Frequently
Asked Questions
Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs) About Heli-Skiing and Valdez
How Do I Get to Valdez?
Valdez is located at sea level
nestled against the Chugach Mountains as the northeast port of Prince William
Sound.
It is only 122 air miles or 305 highway miles east of Anchorage. Anchorage,
Often flight schedules may dictate a layover, but don’t despair! A layover in Anchorage can be fun. (See Layover Information for information about).
And,
since so many of you ask: There is
no rail (train) service to Valdez!
Essentially
there are four alternatives to get to Valdez,
listed in order of popularity:
Flying
Driving
Ground Shuttle Service
Alaska State
Ferry
By Plane
This is by far the most popular and convenient
method. The nearest Airport is the Valdez Airport,
but you’ll need to get to Anchorage
first! There are five Major carriers that provide year around service to Anchorage (Alaska
Airlines, Delta, Northwest, Continental, and United). Era Aviation is the only scheduled
airline in and out and makes the 30 minute trip two or three times a day each
way between Anchorage and Valdez.
Era is an Alaska Airlines partner and you should be able to schedule
flights through most of the major carriers.
We will meet your flight and deliver you to our lodge just 5 minutes
away. You can find information on the
commuter airline flights to Valdez
at:
www.flyera.com ; or
call them at (800)-866-8394 or (907) 266-8394.
By Car
The drive from Anchorage
is spectacular and takes about 6 hours without stops. The roadway is, for the most part, one
lane undivided highway for the 300 mile trip, with snow packed roads most
of the way. The Richardson Highway dramatically
crosses Thompson Pass and descends into the narrow valley where Valdez lies. From Anchorage, take the Glenn Highway North
through Palmer and into Glennallen (about 190 miles). When you get the “T”
intersection after going through the town, make a RIGHT turn onto the Richardson Highway south
to Valdez
(115 miles) as you reach town, the Richardson Highway turns into Egan Street. It is hard to miss our bright yellow
office on the left hand side as enter town (most rental car companies will
provide you a map). Try to do the trip in daylight, in clear weather, and
stop at the Worthington Glacier in Thompson Pass
on the way in.
A word
of caution: You
will be driving though mountains! Thompson Pass
records over 700 inches of snow annually. Be prepared, and check the
weather before you go (Alaska Road Conditions are available by Dialing
“511” on a cell phone). The road is maintained year around, and
Valdez
–based road crews do their best to keep the roads passable. If the weather is bad, however, you
should be comfortable driving in winter conditions.
If would rather
not fly and don’t want to drive yourself, a shuttle
service may be a good alternative for you.
By Shuttle
There is no
scheduled ground transportation between Anchorage
and Valdez. There are at least two
“Charter” Van Services that will provide service to Valdez. This is a six hour trip and offers
spectacular views. See “By Car” above, for more information about the
trip by ground.
The both of the two
operators offer a number of alternatives for chauffeured transportation,
from private sedan, up to and including large “party” buses.
Alaska Transportation Group Alaska Timberwolf Journeys & Tours, LLC
www.alaskatransportation.net www.alaskatimberwolftours.com
866-425-8687 (US Toll Free) t-wolf@alaskatimberwolftours.com
907-952-1249
907-344-9653 or 907-301-0560
By Alaska
State Ferry
Looking for a way to complete your true adventure? The Alaska Marine Highway (AKA Alaska State Ferry)
might be the way to come. There are
some draw backs to the Ferry, and you might want to tie one direction of
your trip in with an alternate method.
The winter schedules do not run very often, so if you and your
travel companions want to take advantage of this unique method, start
planning now! You may be able to
route your trip from Bellingham (just north
of Seattle) to Valdez. Or you may want to take the quick
hop from Whittier (about an hour south of Anchorage).
Again, this is the least often used method by our
clients, and Ferry Schedules vary greatly from month to month –
particularly Summer to Winter season.
Contact the booking office for more information!
