TLH Heli Skiing – Tyax Lodge and Heli Skiing – Tyax Heli Ski

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Tyax Lodge and Heli-Skiing

(TLH Heli-Skiing &

Heli-Snowboarding)

TLH Heli-Skiing Interview with HELISKI.com

We recently got re-acquainted with TLH Heli-Skiing & Heli-Snowboarding aka Tyax Lodge and Heli Skiing

(1 Group, Unlimited Vertical Helicopter Skiing.)

Hope you enjoy our operator heli-skiing interview series on Canadian Heli-Skiing!  TLH Heli-skiing BC Canada, HELI-SNOWBOARDING CANADA

I have heard you say “TLH Heli-Skiing is the best deal in the Canadian heli-skiing industry.”  Explain, please your helicopter skiing offerings.

 

At Tyax Lodge and Heli Skiing, aka TLH Heli-Skiing, offer a unique helicopter skiing combination of program features that offer the best VALUE in Canadian Heli Skiing. While some heli-ski operators have a couple of the features that make us stand out, we are the only ones with this particular blend that makes our product perfect for so many heliskiers – location, accessibility, heli-skiing program, lodging, price, guides and safety. Our rates align with many other operators, yet we include unlimited vertical (which we back up with vertical guarantees), Single Group heli-skiing, transfers from Vancouver (no additional flights or transfer charges), and incredible lodging. All of our programs are semi-private at the cost of a regular program.

How can TLH Heli-Skiing  afford to do just one heli-ski group per helicopter at ‘Standard’ Canadian helicopter skiing rates?

Once you have offered this program, and you have clients see how good the single group program is, you can’t really afford not to. Return clients who can’t see going back to any other way of heli-skiing will keep coming back, and then start bring their friends. Guest retention is a great testimonial. Smaller margins with better guest experiences.

You also like to extol the advantages of heli-skiing in just one heli ski group.
The Single Group heli-skiing program has so many advantages; sometimes people don’t realize how many benefits come with it!

  • You are the first to head out in the morning and the last one to come back at the end of the day which means more ski time, which of course means more skiing. You are never waiting on other groups, virtually never waiting on the machine, so you can keep on skiing.
  • If you want to ski different areas in the further areas of the tenure, you can fly out there first thing in the morning and stay out there all day instead of taking half the day to get out there and half the day to get back; with large tenures and 2-4 groups in a machine, you have to slowly make your way, taxiing groups, with one group it’s a direct flight in and back.
  • The flexibility in variable weather is greatly increased – obviously you need a longer lead time in changing weather if you need to bring in 2 or 3 more groups, so you have to head in sooner. With one group, you can stay out longer. All of these things mean more skiing, less wait times, more access, and a better experience.

How does TLH Heli-Skiing snow differ from Whistler and the Coast Range operators like Bella Coola, Northern Escape Heli-Skiing and Last Frontier Heli-skiing (LFH Heli-Skiing and TLH Heli-Skiing used to be the same heli-skiing company)?

While our close proximity to Whistler is a great selling feature for us for obvious reasons (accessibility, Whistler Combos), our location is actually in another mountain range, taking us away from the sometimes wet Coastal snow conditions. Located in the South Chilcotin Mountains, the lodge sits in a colder range where we benefit from a higher and drier environment, which often gives us better snow quality. At the same time, our 830,000 acre tenure runs from the Chilcotins into the Coast Mountains, so when the Coast gets the deep, dry dumps, we can get to that too.

TLH heli-skiing trees, Tyax Lodge and Heli-Skiing TLH heli-skiing tree area, helicopter skiing trees   TLH heli-skiing into trees, TLH helicopter skiing

TLH Heli-Skiing is known for high alpine Canadian Heli-Skiing.  Got trees to heli ski?

 

We are certainly known for our alpine accessibility and do try to ski the big long alpine lines, but we have great tree skiing as well. There is the opportunity to access varied terrain within our large tenure; our guides will go where the best skiing is, dependent on the current weather and snow conditions. We definitely had some great tree skiing while this last storm rolled through!

