BREAKING DOWN THE MYTHS HELISKIING IN THE SOUTHERN ALPS
The mountains around Queenstown and Wanaka have been calling people from around the world for years to experience some of the Southern Hemisphere’s finest skiing. With a number of modern and high quality ski fields easily accessible from either resort town, there are plenty of choices for locals and visitors alike.
But they say where the ski boundaries end, lies the holy grail for both intrepid explorers and weekend warriors alike. This smooth powder of the backcountry is home to heliskiers.
Some of the big questions for potential first timers is are they good enough. Don’t you need to be a mountain goat or a professional skier to go heliskiing? Surely it is too steep and gnarly for the average skier? According to James Hamilton, General Manager of Southern Lakes Heliski, “No that’s a myth. If you can ski or board a blue run on your favourite mountain, then you can have a great day out heliskiing”.
Last season, according to Hamilton, the majority of visitors to Queenstown and Wanaka who took to the air, were intermediate skiers or boarders who wanted to experience the thrill of being flown by helicopter to the best snow conditions in the region and skiing fresh lines every run. They wanted
to escape the crowds and experience something memorable. “There are always the powder hounds who ski with us year after year, but the biggest area of growth for us is the intermediate skier, especially females.”
In addition, Queenstown and Wanaka are also one of the few regions in the world where you can heliski for a reasonable price with options for the number of runs, rather than the more typical multi-day heliski resorts of the Northern Hemisphere. With Southern Lakes Heliski you can tailor the day to your interests and ability.
Southern Lakes Heliski has been operating guided heliski services since 1985. What started out as a small collective of mountain enthusiasts looking to share their passion of the back country has grown considerably to become a high profile established business. With operational bases in both Queenstown and Wanaka, Southern Lakes Heliski remains locally owned to this day and remains dedicated to providing exceptional heliski experiences to their clients.
Southern Lakes Heliski clients choose from 4, 6 or 8 runs to suit their budget and ability level, and there is also the opportunity to add extra runs on the day. This year they have also added a new 10-run day, catering for guests who just can’t get enough, “We call this the Powder Pig and it has already received a lot of interest”, say Hamilton.
Another upgrade option is the Fly-in, Fly-out which allows skiers a longer scenic flight to and from the staging area with guaranteed first runs. Daily heliskiing packages take a full day which begin at 7.45am with a weather call, and end at around 5pm just in time to enjoy après at one of the busy bars in either downtown Wanaka or Queenstown.
A growing number of skiers choose to charter a helicopter and guide for the day giving them absolute exclusivity and the fun of skiing in a small group with friends, work colleagues or family. Heliski charters start at $5,800 for the Fresh Tracks charter, allowing locals to be back at their desks before lunch or for visitors with an afternoon departure flight. Their Unlimited Charter at $13,995, provides the absolute ultimate in heliski heaven with all the skiing your legs can handle.
Another highlight of all Southern Lakes Heliski trips is the lunches they provide for guests in the mountains, with warm hearty soups, cold meats and fresh salads, as well as great handmade sweet slices to provide energy for an afternoon on the mountain.
After more than 30 years of operation, the company still carries that passion for the mountains, and even has some of the original guides still working for them. They boast the largest terrain area out of any other heliski operator in the Southern Lakes region with access to over 17 different mountain ranges that provide over 800 runs, catering for intermediate to expert skiers or snowboarders.
Everything is included except for ski or snowboard equipment, which can easily be arranged through local rental partnerships. After being collected from their accommodation, guests are allocated a professional guide, provided with safety equipment and given thorough instruction on its use. Groups of skiers are then driven to the staging areas, before being flown by helicopter into the mountains. It’s a spectacular day that people talk about for years and often come back time and time again to recreate. Prices start from $1,060 per person.
With ever increasing international arrivals and the introduction of night flights coming into Queenstown there is more and more opportunity to visit this Southern Lakes region. Whether it’s a ski adventure for a week or just a winter weekend away, a day heli skiing for skiers of any level really will be the icing on the cake.
For more information about Southern Lakes Heliski, find them at www.southernlakesheliski.com or stay up to date with the local snow conditions on Facebook or Instagram at @southernlakesheliski