Alaska Ferry Adventures
(This
is a booking agent for the Ferry System. May be more Customer Service
Oriented than the Official State Site).
www.akmhs.com
homerferry@akmhs.com
907-235-7099
800-382-9229 U.S.or Canada
Alaska Marine Highway System-Reservations
(this is the official State Site)
www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs
Ask_AMHS@dot.state.ak.us
907-465-3941
800-642-0066
U.S.or Canada
When Should I Arrive In Valdez (Help With travel Arrangements)?
If you have booked one of our All-inclusive Packages,
you trip is designed for you to arrive the afternoon of the first day. 2 Day/2 Night, 3 Day/3 Night & 4
Day/4 Night Packages are designed for you to depart your last day after
skiing. You can be assured that your day is not cut short. You will check out of your Hotel Room the
morning of your departure and we will store your bags. After your day skiing, you will be transported
directly to the Valdez
Airport from Base
Camp (about a 15 minute ride). If
you are coming on our Premier 6 day/7 night All-inclusive Packages, the
package includes a Special “Free” night to stay over Saturday
Night if you wish. Between Flight
Itineraries and Work Schedules, many of you coming here for the full week
need to depart after skiing Saturday Evening. This is easy, and we handle it just like
the shorter packages as described above.
If you
have Purchased a Punchcard or a Single Day of Heli-Skiing (or catskiing) ,
you will need to make your way to Basecamp for manifesting and Safety
Briefing by 8:30 the day of your trip!
What do I do if I need to add days to
my travel plans (Layover Information)?
If you haven't started looking for a place to stay, we have
negotiated special rates at the local Holiday Inn Express in Anchorage.
They have a 24 hour shuttle to pick you up at the airport, and are located
in the "Spenard" district; with access to things to do while you
stay over night. Our rate is there is $79.00 a night single or double
Occupancy.
To make a reservation
with them go to: www.hiexpress.com/anchorageapt
be sure to enter corporate ID number 100215750 to get the special rate.
Alternatively you can call the property directly at 907-248-8848 (be sure
to ask for the "heli-ski rate")
If you are/can travel
on travel plans (frequent flyer miles and the like), and therefore brand
specific, the Marriot Courtyard is close by and offers similar amenities,
as does the Hampton Inn (a little farther down the road). Both offer
shuttles service for Airport Pick-ups
You are welcome to
book anther night with us in Valdez
as well. Do remember that it is $199.00 double/$249 single (per person) and
includes all of your meals.
What trip should
I choose (How Long Should I plan to come)?
I promise that no
matter how long you choose to stay, you will feel it's
not long enough! Coming to Alaska
is a big trip no matter where you are coming from! You will probably be
happiest coming for the longest trip your time/money can afford.
By far, our most
popular trip overall is the four day (this is with "lower 48"
folks - international guests almost always book a private helicopter or the
6 day), about 90% of our first time visitors book this package. Most of them rebook for the following
season while their here for the 6 day.
The three day package
is a great balance for price vs. time (most folks that can afford to come
do this may not be able to block all the time required to travel + the
skiing time to put the six day, or even the 4 day, in their schedule). Veterans of our operation will book
multiple three days through out the season to get their "fix"
in. If the three day is the only one
that will fit into your groups needs, so be it, otherwise we HIGHLY
RECOMMEND that you choose the 4 day trip.
What Does
“All-Inclusive” Mean?
Our
packages are all-inclusive, and provide most all of you needs once you
arrive in Valdez:
Ground Transportation, Airport Transfers, Safety Gear (Shovel, Probe, Avalanche
Beacon/Transceiver, harness and a locking carabiner), meals (an American
style breakfast, on-mountain made-to-order lunch, on-mountain snacks and a
Hearty Alaskan Dinner), Lodging, Heli-Skiing and Snow Cat back-up! Essentially everything is paid for except
Beer/Wine/Liquor, Ski/Board Rental, and Gratuities!
What should I bring?
Preparing for your trip to Valdez should not be
all that different than any other extended Ski or Snowboard vacation. In addition to your standard equipment
and clothing, here are a few prerequisites (of course, See What’s Included? to get an idea
on how to round out your packing list):
·
Camera/Video Camera: Don’t forget to bring extra media
(CD/DVD/memory sticks to help facilitate trading). See “Will
you arrange for photos of my experience?” for more information.
