Alaska is big, raw and untamed in a way that is impossible to describe until you have experienced it. Whether you get your thrills on skis or not, Alaska is somewhere everyone should visit at least once in their lives. If you are a skier or snowboarder, Alaska's heli-skiing potential is mind-blowing.
With warm, moist air flowing off the Pacific and mixing with the cooler arctic air of the Alaskan interior, the result is deep snow that can stick to near vertical faces before drying out for some of the steepest, most exciting heli-skiiing and heli-boarding in the world for strong skiers and riders. The Chugach mountain range around Valdez is perhaps the most famous, but other areas such as the Tordrillos, Talkeetnas and Alaskan ranges also have great powder skiing potential. Although famous for the big, steep lines in the movies, "AK" has plenty of terrain to keep the less vertically inclined happy.
As well as steep skiing, Alaska is renowned for fickle weather so understanding the risk of downtime, and how to mitigate this, is an important part of planning a heli-ski trip to Alaska. Bases in strategic locations and the number of groups per helicopter are two of the most important factors for maximising your heli-skiing time in Alaska as soon as the weather allows. Lodges range from basic to luxurious so deciding if you want a place to enjoy hanging out while waiting for the storm to pass or to save your money skiing or snowboarding is essential. Trips can also include a warm-up stay in a resort like Alyeska.
Planned right and with a bit of luck. Alaska can deliver the ski or snowboard trip of a lifetime so speak to an expert to start your planning.