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Travel to the heli-skiing lodge by ski plane is also unique.  Walk us through the process, please.

The ski plane is a Beaver Dehavilland and it is indeed a very unique way to get into the lodge. It flies from Vancouver or Pemberton into the lodge, landing on the frozen lake in front of the resort. The ski plane is generally only used for charters but we encourage guests to utilize this option rather than driving whenever possible. We use helicopters for almost all of our air transfers.

Our regular transfers include transportation from Vancouver to the lodge, a combination of air and land travel. We pick-up in Vancouver and drive to Pemberton, 35 km’s north of Whistler – guests fly in and out of there by helicopter, weather permitting.

We can offer charters directly from Vancouver to the lodge as well, by helicopter or ski plane, a flight of only 1 hour and 10 minutes.

tlh heliskiing pad vancouver
Heli Transfers To/From Vancouver for some TLH Heli-Skiing Trips

Mostly you offer helicopter skiing in heli-skiing groups of 10 in a Bell 212, right?

Our Signature Program is 10 guests and 2 guides in a single group Bell 212, so only 10 total in the machine all day. We also run a Small Group Program with 4 guests and 2 guides in a single group Bell 407. Both of these programs are also available in our Platinum Private Package with private chalet and service team.

Are the smaller helicopter skiing groups for Heli-Skiing Privates, only?

No, they are available in the main lodge as well. You can have a small group, semi-private vacation, flying solo in your own machine, and coming back to the lodge to share in the festivities with the rest of the guests. We generally only run one 407 at a time so it is important to book this program early to secure dates.  [Private 407 for Standard Prices.  That’s awesome!]

Tell us about the Tyax Canadian Helicopter Skiing Lodge and food, please.

TLH Heli-Skiing Lodge, Canadian Helicopter Skiing Lodge

Tyax Lodge and Heli Skiing Resort & Spa, home of TLH Heli-Skiing, is a boutique Wilderness lodge perfectly suited to the overall heli-skiing experience. Fully renovated in 2010 with ongoing improvements annually, the lodge offers comfortable guest rooms, a beautiful Lakeview dining room, a full lounge and bar, a den, a ski shop, a gift shop and an incredible spa with Eucalyptus steam room, infrared sauna, wood sauna, yoga studio, three treatment rooms, and a 20-person outdoor hot tub. It is the perfect balance between an authentic backcountry heliski lodge and a contemporary resort for the modern traveler.

The dining is, of course, one of the most important elements. We always strive to make sure our culinary offerings are top-notch, and we have received particularly rave reviews so far this season. Comments this last week included “Chef Liam, Whatever you are paying him, raise it!”, “Outstanding dining”, “Food has always been very good, but it was exceptional this time.” Heli Belly is part of the overall experience and we intend to fulfill that! Our 30 ft ceiling, fireside, Lake view dining room is no hindrance to the experience.

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In the summer you don’t go heli-skiing, but you do heli mountain biking.  That sounds awesome!

It is awesome!! Its actually by float plane rather than heli. We use the same ski plane from our winter charters, put floats on it and utilize it for flightseeing and mountain bike drops. The region is home to some of the world’s best mountain biking, with day drops to multiple lakes with 25-60km rides back to the lodge on single track, or backcountry hut-to-hut trips. If you are into the outdoors, we are worth visiting every season.  You can also check out www.tyax.com and www.tyaxadventures.com for summer adventures.

Thanks!

tj

HELISKI.com

–

Don’t Go Postal, Go Coastal: British Columbia Heli Skiing Operators with Unique Offerings, like Bella Coola Heli-Skiing

by with 3 Comments Coast Range Heli-Skiing BC CanadaHeli-Skiing CanadaHeliskiing ReviewsOperator Interviews

 

BC Heli Skiing Operators – Going Smaller at Bella Coola Heli Skiing BC

The evolution of Canadian heli skiing continues.  Smaller BC heli skiing operators are offering alternatives to CMH and Mike Wiegele Heli-Skiing.  This series will give a brief summary of the operators in the Coast Range of BC Canada, and what they do to earn your business.