- Sunscreen: You really will need this, no matter
when you come!
- Sunglasses: Yep, see
above! Polarized sports Glasses
are becoming quite popular.
- Small Daypack: This is a great place to rotate your
layers through. There’s no locker at the day lodge at the end of
each run! While you can leave
some of your personal items in our heated briefing area (and you can
leave skis/Board and utilize our boot dryers there each evening). You
will essentially board the Heli (or Snow Cat) and not return until the
end of the day. Anything you
MUST have with you should be carried on you person, since
there’s no place really to leave it on the Heli!
You may
bring your own avalanche probe and/or shovel if you are comfortable with
their use and operation. An
Avalanche Transceiver will be issued to you during your stay with us.
FINALLY: Bring
Your Boots! Most of you are well seasoned travelers with your ski gear,
but carefully read this! There is no
Ski Shop in Valdez,
and we do not Stock Ski or Snow Board Boots (If you’ve rented skies
with us, we do have poles that are included with your rental) If the airline looses your luggage along
the way, we can provide assistance to help you replace everything but the
boots! Thus if current airport
regulations allow, we HIGHLY recommend that you carry your boots on the
Plane with you.
What’s the weather like?
Valdez, Alaska
consistently receives more snowfall than any other area in the whole of North America! Warm Japanese currents push into
the open Prince William Sound seaport Village
of Valdez,
bringing with them warm moist air. These same currents that keep Valdez uniquely mild in winter, build and flow over
the Chugach Mountains, eventually mixing with the cooler interior Alaska weather
currents producing amazing snowfall amounts. Although large amounts of snow
are what we dream of, sometimes it keeps us at bay.
What Temperatures Can I Expect? (How Cold Does It Get?)
Everyone
thinks Alaska
is always very cold! But for a number reasons the Valdez Climate is
relatively warm. Average daily
temperature is about 20 degrees (-7 C).
This can flex a bit to as warm as 40 (4 C) to as cold as 0 degrees
(18 C). Bring your layers to prepare
for both sides of the temp range and you should be just fine! Click here for more information about Valdez’s
weather [link to weather]!
Am I good enough to do this?
The
skiing and snowboarding opportunities found at Valdez Heli-Camps are second
to none and offer much variety. For those that enjoy the freedom of
wide-open slopes and skiing side by side with friends, our pilots can
easily fly to less technical slopes. In fact, these less technical slopes
can offer a higher level of security allowing us to achieve larger amounts
of vertical for those with a preference for this type of experience.
This can happen on the same day in areas directly adjacent to groups
working the high angle terrain. Quite often you can watch other
groups from across the valley challenging the Chugach while you are doing
the same at your level or, mix it up bit, with some steep challenging runs
and some powder cruisers of your own!!!! The primary mission of Valdez
Heli-Camps is to bring the terrain of the Chugach
Mountains to you at a comfortable and safe level. The basic requirements for your ability
and fitness are these. You should
be fit and at minimum an advanced intermediate skier or snowboarder. That
is, you can ski/ride a variety of snow conditions with confidence and
minimal difficulty. If this is true of you and your abilities, Valdez
Heli-Camps is just the introduction to big mountain skiing you have been
waiting for!
If you
are still unsure, please feel free to contact us. We also recommend that you experiment at
your local ski area with wide base powder or all mountain skis. If you would like to be provided powder
skis you should inform us at your time of reservation.
Your
alternative is to sign up for a Big Mountain Clinic! We offer one or two of these each year
led by the most famous names in our sport Like Dan Eagan and Gordy
Peifer. Contact us if you want more
information about our Ski Clinic Offerings!
When Should I Come?
