Hiking And Helicopter Skiing Canada: The Ultimate Backcountry Adventure 

 

For the best hiking and helicopter skiing Canada has to offer, book your next adventure through Pure Powder. Champagne powder and sprawling, pristine slopes await you in Canada’s remote backcountry, and here, in the heart of British Columbia’s interior ranges, Pure Powder has teamed up with industry legend CMH (Canadian Mountain Holidays) to offer unmatched access to deep powder, rugged terrain, and unforgettable alpine exploits. From exhilarating heli-skiing runs to serene heli hiking explorations, a hiking and/or helicopter skiing Canada trip is the perfect way to experience nature and indulge in dazzling powder-perfect backcountry adventures.

 

In this quick read, we will be breaking down what to expect from a CMH helicopter skiing trip as well as the many heli hiking opportunities available to you when you book a backcountry adventure through Pure Powder. Keep reading to learn more and discover why Canada is considered the birthplace of heli skiing, what makes CMH lodges so unique, and how Pure Powder helps tailor each journey to your tastes. Whether you’re chasing adrenaline-fueled descents during prime ski season or seeking a peaceful alpine escape in the summer, we will work to organise a heli hiking or heli skiing trip that fits your preferences.

 

Heli Hiking VS Helicopter Skiing: Canada

 

Before we get into the details of what our heli hiking and heli skiing trips entail, ask yourself: “What kind of backcountry adventure am I after?” Are you most interested in a mid-season heli skiing trip filled with fresh powder, or would you prefer a summer escape into wildflower basins and snowy ridges on a rewarding and rejuvenating heli hike?

 

Some of the best heli hiking and helicopter skiing Canada has to offer can even be enjoyed in a single extended trip. Alternatively, you could spend some of the summer familiarising yourself with the mountain scenery, finding your footing on the rocks, practising your pacing, and getting to know your guides. Then, when winter returns, you can come back to the same dramatic peaks, this time with skis at the ready, and carve through legendary champagne powder with CMH’s expert team leading the way.

 

Extending your heli hiking/helicopter skiing Canada adventure or planning a return trip allows you to experience the mountains in two completely different ways, each equally unforgettable, and no matter which season you choose, you’ll have the comfort of CMH’s world-class lodges and cabins waiting for you at the end of the day.

 

From rustic backcountry retreats surrounded by pristine snow to luxurious, cosy lodges complete with gourmet meals, hot tubs, and crackling fireplaces, your downtime becomes as much a part of the adventure as the time you spend in the mountains. Whether you’re swapping heli skiing stories with fellow travellers or unwinding in solitude with breathtaking alpine views, the CMH lodges are set up to elevate your heli trip into a truly all-encompassing Canadian wilderness experience.

 

Heli Hiking With CMH And Pure Powder

 

Heli hiking offers a rare opportunity to access Canada’s most remote and pristine wilderness with ease. Each day begins at one of CMH’s exclusive backcountry lodges, where guests can enjoy a delicious breakfast before being grouped according to pace, fitness level, and terrain preference. From there, a helicopter transports each group directly into untouched alpine environments that would otherwise take much longer to reach on foot.

 

The helicopter functions as both transport and enabler, allowing for multiple drop-offs and pick-ups throughout the day. Guests can begin a hike in one alpine zone and finish in another, with the aircraft providing seamless transitions between locations. This unique approach maximises exploration while minimising unnecessary exertion, making it possible to experience a remarkable variety of landscapes within a single day. Should guests wish to shorten their time on the trail, guides can arrange for an early return to the lodge, where relaxation and leisure facilities await.

 

One of the defining features of heli hiking with CMH is its inclusivity. Guests may select a group that best reflects their own goals and energy levels, ranging from leisurely exploratory walks to more demanding hikes involving significant elevation gain. This flexibility ensures that every participant, whether a casual walker or an experienced adventurer, is able to enjoy the backcountry at a comfortable and rewarding pace.

 

Specialised Programs: For those seeking something beyond traditional hiking, CMH also offers themed experiences that incorporate activities like ferrata climbing, trail running, photography workshops, and even art or culinary retreats. These specialised programs provide guests with the opportunity to combine active exploration with creative or cultural pursuits.

 

 

Heli Hiking And Helicopter Skiing Canada: Lodging Options

 

Heli hiking in Canada is based out of three distinct CMH lodges: Bugaboos, Bobbie Burns, and Cariboos (and some of our heli skiing trips are also hosted from these lodges, among others). All of the CMH lodges combine rustic charm with modern comfort, offering plenty of luxury amenities including hot tubs, massage services, and communal lounges. Evenings are centred on family-style dinners followed by the chance to relax with fellow guests, reflect on the day’s achievements, and soak in the solitude of the surrounding wilderness.

 

Bugaboos Lodge is located in iconic alpine settings where dramatic granite spires rise above expansive glaciers, while the Bobbie Burns Lodge offers a varied landscape of canyons, ridges, and lakes, ideal for more adventurous hiking. The Cariboos Lodge is remote and secluded, with glacial vistas, waterfalls, wildflower meadows in the summer, and pristine powder in abundance during peak ski season.