The Coast Range of BC is home to some of the Canadian heli skiing industry innovators:  Bella Coola Heliskiing, Northern Escape Heliskiing, TLH Heliskiing, Last Frontier Heliskiing and Skeena Heliskiing.  Coastal weather patterns provide copious amounts of powder, and travel is usually MUCH easier than the more famous operators to the East.   How do the Coast Range BC heli skiing operators compete with the big boys and deal with the huge amounts of snowfall?

Glad you asked.

Each of these Canadian heli skiing coast range  destination BC heli skiing operators have a strategy, or two, to differentiate their offerings.  Today, we take a closer look at Bella Coola Heli-Skiing (BC Heli Skiing, get it?), and their three locations.

 

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Coast Range BC Heli Skiing – Bella Coola Heli-Skiing

 

Bella Coola Heliskiing bookends your trip with TWO half days.   They fly you up from Vancouver in the morning (literally, your round trip flight is included in the price), feed you lunch, conduct your safety briefing, then take you BC heli skiing, right from the airport hangar!

The same is true on your departure day; heliski your way back to the airport, land next to the plane, then fly back to Vancouver in the early afternoon.  Tim, Canadian heli skiing marketing dude, says that people on a 7 night trip actually get the opportunity to ski on 8 days, 6 full days and 2 half days (same format with other durations e.g. 5 nights, has 6 ski days etc). This reduces the damage from a down day. Even if it is dumping pow and there’s 2 down days, guests would still be able to ski on 6 days.  It is also a nice way to warm up, with a half day on arrival.  Getting to Vancouver the night before has some travel advantages, too.

Bella Coola has three different programs, depending on your group size and your budget, including an EXPERTS ONLY tour for true advanced skiers, a Heli-Assist Ski Touring program as well as a Private BC heli skiing lodge (and helicopter) which can be exclusively for you and 7 friends.  All this in the biggest tenure in the Coast Range at 2.64 million acres!

To find out what dates remain for your BC heli skiing Coast Range powder trip,

Call or email tj@HELISKI.com or Tim at BCHS (604.932.3000, tell him tj sent you).  866-HELISKI

Check out this video to get stoked.

 

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Heliboard.com
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(866-435-4754)

Skype  HELISKI.com

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Helicopter Skiing Canada Operator Interview – TLH Heli Skiing Canada — HELISKI.com

by with 2 Comments Canadian Heli-SkiCanadian Heli-Ski Operator Interviewheli-skiingHeli-Skiing CanadaHeliskiing ReviewsOperator Interviews

TLH Heicopter Skiing Canada

Helicopter Skiing Canada in One Group with Unlimited Vertical, and Easy Travel from Whistler

1. TLH Helicopter Skiing Canada is the only Canadian heliskiing operator offering just one group per helicopter in a standard, Classic package.  Every group heli skis with their own helicopter.  How did you decide to offer what amounts to an inexpensive Private Helicopter Skiing Canada package?

“At TLH Helicopter Skiing Canada we separate ourselves from the pack by offering Canadian heliskiing and heliboarding packages that are more boutique and exclusive. A single group per helicopter offers the guest an unrivaled experience in the mountains as there is no waiting for additional groups. This also allows us greater bad weather tolerance as we do not have to extract multiple groups from the field with one helicopter.  Every group heli skis on its own.

After a big snowfall when the sky opens up to that endless bluebird day we are out into our big terrain skiing within 10 minutes. Packages that offer three groups per heli will have the third group waiting at least 30+ minutes to fly out after the first group, even when the first run is close to home. The first group out will also have that 30 minute wait to get onto their second run. The single group helicopter eliminates this wait time.

Single groups also give our Canadian helicopter skiing program more flexibility in marginal snow conditions. We can move our program in and out of different drainages quickly and efficiently as we don’t have to ferry 3 loads in and out of zones.”
[I love that!]

helicopter skiing, heliskiing canada

TLH Heli-Skiing Canada High Alpine Terrain?   Check

 

2. On top of just one group per machine, you offer unlimited vertical! Other Canada heliskiing operators tell me that it reminds them of the rancher who won the lottery, who plans to ‘keep on ranchin til it’s gone.’