The best time to
come is really any time we’re open – from the first week in February
to the second week in May. If you
are a first time heli-skier, we recommend that you consider February or
early March. If this is your first
trip to Alaska,
we definitely recommend you come as early as possible anyway! It’s
the best chance you’ll get to see the Northern Lights! The bright sunny days, the lightest
powder of the season and the longest runs are all to be found during the
earliest part of the season. As an
alternative thought process for you, if you were speaking to one of our
tenured Guide Staff members, he’d probably tell you that he liked
April the best! Long, sunny days
couple with a choice of snow conditions (Cold pow on north facing slope and
the chance to be a “superhero” on corn as each day
progresses). The end of March and
early April is when many Ski areas close, thus we see folks from the Ski
Industry come and get some turns in. This can transition Valdez from a
group of “Hard Core” skiers with a narrow focus of getting runs
on the best steeps in the world, to a carnival atmosphere as old friends
(and some of the best professional skiers in the world!) come to see
us! Later in the season is also
popular for folks because of the level of difficulty involved! Many focus hard at their local ski area
to get in as many runs as possible so they’re on their
“A” game when the come to Valdez,
How Large an Area do you Ski?
Here is the location of our base
camp.
Longitude 145.8139640547402
Latitude 61.05418426523577
We
access to an approximate 650 Square Mile box of terrain around this point,
We use “Google
Earth” to check out the area. The USGS has mapped the entire area, so
a variety of hard-copy maps should be available from them or another map
vendor.
Will you arrange for photos of my experience?
We do
not officially provide a photo service.
Do to the nature of the activity, it’s just too tough to
arrange and guarantee without an outrageous expense to the client. Most folks have remarkable luck passing
their equipment to the others in their group (and their guide). Be sure to discuss your desires with your
guide, and we will do our best to accommodate you. Our lodge has high speed internet access,
so you can send clips home to your (jealous) friends who couldn’t
make it. Many folks bring their
laptops/cameras to dinner so we can watch and share the day’s
adventure!
What is your Cat Ski Terrain like?
Our cat
terrain is in a 5 square mile radius area, accessed directly from our base
camp. The terrain varies between a 20
degree pitch and 45 degree pitch.
The runs vary, but the longest is about 3,000 vertical feet. The
snowcat terrain rises from 500’ MSL to 4200’MSL. The runs vary, but the longest is about
3,000 vertical feet (this is longer than the longest runs at most local ski
areas!). The lower protected portion (2000’) of our terrain offers
tree skiing for low light conditions and the upper portion is much like a
large portion of the heliski terrain which is expansive open gladed skiing.
What’s included?
If you
have selected one of our All-Inclusive packages, just about everything!
Your
lodging, three meals daily (an American-Style Breakfast, and on-mountain
box lunch, and a hearty, dinner snacks and non-alcoholic beverages –
all with an Alaskan Flair), ground transportation (including Valdez Airport
transfers) and Safety gear (transceiver/transponder, probe, shovel,
harness).
Essentially,
everything is included except your ski/board rental, alcoholic beverages,
and gratuities.
For
those of you on a daily (unpackaged) heli/cat trip, lunch is included if
you have booked at least seven days in advance. Punch card customers may purchase lunch
or bring their own.
What about Safety Gear?
No matter if you choose an All-inclusive Package, Daily
Heli/Cat, or a vertical Punch Card, safety gear is always included as part
of your trip. This includes, as
necessary:
- Avalanche
Probe
- Shovel
- Two-way
Radio
- Safety
Harness
- Avalanche
Beacon
We will require you use one of our Avalanche
Transceivers as part of your personal safety gear. While many folks have
their own transceivers, we test ours and know they work at the level we
expect!
Tipping
Tipping is always
optional and a personal decision on your part, based on your overall
experience. A guide is rewarded by the opportunity to show you a beautiful
area and to share your vacation with you, and our support staff that Fly,
Cook, Serve and Drive you are pleased to help make you comfortable when you
are not out Skiing. However, a
financial gesture of appreciation will be well received! The industry
standard is 10-20% of your total trip cost, or about $35-$75 a day. It is appropriate to pass this daily to
the guide that has supported you, or if you would like, to direct it toward
the trip leader who is responsible for distribution (many provide a
note to assist with whom they would
like to tip). Management does its best to stay away from this process, so
cash is certainly best. If you would like to arrange a different payment
method, it is best to discuss it with your guide or the trip leader.
