HELI-SKIING
Heli skiing (Heli-skiing) and heli ski (heli-ski) vacations in Alaska

Vertical thrills:
Heli-skiing an option for backcountry thrill-seekers

heli-skiing in Alaska
Photo: © Craig Lindh, Alaska Division of Tourism




The idea of plunging out of a helicopter onto an almost vertical slope of snow-swaddled mountain can make the head swim. It’s the kind of thing that you might associate with the extreme skiers of action videos. Yet in Alaska, heli-skiing is becoming a sport for the average — well, let’s face it, the “above-average” skier.

The heli-skiing season runs in late winter, from about February through April, when snow conditions are optimal, there’s lots of light and flying conditions the safest. The most popular areas for heli-skiing in Alaska include the Prince William Sound communities of Valdez and Cordova, Girdwood in Southcentral Alaska and the Southeast Inside Passage communities of Haines and Juneau.

“We offer five- and seven-day packages, depending on what you want to do,” said Jill Kief of Chugach Powder Guides out of Girdwood. “Everyone gets a safety briefing and a transceiver drill... Depending on the package, you can ski 50,000 to 60,000 vertical feet... Typically, you’re getting about eight to 10 runs a day.”

Below is a just a sampling of the heli-skiing operators in Alaska:

Chugach Powder Guides, Girdwood:
(907) 783-HELI, ww.chugachpowderguides.com

Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures, Haines:
(877) 617-3418, skiseaba.com

Out of Bounds Adventures, Haines:
(907) 767-5745, www.alaskaheliskiing.com

Points North Heli-Adventures, Cordova:
(877) 787-6784, www.alaskaheliski.com

Valdez Heli-Camps. Valdez:
(907) 783-3243, www.valdezhelicamps.com

Valdez Heli-Ski Guides, Valdez:
(907) 835-4528, www.valdezheliskiguides.com


For those who would rather view heli-skiing as a spectator, Valdez holds its annual Chugach Mountain Festival in April. The 10-day event includes the Adrenaline Film Festival, Sloppy Cup Mountain Bike Race, the Alaska Pipeline Raid for orienteering enthusiasts, and, of course, the World Free Skiing Championships.



THINGS TO DO

 Bagging the Parks
Birding
Cycling
Digging
Dog Mushing
Driving
Fishing
Flightseeing
Four Wheeling
Golfing
Heli-Skiing
Hiking
Museuming
Northern Lights
Photo Safarying
Rail Riding
Skiing
Snow Biking
Snowmachining
Wildlife Watching








Summer Alaska Activities

Reserve a Forest Service cabin and camp for the weekend

Plan a personalized outdoor adventure with the Alaska Public Lands Information Center

Drive the highways of the state, including several scenic byways, for the ultimate road trip

Take the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry from port to port

Explore the National and State Parks located throughout the state

Be on the lookout for wildlife, including eagles, moose, whales, bears, Dall sheep, caribou, lynx, musk oxen and mountain goats

Winter Alaska Activities

Cross country ski on either groomed trails or backcountry terrain

Ice skate on frozen lakes and ponds in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau

Ride in a dog sled on short tours or longer, overnight adventures

Power your way through the snow in designated snowmobile areas

Ice fish for trout and char on area lakes and rivers

Watch the beginning or end of any number of sled dog races, including the Yukon Quest

International Sled Dog Race, sprint and mid-distance sled dog races statewide and the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

See amazing works of ice art at ice sculpture competitions


Alaska Fun Facts

NAME
The name of Alaska comes from the Aleut work Alyeska, meaning The Great Land.

MOTTO
The motto of Alaska, North to the Future, was the wining entry in the 1963 contest to find a motto and emblem that best represents the state of Alaska. The motto was officially adopted in 1967.

GLACIERS
Alaska has an estimated 100,000 glaciers, which cover almost five percent of the state. There are more active glaciers in Alaska than in the rest of the inhabited world.

BALD EAGLES
The largest known concentration of bald eagles, over 3,000, converges near Haines from October through January to feed on late run salmon in the Chilkat River.

WATER
Alaska has 3 million lakes, over 3,000 rivers and more coastline (47,300 miles) than the entire continental United States.