Majestic Heliski, located in Alaska, has put together a list of the Top 10 Myths about heli-skiing.
Here is a look at the first 5
1. You have to jump out of the helicopter
You might snicker at this one, but a surprising number of skiers think that we make you jump out of the helicopter. Unless your name is James Bond and you are in a hurry to chase some kind of demented snow villain down a mountain, there is no jumping out of the helicopter. Each run starts with the pilot landing the helicopter and before we unload. The biggest step you’ll make out of the helicopter is about the same size as taking a step out of an SUV. We’ll leave the jumping out of helicopters to 007.
2. You have to be a top-notch expert to go heli skiing
This is another myth perpetuated by the movies. The reality is that most of our guests tend to ski at a strong intermediate to expert level. If you can ski a tough Blue Square run in any condition or a single Black Diamond with minor difficulties, then we can take you to heli ski terrain that fits you. Our guests come because they value their time and want a quality ski experience with memories that last a lifetime. We have over a million acres of terrain to choose from (more than twice the size of Rhode Island), we can match our runs to fit your skill level and desires.
3. The snow in Alaska is real heavy
While it’s true that the snow is not as light and dry as the famous champagne powder of Utah, it has nowhere near the heavy consistency of West Coast skiing. Alaska’s snow is unique in that it’s a “medium” type of powder that tends ski beautifully. Alaska is colder than California or Washington State – hence the lighter powder qualities. Some connoisseurs consider it the finest powder skiing in the world – we agree with that statement!
4. Helicopter skiing is expensive
I would argue yes and no about this myth. Unfortunately, there is nothing inexpensive about being flown around in a private helicopter. But when you consider that our price is fully-inclusive and the unique experience of being dropped off on the top of a giant mountain Alaska’s Chugach Range, you quickly realize that it’s an experience that will bring memories that last a lifetime. When you compare the expense to a weeklong vacation at a top resort such as Vail or Aspen, the costs can be very similar. It’s not often that you can stand on a distant peak, have the entire mountain to yourself, and ski a perfect powder run and not have to worry about crowds or lift lines! There’s a reason it’s on everyone’s bucketlist. When are you going to tick it off?
5. Helicopters cause avalanches
This is another myth that makes some of us snicker because we saw it in a Bugs Bunny cartoon, but others believe it to be true. It turns out that sounds (or yodeling) does not cause avalanches. There even is an episode of Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel that debunks this falsehood. The good news is that the snow in Alaska is notably more stable and less likely to avalanche than the snow in the lower 48, which is part of what makes Alaska such a great place to go helicopter skiing. Feel free to yodel when it strikes you!