Will
you arrange for a roommate to save me money?
Occasionally we have guests
looking for a roommate. This does
not happen often. If another guest
is sharing the same time period is looking for a roommate, I will alert
them to your position.
Alternatively, If you are able to find a roommate before your
arrival here, I will refund the difference between the single and double
occupancy rates back to you. A great place to look for a roommate is on our
VHC Community Page. There you might be able to find the roommate you need!
Do
I want (or Need) A private Helicopter?
The answer is, it depends. The Private Helicopter option provides
ultimate flight flexibility for those well seasoned heli-skiers. With our Semi-Private/regular ski
packages, we tend to go to the best snow closest to base and if that snow
and terrain works out to be just as we anticipate it to be in the morning
Guide Meeting we will work that area for the day.
If it is not what we expect we
will mobilize to a different area.
We know this by the first run with the first group of the day. Once the first group’s guide
reports in and based on what he finds, we will make the call to bring the
other groups out to that area in the semi private or instruct them to go to
another zone that we feel will have even better conditions for the
day.
The areas we go to and the
terrain we ski do not necessarily change from semi-private to private. The
main difference is this, and it is the same for all operations that run
both types of service:
The semi privates have vertical
guarantees. We manage those trips to get maximum skiing with minimum
helicopter time utilized as the company pays for the helitime. Of course,
if conditions for flying and skiing exist anywhere in the terrain most
operators will go no matter how far it is but will go to the closest
quality zones.
With the Privates an operator
may choose to ski those same areas as the semi private if conditions
dictate or more likely encourage sending that aircraft to more far reaching
zones (not necessarily better, just further away) to spread out terrain
utilization and save (the closer in) snow for the Semi-Privates on future
days. Since the Client is paying for the helitime, the efficiency issue is
not critical for the company and in fact, the company is in a better
position the more the helicopter flies regardless of the skiing provided
with a private charter. Those are
simply the business incentives of any operator.
Now that you understand this
model. It is our opinion that if you are not filming or trying to ski first
descents of the season on ultra challenging terrain you are better served
in the Semi-Private ship. The other issue
is that if conditions are so marginal that we feel launching a heliday from
the Semi-private will be essentially futile or the early morning conditions
delay a launch we will immediately go Cat skiing and switch out if the
conditions improve or complete the day in the cat. We have found being in the cats, already
skiing, makes our reaction time to improving conditions second to
none.
With the Private ship, window
shopping (flying around looking for a potential hole in the sky or to just
look around) is an option as that heli-time will be billed to the client
either way based on a cumulative minimum contract similar with any
operator.
This type of flying around is
really at client’s and his guide/advisor’s option and of course
at the flight safety discretion of the pilot. The company is not concerned
if you get to ski or not because the helitime is paid essentially either
way.
Competitive
FAQ’s Page
Almost every one does a
significant amount of research before they choose a place for their
Heli-copter adventure. While there
is a diverse amount of experience out there – from folks that are
first time Heli-Skiers to those that have “Heli’d” all
over the world, each of you have specific questions. These FAQs are designed to assist you in
making a decision (and hopefully choosing us). We have researched our competitors
heavily, and believe that what we present here is accurate at time of
publication. If you find
differently, please let at us by dropping a line to
info@valdezhelicamps.com.
What’s the Difference between Valdez Heli-Camps and Mike Wiegle’s or Canadian Mountain Holidays?
Two Words tell the main
difference between us and the British Columbia (BC) Operations: The STEEPS.
The terrain is significantly different between what is available from BC
and the WORLD Famous terrain of Valdez.
The unique weather conditions of Valdez and
the Chugach mountains allow snow to stick
to the sickest verts you have ever laid your eyes on. Remember the term
“extreme skiing” was coined from the pioneer free-style skiers
in Valdez!
Another difference between BC
and VHC is a focus on the quality of your skiing experience. We take
and approach of skiing challenging and diverse terrain seeking out new and
exciting runs over more than 650 sq miles of the Chugach
Mountains. Sometimes this means skiing or snowboarding one at
a time to preserve a high level of safety. We do this with A-Star
helicopters in groups of four riders as apposed to BC Operators using Bell 212 helicopters
with groups of as many as 11 people. What this means is small
well-grouped teams skiing exciting and diverse terrain in fast state of the
art helicopters in the most spectacular heliski terrain in the world.
