How Much Does Heli-Skiing Cost?
How Much Does Heli Skiing Cost? It’s not a simple answer, but a good rule of thumb is heli-skiing cost is $1,500/day/person US. A week of Canada heli skiing cost ranges from $8,000 – $20,000 US, per person. Heliski cost varies depending on many factors.
Give us a call or email and we can help you find the best heli ski cost for the trip that suits your group. 866-HELISKI. or EMAIL
Here is an example of options we put together for a group of 8 looking for 4-5 days next January:
| Operator | January Dates | # Days | Group Size | Groups Per Heli | Ski Together | Vertical Feet | Heliski Cost Per Person | Heliski Cost Per Day | Travel |
| (US) | |||||||||
| Silvertip | 21-25 | 4 | 8 | 2 | Yes | Unlimited | $6,902 | $1,726 | Van-Williams Lake, Heli to Lodge (all included) |
| 29- Feb 2 | 4 | 8 | 2 | Yes | Unlimited | $7,672 | $1,918 | ||
| Ski in one group, cool lodge on lake, travel from Vancouver included. | |||||||||
| Stellar | 11-14 | 4 | 4 | 2 or 3 | No | Unlimited | $8,210 | $2,053 | Fly to Spokane, WA; rent Cars, drive 4.5 hrs |
| Crescent Spur | 1-6 | 4 | 10 | 2 | Yes | Unlimited | $5,572 | $1,393 | Fly Van-Prince George, 2 hrs in Shuttle, incl. |
| 6-12 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 80K | $8,412 | $1,682 | |||
| 6-13 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 100K | $9,095 | $1,516 | |||
| extra @ $37/K | |||||||||
| Great Canadian | 8-12 | 4 | 4 | 3 | No | Unlimited | $7,913 | $1,978 | Fly to Calgary, Van 4 hrs., $2300 US total |
| 14-17 | 4 | 8 | 3 | $9,221 | $2,305 | ||||
| Mike Wiegele | 13-20 | 5 | 10 | 3 or 4 | Yes | Unlimited | $8,640 | $1,728 | Fly to Kamloops, 2.5 hrs by rental car or shuttle |
| 20-27 | 5 | 10 | 4 or 4 | ||||||
| 27-Feb 3 | 5 | 10 | 5 or 4 | ||||||
| Here is a link to a map showing your options in red. In case the labels don’t show, they are top to bottom: Crescent Spur, Silvertip, Mike Wiegele, Great Canadian, Stellar |
Heliski Cost varies by:
The time of year (early and late season heli-skiing costs less)
The scale of the operation (large helicopters are less expensive, and boutique operations are more expensive) Even within CMH heli skiing costs vary widely.
The number of days (some weeks are 6 days of skiing, some 7). It’s best to look at what heli skiing costs per day and per vertical foot / meter to compare the cost of heli skiing.
The number of groups per helicopter (fewer is better – less waiting). Some operators ski four groups per helicopter, some two. Heli skiing costs less with more groups. Private is one group, and expensive.
The travel options (some fly you in by helicopter; some include hotel in Vancouver or Calgary). Some operators include the flight in the heli-skiing cost.
The amount of skiing, measured in vertical feet or meters. Most guarantee a minimum, typically 100K feet per week. Over that, one pays $40 to $60 US per thousand feet. Some operators charge a higher base rate, but include unlimited vertical. Ski as much as you want. Some charge by the hour of helicopter flight time aka Hobbs. This is more common in Privates and in Alaska.
Trips come in all sizes, typically 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 days.
The amenities and other add ons, including massage and alcohol (in most cases). Some packages include EVERYTHING in the heliski cost!
There are 1-day operators, usually found near a resort. It’s a taste of the real thing, and expensive for what you get. You have to be prepared to go over the safety briefing every day, and they cater to newbies, so be ready for the challenges and delays that can bring. The cost of heli skiing for one day is usually very high compared to longer trips, especially considering the vertical you ski.
Some operators combine catskiing and/or resort skiing with heliskiing. This can be a good way to warm up, and it keeps the heliski cost down. Catskiing is 40-50% of the cost of heliskiing on average.
How does one decide? Call or email me or one of the HELISKI.com team.
