Chugach Powder Guides Heliskiing (secondhand), 3/28/07

[Tony Crocker]

On Wednesday I left Alaska at 1AM: two flights, landing in Denver 10AM, then driving a rental car to Crested Butte for the NASJA annual meeting. Adam remained at Alyeska for 2 more days, before flying home to join his UCSD team for a race weekend at Mammoth.

Meanwhile CPG had been flying every day since our epic powderfest Sunday, and a standby slot opened up for Adam Wednesday. He reported slightly more variable conditions with occasional sun/wind effect, but the best snow was still as deep as Sunday. They were skiing the same mountains as Sunday, but starting more often at higher elevation. With 4 clear days to stabilize snow, Adam also reported that a couple of the runs had sustained pitches of 40+ degrees for over 1,000 vertical.

Adam skied 7 runs and 21,000 vertical. Alaska heliskiing definitely lived up to its reputation for us. Day heliskiing with Chugach Powder Guides is $850 reserved or $775 standby, adjusted by $32 per 1000 vertical for less than 16,000 or more than 20,000.

 

[ChrisC]

On Wednesday I left Alaska at 1AM: two flights, landing in Denver 10AM, then driving a rental car to Crested Butte for the NASJA annual meeting. Adam remained at Alyeska for 2 more days, before flying home to join his UCSD team for a race weekend at Mammoth.

Meanwhile CPG had been flying every day since our epic powderfest Sunday, and a standby slot opened up for Adam Wednesday. He reported slightly more variable conditions with occasional sun/wind effect, but the best snow was still as deep as Sunday. They were skiing the same mountains as Sunday, but starting more often at higher elevation. With 4 clear days to stabilize snow, Adam also reported that a couple of the runs had sustained pitches of 40+ degrees for over 1,000 vertical.

Adam skied 7 runs and 21,000 vertical. Alaska heliskiing definitely lived up to its reputation for us. Day heliskiing with Chugach Powder Guides is $850 reserved or $775 standby, adjusted by $32 per 1000 vertical for less than 16,000 or more than 20,000.

My experience was a between the mix of the two heli-experiences.

I did not have 3 ft blower....but at least 18" of excellent powder. With some nice chutes - with me, my bro, an alaskan and another local who could rip.

Top day. We got on some terrain that was quite sketchy/gnar -- but one-by-one with a good group.

Those 4 days in Alaska are golden in my book.

I loved the heli-skiing, accomodations were super nice and Alyeaska totally rocks -- we were tram lords on the days off. Seeattle with more mega mountain, heli, quality snow, etc --- definitlely a top experience.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Adam's day sounds similar to yours in terms of terrain, though there was some of the 3-foot blower left.

We were equally impressed by the offerings at Alyeska. Perhaps that trip in recent memory is responsible for Adam's jaded comments about skiing in South America.