We have 20 staff for only a maximum of 32 guests. Although the BC Operators
may be considered more luxurious in the accommodation, We do not believe
the experience will leave you with the impression of what heliskiing should
be to you, that of an adventure among skilled friends and one that will
beckon you back for more exploration of yourself and your skiing abilities.
Everything you have done is preparation for a visit to Valdez!!! We guarantee an experience you
will never forget and a chance to meet others who share your sense of
adventure and desire for the mountains.
We recently called Mike
Wiegele’s, since they are now listing two packages (a deluxe and an
“Elite”) that include using the A Star Helicopter on their Web
site. We attempted to get prices for the A-Star Deluxe package (on the
phone), which guarantees 80K vertical feet, and is very similar to our
package. I was told this package was
not available, and that only the 212 was operating for the Deluxe package.
The deluxe 212 package is CAD 9,534.42 – including 3.5% tax. (Or about US$8,110 at today’s
exchange rate). We were hoping to compare “apples to apples”
price wise, but cannot. We offer a better skiing experience (more
challenging terrain, smaller groups) for about $3000.00 less!
Questions to Ask a BC Operator:
What Size Group will I ski in?
What level of Skier do you
usually cater to?
Do you ski the super steeps?
How long does it take to do a
run of 3500 Vertical Feet when there are 12 people in the Helicopter?
How Much Does it cost?
Why Shouldn’t I buy Skiing by the Run?
For many on a budget,
“By-the Run” skiing seems to be a great way to hit the Chugach
inexpensively. At least one operator
has a rate of $109, a run with a ten trip ticket ($1000.00) bring the price
down to $100.00. That is, plus a
fuel Surcharge of at least $8.50 a run.
Ok so for $1085.00 for ten runs or $108.50 a run (with the fuel
surcharge at the current rate – it could go up) you get to go
heli-sking. But what is a
“run”? How long is
it? It’s not specified, so you
may have dropped over $100.00 for a five minute ride. Oh, and by the way, that
“run” just goes down to
the road where you are picked up at the bottom by a Van (or perhaps forced
to walk back to base camp)
So what’s the
alternative? A Punch Card from Valdez
Heli-Camps! How about 25,000
vertical feet for $999? That’s about 10 2,500 vertical foot
runs. But because the nature of the
punchcard being a “seat filler” You ski in the same place our
clients paying $6000 a week go (and with them)!
Absolutely no one has a better
deal than that in the world!
Questions to Ask about “By
the run”:
How long is a run?
How much is it per run?
Do you ski the super steeps on a
per run deal?
Are there any additional charges
I should know about?
Do Heli Ski Companies have Hidden Charges?
Well yes, many of them have
additional Charges. So when you are
comparing Services based on price, make sure you have all the facts!
The biggest one is Fuel! Yes there are fuel Surcharges at many
operations, adding around $250/week to your costs. Some are “tax extra”. Others charge you for safety Gear, like
avalanche, beacons, probes, shovels and a backpack to carry all you stuff
in. This can all can add up to extra
money when you look at the “bottom line”
With Valdez Heli-Camp, are
prices include everything you need for a ski day with us except for Skis or
board rental (and lunch is extra for Punch Card Clients). Safety gear is included and we REQUIRE
you to use our beacons, because that way we’re sure they work!
Questions to Ask about
“Extra Charges”:
Is there tax associated with
your trips?
What gear is required that I
have to pay for?
Do you have a Fuel Surcharge?
Are there any additional charges
I should know about?
Will Heli-Ski Operations Say Anything to get
me to come?
Well, yes! Many operators imply or out right say
things that are not true about them or their competitors. The whole reason we have taken the time
to prepare this area of our website is to help you cut through
misinformation in the industry. Big
Lies? Cat Skiing as a back up on
down days. Only one other operator we know of owns and operates a cat. That operator also sells Cat skiing (and
actually charges extra to use the cat on down days). If an Operator doesn’t sell it, it probably
doesn’t operate its own for back-up.
