively easy and reasonably priced travel into Prince George
– a reliable airport served by multiple carriers.
Call your group, then call me (866-435-4754) or email TJ@HELISKI.com
This is the fifth in the HELISKI.com Series on how to select the best heliskiing trip. If you are thinking about a trip this season, give me a call or email.
I’m happy to send the best available trips based on your criteria.
tj 866-HELISKI
925-683-7676
Criteria #4: Cost for Heliskiing / Heliboarding
Heliskiing and heliboarding are expensive. The good news is that it is worth it. Packages range from $800 to $1800 Canadian per day. More good news, that is $600 to $1400 US! This includes food, lodging, and helicopter lifts. Alcohol, massages, etc. are additional.
Most packages include a guaranteed minimum vertical. Additional vertical feet are typically $35-45 Can. per thousand. Everyone in your helicopter group or ‘lift’ must agree to the extra vertical, or groups must be reformed. It is common to re-configure the groups late in the day to allow one or two groups to go for the extra vertical.
If weather or mechanical downtime prevents reaching the guaranteed minimum, most operators will issue a credit toward a future trip. It is unusual to get a refund. Operators vary widely on their willingness to accommodate clients for missed vertical. Refunds and vertical achieved are often the cause of friction on the last day as type-A guests butt heads with cash-strapped operators. There is ample room for disagreement about the cause of slow groups and missed vertical. Negotiation can be successful, but it is best done in private and with a cool head and respect.
Other packages include unlimited vertical. Some operators offer unlimited vertical on every package. Others offer it during the early and late season. One operator offers it as an add-on pricing option. It is worth comparing, based on your desires, physical stamina and the time of year.
Critics of unlimited vertical believe that clients and operators have conflicting goals. The helicopter is the biggest expense for the operator. Some operators have been accused of starting late, taking long lunch and quitting early to minimize helicopter expenses. Those offering fixed-price plus extra vertical argue that goal congruence is the best way to optimize cost and enjoyment.
We recently put together a spreadsheet comparing over a dozen options for a group of heliboarders. The price of unlimited vertical must be compared to the fixed-price plus various amounts of extra vertical. We calculated $/K vertical for different packages at various levels of vertical. Then judgments plays a role. It helps that we know the operators and can get the straight story on average vertical. In addition, the time of year is a factor. March trips offer much greater opportunity to get extra vertical than January trips. Finally, the group make-up, both yours and others should be considered.
Also check out the cost of travel. If you have to add a $500 commuter flight or a rental car to your trip, you may have better options.
HELISKI.com is happy to help do the math.
One more thing, remember to tip, please. The gratuity is shared by guides and house staff. It is a significant part of their compensation. I recommend $50-100/day.
How Much Does it Cost to Go Heli Skiing? Heli Skiing Prices Explained
Heli Skiing Prices may seem high…… but it’s worth it!
What does heli skiing cost?
A good rule of thumb is heliski cost is $1,500/day/person US ($2,000 Can.). Heli skiing prices vary A LOT! The cost of heli skiing in Canada for a week, 6-7 days, ranges from $12K-$20K USD ($15K – $25K Can.) per person. A Private week of heli skiing costs 2 to 3 times that number! Read heliskiing price details below. Is it worth it? Watch this video and tell me!
Heli Skiing Prices may seem high…… but it’s worth it!
The time of year (early and late season the cost to go heli skiing is significantly less)
The scale of the operation (large helicopters are less expensive, and boutique operations are more expensive)
The number of days (some weeks are 6 days of skiing, some 7). Longer heliskiing trips cost less per day
The number of groups per helicopter (fewer is better – less waiting, but more expensive). Some operators ski four groups per helicopter, some two. Private is one group per helicopter.
The amenities and the travel options (some fly you in by helicopter; some heli skiing prices include a hotel in Vancouver or Calgary). Most require an additional flight from Vancouver into British Columbia which can add $300 to $500 Can. to the heliski trip cost. Some fly from Calgary. Some airlines fly to Kelowna BC from the US, which can reduce the travel cost)
Location: Alaska Heli Skiing prices are often lower, but there are reasons, which we can explain. Resort heliskiing prices are higher, relative the to amount of skiing.
Heli skiing pries are largely a function of the helicopter cost.
Helicopter cost is a function of the flight time of the helicopter. Longer trips cost more (including fuel runs, first/last runs, changing ranges, etc)
The amount of heliskiing is primarily measured in vertical feet or meters. Operators guarantee a minimum, below which one gets a credit or refund.
3 Heliskiing Price Models
One pricing model includes a set amount of vertical feet, typically 100K vertical feet per week; 70K for 5 days; 60K for 4, 45K for 3 days (roughly, but it’s important component of the cost). Over that, one pays $37 to $56 per thousand feet Canadian Dollars. ( $28 to $42 USD). Again, the difference in the additional vertical price can have a big impact on the cost of a heli skiing trip. Here are the average base price costs for 4, 5 and 7 day trips, organized by season – early, high, late. Note that extra vertical increases the final cost.
Heli Skiing Prices are Canadian Dollars
Other operators charge a higher base price but include unlimited vertical – Heliski as much as you want! This is great if you ski fast and works better when the days are longer – think March. Below is a graph of the average price of 4, 5 and 7 day unlimited vertical trips by season.
So Where is the Breakeven for Unlimited Vertical vs. Base Price Plus?
That’s the 100,000 foot question…. Here is a comparison of the average heliskiing price for unlimited vertical for 7-day trips in Peak Season (in black), compared to the price of base plus offerings: lowest (green), average (yellow) and highest (red).
From the chart below you can see that the breakeven varies. For the lowest base + price operator, the breakeven is not reached until over 200K vertical! Below 200K, the low base price + is less expensive! Which operator is that? Email us!
However, for the highest base + price operator, the base price + is more expensive beyond 120K vertical is reached! And it can be a lot more! At 200K, the extra vertical charge is $5K, dwarfing even my bar tab! Which operator is that? We can tell you.
For the average base price + offering, the breakeven occurs at 140K vertical. Beyond that unlimited is the less expensive option with most operators.
Conclusion? Not all pricing models are equal. It pays to do the numbers. We are happy to do it for you. Email us!
Heliskiing Costs by the Hour: Heli Skiing in Alaska and Private heliskiing options are often priced by the hour of helicopter flight time, or Hobbs (common in Privates and in heli skiing Alaska). Again, a certain number of helicopter hours are included, and above that gets price – $2500 Can/hour. But an hour is A LOT of flying and skiing.
Trips come in all sizes, typically 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 days. The heli skiing price per day typically goes down as the trip gets longer. So the cost to go heli skiing is higher per day for shorter trips. Food, lodging and helicopter skis are included in all of these helicopter ski trips. What are the best heliskis?
Single day heli skiing prices can be lower, but the value is also lower.
For example, a 3-Run helicopter ski package can be $700-$800 US or less. There are 1-day operators, usually found near a resort. It’s a taste of the real thing, and expensive for what you get. One has to be prepared to go over the safety briefing every day, and they cater to newbies and bucket-list heliskiers, so be ready for the challenges and delays that can bring.
Some operators combine catskiing and/or resort skiing with heliskiing. This can be a good way to warm up, and it keeps the cost down. Catskiing is about 50 to 65% of the cost of heliskiing.
Heliskiing cost is one of many factors to consider….
How does one decide? Call 866-HELISKI or email me (TJ) and I will put together the best helicopter ski options for you. Answer 4 quick questions, or