How can you make money offering one group and unlimited vertical?!?

“Over the last 20 years of operating, TLH Heli-Skiing Canada has gained an intimate understanding of how much the average Canadian heli-skiing client is capable of skiing. With this in mind, we ran a pilot project to see if our vertical numbers reflected what guests would ski on an unlimited basis and budgeted accordingly. The pilot was a success, and we decided to carry it forward into our regular program. When guests can eliminate the need to balance their budget while they earn their turns, everyone “just heli skis.” . The experience is greatly enhanced because they will ski morning to night and never concern themselves with the add-ons to their bill. No one gets left in the lodge after reaching their guarantee to save money, and the skiing becomes an unlimited possibility. The skiers that have seen our 200,000 vertical weeks, with no additional charges, would ask “how we can afford not to?” as they re-book.

helicopter skiing, heliskiing Canada chopper liftoff

One Group per Group!  Like a Limo vs. a Taxi

3. Critics of the unlimited vertical heli skiing Canada offerings point out that the guests and operators are not goal congruent (high tech marketing jargon, sorry I couldn’t resist).

What do you say to skeptics who contend you may quit early or otherwise slow the pace to save money?

“Our answer to this is that the ‘proof is in the pudding’ so to speak.
Our average daily vertical for 2011 was 8700m or 27,710 ft per day.
Over 7 days that’s 200,970 ft. [WOW!]

Most Canada heli skiing packages that the competitors offer give you 100,000 vertical feet before you start paying for every additional 1000 ft. The last 4 weeks of 2011 saw us skiing over 200,000 ft. weekly, with one week at 250,000. As far as quitting early goes, our daily program runs from 0830 to 1630 in the field, and the only time we come home early is due to tired legs or bad weather.”

 

helicopter skiing, heli skiing Canada

Got Tree Skiing? Check

 

4. What is the average vertical for a week at TLH Helicopter Skiing Canada?

See above [That is one hellacious average!]

 

5. Flying a 212 helicopter must be much less expensive. Comparing to 407’s or A-Stars, what’s the difference in operating costs?

“Each aircraft has different operating costs based on the type of helicopter and the required maintenance on them. Generally smaller helicopters cost less to operate than a Bell 212. ” [Sorry, I was thinking per person]

 

TLH helicopter skiing, heli skiing canadian

Keep it running, we’ll be right down!

 

6. The group is only as fast as the slowest heliskier. What happens if the one group has a “lagging gaper” who can’t hang?

“At TLH Heli-Skiing Canada, all of our groups in the single group program run with 2 guides. When we have a dramatic split, one guide will take the faster skiers and lap the slower guys or pick a different line to cater to ability levels.” [Good answer!]

 

7. TLH Heli-Skiing Canada is probably the most convenient to Whistler-Blackcomb of any destination Canadian heli skiing operator. Describe the travel from Whistler.

“The transfer to TLH Heliskiing Canada is part of the adventure and experience, and a perfect start to your heliskiing holiday.

A 20 minute land transfer from Whsitler to Pemberton brings you to the airport, where you will board a DE Havilland Beaver ski plane. A 30 minute beautiful scenic flight over the mountains brings you to Tyax Wilderness Resort & Spa, where you will land on the frozen lake in front of the lodge. [Very cool!]

All of our packages include this air transfer. When traveling by land, a pretty drive along a classic mountain highway offers views of frozen rivers, deep valleys, and diverse peaks. The Duffy from Pemberton to Lillooet is well-known for its incredible ski touring access and terrain.

Our proximity to Whistler allows us to build custom combo tours for guests who would also like to visit the world-renowned resort while on vacation.”

 

8. How about travel from, and return to Vancouver?

“Guests coming from Vancouver will travel up the Sea to Sky corridor through Whistler to Pemberton then connect with our air transfer to Tyax. The Sea to Sky is a famous, scenic drive through some of the best recreational playgrounds in Canada, including North Vancouver, Squamish, and Whistler. With views over the Pacific Ocean, you move through some of the most ideal terrain for outdoor activity in all of British Columbia, while being captivated by the view of the white-capped Tantalus Mountain range towering in the background.”