Same thing for other “Down Day” activities, if it is
more than ice climbing (which most ski mountaineering guides can teach and
help with), it is probably going to cost you extra. They will also speak of Exclusive Terrain
and Long runs, but if you “travel too far” on a particular day
you could loose a half day of Skiing!
Questions to Ask about
Inconsistent information:
Do you offer Cat Skiing as a
Back up?
How much does it cost?
Do you offer just Cat Skiing
packages? Why Not if you have a Cat?
What other “Down
day” activities do you have? How
much do they cost?
How long have your Guides been working for you? How much heliskiing experience do they
have?
How experienced are you
pilots? How many years have they
operated in Alaska?
Do you have a Medical Doctor on
Staff?
Under what circumstances can a
loose my reservation and miss my full day of skiing?
What about offers that include days of skiing
or numbers of runs over a non-specific timeframes? I’ve seen packages
that are less money than yours and allow me to pick 3 days I want to fly in
the Heli over a five day period.
This sounds like a great deal since I hear that the weather can keep
us from flying!
At least two of our competitors
offer packages that allow you book a trip that provides day you
“pick” to fly over a long period. You think you have a “Booked
Trip”. What you really have is
a “Stand by” reservation.
You usually do this when you are on a budget and want to maximize
your chances to Get your Heli-skiing in.
Alaska Operators all use similar
Helicopters with similar capacities.
Most ski in groups of four with one guide, with at least one
operator running five to a heli group.
It is our experience that
running four groups of four out of one Heli is optimum for all
involved. Logistically, we can
service each group and make sure there is “no” or VERY limited
waiting between runs. Most of the
time the helicopter is waiting for you as you finish up your run, then five
minutes later you begin the next one!
The issue with the 3
“non-Specific Days” is that EVERYBODY wants to ski the BLUEBIRD
days. So what happens if everyone
else booked for a particular week wants to go when you want to go
(especially if the weather has been bad early in the week). There are only two choices:
1. You (or some one else) gets
“Bumped” and doesn’t get to fly or
2. The operator attempts to
service five or more groups with one Heli that day to accommodate everyone
(of course this means you are waiting for some time between runs).
Depending upon how many groups
you have to get serviced, one or two runs may be your “day” or
your runs may be quite short.
So what are your alternatives?
The least expensive option is
our Vertical Foot Punch Card. This is a standby program (but hey, this is
what you are considering with the other guys anyway). We can’t guarantee you a seat, but
we will share with you what our reservations are looking like for a
specific period. Since we sell this
as a space-filler, we will not guarantee that groups will ski together (but
neither will the other guys).
Pricing? How about 20 runs of
about 2500 vertical feet (around three days of skiing) for about 95 bucks a
run?
Also, there’s the snow
cat! All all-inclusive snow Cat
options are relatively inexpensive (start at $1299 per person) and include
all your food and lodging. With
these packages, you can choose to upgrade to the Heli for around $600 on
any day you’d like (and we have space available).
Questions to Ask Operators
Offering “pick the day” packages:
How many Groups will be serviced
with one Helicopter?
How many groups will you book
for this week?
How long is a
“run”. Is this length
guaranteed?
How many Runs in a day? Are daily runs guaranteed?
What about options
that charge per seat on an hourly basis based on flight time in the
helicopter?
At
least one of the operators in Alaska
sells there helisking by the hour.
This operator prides itself by having its Heli pad right out side
the lodge so there are no “transit” times to the helis each
day. That’s fine, but there
are transit times to the area where they ski, AND YOU PAY FOR THAT! A lot.
Figure if it takes 10 minutes to get to where you are going to ski
and 10 minute to get back, that’s twenty minutes a day or two hours
over a six day ski week. That’s about $1300 just to get to
skiing. If you average six runs a
day, at about 5 minutes of lift between runs (another 30 minutes or so)
means another 3 hours over six days or another $3900. This makes your Ski week $5200 (just for
skiing). And these numbers are
conservative!
