An unforgettable heli-skiing experience
For me, the pursuit of big, big adventure is mostly tied to the privilege of access. And so, snowboarding by helicopter to the absolute most remote slopes in the middle of gelid Canada—that’s where I happened to find my adventure. Though I was wholly unprepared.
That’s because this secret world of snow—perhaps the most luxurious part of this particular adventure—encompassed not only the facilities at the lodge but also the admittance to otherwise unreachable realms. And I specifically sought this memorable kind of snow.
A helicopter was required to gain entry to this pristine, undefiled world high up in the Canadian mountains. Because a heli and a simple snowboard can take you as close as you can get to this unsullied beauty, I’m convinced exploring this terrain in this way must be how the gods intended it.
Unprecedented Heights
Heading out to the slopes takes some practice, with the serious threat of avalanches in such virgin territory. Guides take snowboarders through a series of checks and safety drills before the adventures begin. Being kitted out with radios, a special avalanche-lung that could save your life, and a tight backpack filled with emergency goodies, with all of it strapped to the snow gear—I guess it’s part of the fun. It was during this prep that I discovered everyone else in my group was either an Olympic athlete, or had been training for this excursion, for years and years.
Just then, the giant steel helicopter swooped down towards us as we huddled in the snow spray. The realization of my absolute incompetence and the majesty of the pending adventure took away any breath, almost immediately.
Once the helicopter was packed with our group, it gently lifted and headed skywards to find the most remote parts of the mountains where it could complete its scheduled drop-off. Perching on a slight, snowy heap, the helicopter dropped us off, with all our gear and big smiles, and left us to discover the white bliss that now unfolded. Some call it nirvana at this point as the slopes become both convex and concave all around, with sound traveling simultaneously faster and slower in all the whiteness. I call it madness.
Photo By Grant Gunderson (left), Photo By Craig McGee (right)
But nevertheless, I was in a state of absolute thrill. Although I should have understated my snow abilities. I had snowboarded a few times a year in Telluride and also in Austria, but this was a little different. The skies touch the slopes at that elevation and the crispness of the air kisses and caresses playfully. When the sun decided to come out, it was as if the sky fit heaven, and when it came to cruising down slopes, well, that was all about a sense of freedom.
With no tracks, tree runs, and at some places deep powder, the thrill and shock of uncombed terrain before me, I finally understood. I was possessed by the free spirit of snowboarding that found its way to my board and ultimately onto the whiteness below—and I hoped this would smooth my way. I admit I started to feel pretty good, perhaps high on the lack of oxygen at that altitude.
The Edge Of Adventure
Picture this—I was standing with my snowboard, thousands of feet up on a mountain’s edge, and my group was headed down the insane, steepest-of-the-steep mountainside. Silence. The loudest silence of my entire life. I could only hear my own breathing, which at that point became a little louder, unsurprisingly.
How was I supposed to do this?
I tried to remember every childhood ski lesson, then combine it with my sincere love for snowboarding and a meditative concentration aided by the silence. I was determined to get myself down to earth again. Luckily, I noticed our training guide waiting a little ahead of me; he seemed convinced that I knew what to do.
And believe me, if you’ve been in Canadian snow, it’s mostly powder. Once you’re moving, you have to stay in motion or the object in motion will sink into a tree well, or worse. I pushed my board forward just a smidge, pause. A little more, pause.
It must have been some crazy mountain god like Ullr who decided not to allow this silly New Yorker to make a fool of himself. But my body machine mechanism stood up all duck-footed, found a kink in my knees and a swagger in my turns. Beyoncé played somewhere in the back of my mind, and I moved with a speed that I didn’t know I was capable of. Methodically, applying everything I knew about keeping myself safe and tapping into my essential nature of making things up as I go…
It was me, and the silence, and suddenly things were perfectly jammy for me—all the way down the mountain.
And yes, I loved it.
So, you’re ready to go? Book this:
Gothics Lodge, Canada
North of Canada’s famed snow area, Banff, is where the pioneers of heli-skiing and boarding unveiled Gothics high up in the Columbia Mountains just a few years ago. This casual-style mountain lodge, redesigned by Portland-based design firm Skylab Architecture, is for serious snow junkies. Besides the communal-style eating hall, overstocked wine cellar, games and yoga areas, and comfortable low-slung lounging, plus a fireplace, it also offers a private helicopter complete with guides. This lodge is for boarders seeking the ultimate freedom on the slopes, ranging from steep and deep to open alpine runs, tree boarding, and glacier terrain. (Private starts at $100,000 for four people for five days.)
Canadian Mountain Holidays, 1.800.661.0252,
