Outdoor activities are abundant all throughout the year in Canada. With a diverse landscape, ranging in everything from snow capped mountains to sprawling sand dunes and crashing coastal waves, comes a wide variety of outdoor recreation to enjoy all year long.
Come wintertime, mountain resorts across Canada quickly become packed with local residents, and tourists, eager to head out and hit the slopes on skis or a snowboard. While many mountains, such as Whistler, BC, Lake Louise Mountain Resort in Alberta, and Crabbe Mountain, New Brunswick, offer ample runs and enough room for hundreds to enjoy the slopes at once, many skiers and boarders still wish to seek an isolated place to ride in peace. If you are one of those experienced riders who wish to experience the thrill of cruising through slopes of virgin powder snow, then we have just the option for you.
Somewhere beyond the busy ski slopes lies the perfect champagne terrain just waiting to be carved. Although you can not get to these unscathed slopes by chairlift or mountaineering, there are still simple solutions to reach the prime powder opportunities; heli-skiing and cat-skiing.
What is Heli Skiing?
Helicopter skiing, better known as the abbreviated “heli-skiing,” is a form of backcountry skiing (or snowboarding) where riders are transported by helicopter to remote mountainsides in order to find the perfect ride. Once at the ideal spot, riders can get the unique chance to carve along slopes that may never have been skied or boarded before. Here amid the breathtaking mountain backcountry, skiers and snowboarders will have no worries about lift lines, crowded runs or poor snow conditions. Heli-skiing offers the quickest way to get up to the best untouched topography, and is the ultimate way to experience skiing in Canada’s backcountry.
Contrary to popular belief, you do not necessarily have to be an expert backcountry rider to experience the thrill of heli-skiing. While it is important to be a strong, skilled and capable piste rider, many Heli-guiding companies do not require you have any backcountry experience before heading up in the chopper. In fact, every tour company will accompany riders with experienced and seasoned guides to ensure their group stays safe and has the optimum amount of fun on their heli-skiing adventure.
Best Places to Try Heli-Skiing in Canada
Central British Columbia is the best place to experience heli-skiing, as it was here that Austrian Hans Gmoser established the very first Heli-ski business in 1965. Over 90% of the world’s heli-skiing is done in BC and there are over 15 tour operators for you to choose the perfect ride.
Canadian Mountain Heli-Skiing – BC & Alberta
In the breathtaking Canadian Rocky mountain range is where Hans Gmoser created the first heli-skiing tour. Today, Canadian Mountain Heli-Skiing operates 12 lodges to offer the widest variety of terrain to choose from. With a diverse listing of tour bookings as well, featuring everything from intro family runs to private and exclusive tours, everyone and anyone can enjoy a trip with Canadian Mountain Heli-skiing.
Great Canadian Heli-Skiing – Golden/Revelstoke, BC
Between the mountain wonderlands of Golden and Revelstoke, Great Canadian Heli-Skiing offers the best amenities and trips to help you plan the best Heli-ski adventure. They have tailored packages to fit your needs and some of the best backcountry terrain out there.
Image: Great Canadian Heli-Skiing - @muriversum
Northern Escape Heli-Skiing – Terrace, BC
Tucked away in the northwest corner of BC, Northern Escape Heli Skiing had endless opportunities for fresh powder. With classic, elite and private heli-skiing packages, you will find the perfect place to carve into rugged mountain ranges and fresh powder.
Selkirk Tangiers – Revelstoke, BC
An experience heli-skiing with Selkirk Tangiers is sure to be an unforgettable one with an annual snowfall of up to 7 metres (23 feet) along the Columbia Mountain Range. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced rider, Selkirk Tangiers has the perfect Heli-ski adventure for you.
What is Cat Skiing?
Similar to heli-skiing, cat-skiing offers skiers and snowboarders another opportunity to get out and explore the backcountry slopes. Instead of getting up there via helicopter, however, riders are treated to a cruise up the mountain by a huge machine referred to as a Snowcat.
The concept of cat skiing originated at Selkirk Wilderness, located near Meadow Creek, BC, when Brenda and Allan Drury realized that ski hill grooming machines could make excellent tools for accessing the backcountry. After creating a network of snow roads to be used all season long, the couple’s creation quickly took off in popularity. Today, cat-skiing is one of the most popular ways for riders to access backcountry terrain.
A typical day cat-skiing will begin with a smooth ride up the mountain in the heated cab of the snowcat, followed by a safety talk and an avalanche transceiver practice session with your group’s guide. Once the cat has reached the first drop off of the day, everyone disembarks from the cab and begins their guided ride down the perfectly powdered slope. Once at the bottom of the run, the snowcat will pick up the group and head off to the next run of the day. Exploring the slopes by cat-skiing is not only an exhilarating way to find some fresh mountain snow, but the ride up to the perfect terrain is relaxing, cozy and half the adventure.
Best Places to try Cat-Skiing in Canada
Although Cat-skiing originated in BC, there are a number of places to try out this unique winter sport all across the country, in fact, Canada has some of the best cat-skiing opportunities in the world.
Blomidon Cat Skiing – Newfoundland
Located in the Appalachian backcountry in western Newfoundland, Blomidon Cat Skiing offers the only snowcat operation in the east and features some of the best backcountry skiing in all of Canada.
Island Lake Lodge – Fernie, BC
Island Lake Lodge should be at the top of the list for anyone eager to try cat-skiing. Though their tours are often booked and sold out well in advance, if you plan ahead you too can get the chance to cat-ski this premier winter destination. Complete with 12 metres (40 feet) of snow and spacious rooms in the lodges, beginners, experts and families will all enjoy a trip to Island Lake Lodge.
Image: Island Lake Catskiing - @islandlakelodge
Powder Mountain – Whistler, BC
Specializing in semi-private day trips and fully private packages, Powder Mountain in Whistler BC has some of the best never-before-skied runs to choose from. Between the 1,740 hectares (4,300 ac) and five peaks you will not run out of fresh powder while cat-skiing Powder Mountain.
Wherever you head out for your winter cat-skiing and heli-skiing adventure, be sure to be prepared with the proper attire, equipment and safety know-how for a day in the backcountry.
Have you been cat-skiing or heli-skiing before? Share your favourite extreme alpine adventure on Instagram and use #brmblife so we can see them and you can possibly win great prizes! Or, share your heli-skiing or cat-skiing experience stories in the comments below and let us know where your favourite mountain to shred is.
Explore the freshies across Canada with our Western Canada Backroad GPS Maps and Canadian Rockies Backroad Mapbook.