 

helicopter skiing, tlh heli skiing canada room

The Lodge and Guests Rooms were Completely Remodeled Last Year

9. Your lodge has been upgraded recently. What’s new?

“Tyax Wilderness Resort & Spa, the home of TLH Heliskiing Canada, underwent a massive renovation last summer and fall. We opened the 2011 heliskiing season with a completely revamped property. The space has been elegantly updated to modern standards to meet the expectations of the contemporary traveler while the ambiance of the lodge has been maintained; the goal of our renovations was to upgrade and enhance the level of luxury while maintaining the rustic feel of the lodge, representing our wilderness setting.

All guest rooms were completely renovated while the main areas saw complete upgrades and re-decorating, including the bar and lounge, the dining room, outdoor patio, and the den. The furniture in this Canadian heli-ski lodge has been replaced on all levels.  That includes easy chairs and leather sofas in the bar, warm inviting sofas in the lobby and bedding of the highest quality in all guest rooms.

The exterior of the lodge has seen all the balconies and decking replaced, giving the exterior of the lodge a modern and clean look. Our newly renovated kitchen is now producing a dining experience far beyond what was available historically. And very importantly for our heliskiing guests, we now offer a brand new spa with three treatment rooms, an infrared sauna, a wood sauna, a steam room, yoga studio and well-designed change rooms guaranteed to relax our guests. We will continue to improve our product and services as we move forward to winter 2012, including a new outdoor Jacuzzi in the fall renovations and an even greater emphasis of guest satisfaction and service.”

 

10. What’s the best thing about working with Canadian helicopter skiing agents like HELISKI.com?   Bonus Question: What do you think about shameless plugs by interviewers?

“They help connect us to clients on a broader spectrum; they are specializing in the product which in itself is very specialized.” [Yeah, it’s a niche of a niche, eh?]

 

11. Some clients are concerned about heliskiing so close to Whistler, where some storms dump heavy snow aka Sierra Cement. How does your snowfall amount and quality compare with other heliskiing destinations?

“Luckily TLH is on the East side of the Coast Mountains. The storms have to rise over the high peaks of the mountain range and then drop their snow on us. This means we avoid the warm temperatures on the West side of the Coast Mountains, where TLH heli skis!   That combined with the influence of the cold interior plateaus to the east of us we receive deep, dry snowpacks, quite different than that of Whistler.”

tlh heli-skiing bc canada

This Ain’t Whistler…

 

12. How many down days do you average in a season?

“1/2 day per week.

So pack your sunscreen! ” (My daughter makes me use sunscreen to limit the damage!)

 

13. What percentage of your guests is heliboarders, and what do you do to accommodate knuckle draggers?

“The heliboarding numbers vary from week to week but on average I would say 40% of our guests are on boards. When we have boarders in the group we simply alter our terrain choices to eliminate long traverses or flat sections.” [SWEET!]

 

helisnowboarding bc canada

How do snowboarders introduce themselves?

14. Do you know how snowboarders introduce themselves?

“OH! Sorry, Dude!”

[I’m not hating, I do both]

canadian heli-skiing

 

15. Is there anything else you would like to add about TLH Helicopter Skiing Canada?

“We offer a boutique product in an amazing lodge with a ski program that is suited to people that really want to ski.  Canadian Heli-skiing needs a shot in the arm and we are attempting to do it. Products and programs have been stagnating, and I think you will find most heli operators following our lead (once again) over the next few years! My comments are based on 13 years of heliskiing as a mountain guide, working actively in the guiding and the management of the heliskiing industry. We will be launching a new website this winter to bring our online presence up to the quality of our operation.”

 

Thanks, Cliff!  Looking forward to seeing the new lodge upgrades and skiing some deep untracked!
tj

Tom Jackson
CPO (Chief Powder Officer)
HELISKI.com
WhistlerHeliski.com

866-HELISKI
(866-435-4754)

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heli-skiing canada, helicopter skiing bc canada

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