British Columbia’s backcountry is well known for its pristine snow and varied terrain. And there’s no better way to experience it than by going on a heli skiing tour! The best thing about this BC’s West Coast tour might just be its ever-changing location—that’s right, every day you’ll switch touring spots and feel the thrill of gliding in different areas and on different terrain. All the while a trusted, ACMG-certified guide will be by your side, helping you achieve your objectives and hone your skills in Garibaldi, off the Sea to Summit Gondola, Whistler, and Tantalus. After long days out, you’ll retreat to your chalet accommodation in Squamish.
Make sure to arrive to Squamish a day prior to your first day in the field. Your accommodation for the duration of this tour is the cozy Cloudraker Chalet, where your guide will meet you and review the plan for the upcoming days. Get a good night’s sleep.
Accommodation: Cloudraker Chalet in Squamish
Meet your guide and your group in Squamish, where you’ll be based in the Cloudraker Chalet for the duration of this tour. Kick things off with heli-access ski touring off Garibaldi—and a possible summit as well.
Accommodation: Cloudraker Chalet in Squamish
Depending on the group and the conditions, today you’ll either ski tour off the Sea to Sky Gondola or Whistler.
Accommodation: Cloudraker Chalet in Squamish
On the third day, you’ve got helicopter-access ski touring in the Tantalus Zone.
Accommodation: Cloudraker Chalet in Squamish
As cherry on top of this backcountry skiing adventure, you’ll be doing some heli skiing for your final day on BC’s powder!
The order of the days can change depending on weather conditions, as it’s not possible to fly on cloudy days. You’ll still get to use those stormy days anyway since they’re the best for tree skiing. Sunny days are reserved for heli-accessed terrain.
Included:
Not included:
To enjoy this backcountry skiing adventure on BC’s West Coast, you need to have at least some backcountry skiing experience. Participants should feel comfortable skiing on various types of terrain and have a good understanding of the basics of backcountry skiing. Other than that, your ACMG-certified guides can accommodate almost any ability level, help you with your skills, and coach when things get a bit more difficult.
To participate in this tour, you need to have at least some previous backcountry skiing experience.
If you’re looking for a day-long adventure suitable for beginners in BC, check out backcountry skiing in Duffey Lake.
Liability waivers are a standard part of all guided outdoor adventures. Recently, the requirements have become a bit more rigorous for ACMG guides—meaning that you’ll need to agree to the signing of the waiver at the time of booking.
Prior to booking, we ask you to review the waiver. During the checkout process, you’ll have to acknowledge the risks and agree to the signing of the waiver. You are required to bring a printed copy on the trip.
Please note that signing and agreeing to the terms of the waiver is required in order to join this adventure. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us prior to booking.
For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
This is a list of clothing we recommend you bring:
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All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent avalanche safety pack, including a backpack, beacon, shovel and probe with your guides in the booking process.
You can rent alpine touring or telemark skis (or splitboard) touring boots, and poles in Squamish from Urban Alpine, Spicy Sports, and Evo. As Squamish is an outdoor hub, there’s a multitude of more rental shops to choose from.
Ski rental locations are in Squamish and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.
Group sizes and prices:
Backcountry skiing in BC’s West Coast can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has skiers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to Squamish, most people fly into Vancouver International Airport (YVR), 1 hour from Whistler. From there, you can rent a car or take a shuttle service.
Accommodation is included for the day prior to skiing, so make sure to check into the Cloudraker Chalet in Squamish and have a good night’s rest. Your guide will meet you there and review the plan for Day 1.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both medical and travel protection. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!