 

Helicopter Skiing Canada: Pure Powder And CMH

 

Canada is widely recognised as the home of heli skiing, and CMH remains the most established and trusted operator in the field. Founded in 1965, CMH pioneered the concept of using helicopters to access remote ski terrain, and today, they manage more than three million acres of exclusive terrain across the Columbia Mountains. In partnership with Pure Powder, guests have the opportunity to enjoy this heritage with the assurance of world-class safety standards, expert guides, and unmatched access to deep, reliable snow.

 

The Columbia Mountains are renowned for receiving an average of 12 to 15 metres of snow each year, and this champagne powder, coupled with a vast variety of terrain (everything from steep chutes and tree runs to expansive alpine bowls), ensures that every skier can experience challenges and exhilaration to suit their style and ability. Each helicopter group is small and carefully curated, enabling guides to match skiers with appropriate terrain while maximising time spent on the snow.

 

A heli skiing day begins at the lodge with a comprehensive safety briefing, followed by a helicopter transfer into the backcountry. Skiers spend the day completing multiple runs, with the helicopter transporting them from one descent to the next. The pace and intensity of the day will vary according to group preference, with options ranging from steep vertical descents to more measured explorations of the terrain.

 

Helicopter Skiing Canada: How Pure Powder Curates Backcountry Adventures

 

When picturing helicopter skiing, many people tend to imagine extreme action, with skiers leaping from a helicopter at breakneck speeds. In reality, this is far from the truth. The true appeal of heli skiing and what sets it apart is the ability to leave behind the queues and busy pistes of traditional resorts and instead enjoy safe transportation directly into pristine, untouched wilderness. With untouched expanses of powder snow available for skiing, this adventure is marked not by blockbuster action but by carving fresh tracks in the vast backcountry.

 

While there are certainly destinations where steep, technical terrain is available, that is not our primary aim when organising your heli skiing trip. As mentioned, the real advantage of heli skiing is the chance to enjoy run after run of untracked powder, away from the crowds and noise of resort skiing, and we strive to provide our customers with exactly that: an unforgettable trip into untouched terrain, free from the hassle of regular ski resorts.

 

 

Another misconception is that heli skiing is only for expert skiers, but this is far from the truth. A strong-intermediate level of piste skiing is generally sufficient, and for those new to powder, we provide guidance and coaching to help ease the transition into helicopter skiing. With a variety of trip locations available, some are best suited to seasoned powder enthusiasts, while others are ideal for those experiencing it for the first time.

 

Our goal is to move away from the idea of heli skiing as an “extreme sport” and instead highlight its accessibility and enjoyment. If you are confident on-piste and consider yourself a solid intermediate skier, you are most likely ready to try your hand at heli skiing. Powder snow requires a short period of adjustment, but we’ve found that most guests are able to quickly adapt to this new skiing style and enjoy the thrills this rewarding experience can offer.

 

CMH is committed to accessibility and offers a range of tailored programs to suit a variety of ski levels. The Powder Introduction heli skiing Canada trip is ideal for strong intermediate skiers experiencing heli skiing for the first time, while the Steep Shots and Pillow Drops heli skiing Canada trip is designed for advanced skiers searching for technical challenges.

 

The Classic Heli Skiing is often touted as the quintessential CMH experience, blending a mix of terrain for well-rounded skiers to enjoy, and the Powder Masters Helicopter skiing Canada trip is curated for seasoned skiers who appreciate a measured pace with time to explore and soak in the natural surroundings. When you book your trip through Pure Powder, we make sure to carefully assess your skiing skill level before confirming a booking. This allows us to tailor each trip to match individual experience levels and secure a safe, enjoyable, and truly unforgettable helicopter skiing adventure

 

Helicopter Skiing Canada: Pure Powder Makes Preparation Easy

 

Pure Powder is one of the most renowned heli skiing specialists in the United Kingdom, and our love for the sport and commitment to organising exciting, accommodating helicopter skiing trips across the globe is what has earned us this title. If you are interested in adventuring out in the backcountry and consider yourself to be a strong, intermediate-level piste skier, one of our heli skiing trips might just be the perfect addition to your holiday agenda. We organise more heli skiing journeys than every other business in the UK combined, so you can be sure that you are in capable hands when you book a helicopter skiing trip through Pure Powder.

 

Operating in the heli skiing scene since 1978, we have plenty of experience and honed expertise to put together the perfect helicopter skiing trip to suit your ski level and preferences. Throughout our time in the industry, we have committed to crafting high-quality heli skiing adventures with a thorough and meticulous attention to detail that has earned us a long line of satisfied customers singing our praises. If you need a little more convincing, take a look at our testimonials to hear what some of our veteran Pure Powder clients have to say.

 

 

We offer a range of different heli skiing trips to suit different budgets and can guarantee you that our trips never cost you more than they would through an operator, and sometimes they are even less expensive, so don’t hesitate to get in contact and book your next (or first) heli hiking and heli skiing adventure in Canada today!