The
alternative? Our Six day/Seven night
all-inclusive packages (learn more here[link] include 80,000 vertical feet
of skiing. You are charged by what
you ski, not how long it took you to get there! If you get more vertical in than the
package guarantees, you pay simply $25 per vertical foot (hey, if you
don’t achieve your vertical, we credit you back at the same $25 per
vertical foot).
Questions to Ask Operators
charging on a “per hour” basis:
How many hours can I expect to
use to get back and forth to the ski area each day?
How much time can I expect to be
charged each day?
If we go and try to find a place
to ski when there are poor conditions, and I don’t ski, will I still
be charged?
What if I booked a trip and
don’t want to go on a particular day, will I still be charged?
Will I get to see the hour (Hobbs) meter to see
that I am being charged correctly?
How do snowcat
reserve options work with heliski packages?
There
is only one other operator we are aware of that has Cat Skiing as an option.
The difference is that they do not offer the backup as part of the
package, If you want Cat Skiing as a
back-up with them, it cost around $250 extra, just to have that option.
The
alternative?
Priority
seating in our snowcats is included with your helicopter skiing
package. If we utilize snowcats for
a day when helicopter skiing is scheduled your vertical guarantee account
will only be charged a maximum of 9000 feet. The rate is $25 per thousand
feet. If you do not heliski for an
entire day while using the snowcats due to weather, your real cost is $225
for your priority seat. We normally achieve 12,000 to 14,000 vertical feet
on a full day of snowcat skiing! The snowcats are used to keep our groups
skiing and are the best alternative to waiting around for the weather to
break for flying. Only Valdez
Heli-Camps can offer this combination of incredible terrain and access by
helicopters or snowcats. Our
Snowcats are at your disposal and require no additional commitment or cost
to you to have this option for skiing or riding on days when others are
“stopped in their tracks. “ The fastest reaction time to
improving flying weather takes you to the helicopters at the first
available opportunity right from your snowcat in just minutes.
Questions to Ask Operators
Offering Snow Cat Reserve options:
Is my seat guaranteed?
How much does it cost?
What if I don’t need to
use the Cat? Do I get a refund?
What about permit
areas and land use?
While each operator in Alaska has some
“excusive” terrain, the majority is open to General Use by
permit. Essentially this means that
most of the areas are open to all the Operators, and that, for the most
part, all the operators can ski everywhere.
That’s not to say that each of us doesn’t have our own
favorite places to go! Also, with
650 square miles in the permit area, it’s probable that you
won’t see anybody sharing your heli with you, let alone another
operator. The Chugach offers a
wide-variety of terrain that can suit most ability level and desire for
Super Steeps. Most of the most desirable terrain (and where everybody skis)
is in the “Generally Allowed Use” area. Which means that claims of “we have
the longest runs”, by anybody, is just darn untrue!
Questions to Ask Operators about
Terrain:
Do you have a State of Alaska
Department of Natural Resources (DNR)?
Do you have a US Bureau of Land
Management Permit?
How much of the terrain you
advertise is actually exclusive to you?
How often do you actually use
this exclusive terrain?
Please try links from our site
map below
to help you
The
Heli Ski Experience
Helicopter
Skiing (Powder ski
rental available)
Heli Snowboarding (Snowboard rental available)
Snow
Cat Skiing (Packages and
Heli Backup)
Ability Requirements
Safety
Why Valdez Heli Camps?
Rate,
Trips and Packages
All
Inclusive Multi day Heli Ski vacations Heli time, accomodation, food...
Private Heli Ski Charters. Ideal for
Filming and independent groups
Vertical Feet Punch Cards. "For
riders and skiiers with more time than money"
Daily Helicopter Skiing.
Daily Snowcat Skiing.
Sound to Summit - Special spring trip
Tour huts.
More information
F.A.Q.
Getting to
Valdez Alaska
Weather and
current conditions
About Us
Our
Facilities
Our
Equipment
Your Ski Guides
Ski and
Snowboard rental
Sponsors
Lodging
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Fun
Testimonials
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