Preparing for Your Heli Skiing Adventure in BC Canada – How to Choose the Right Clothing, Skiing Equipment and Personal Gear
By: Fabiola Grosshan
Submitted: 2010-11-15 04:57:00 | Word Count: 599
Tips on clothing and personal gear
The typical heliskiing BC experience can get rough sometimes, so make sure you come prepared to overcome various obstacles like freezing temperatures, abundant snowfall, steep icy descents, biting blizzard or challenging slalom-like courses in the trees. To have an easier time fighting the elements and to ensure a smooth, enjoyable and risk-free adventure, before embarking on a heliskiing BC trip you need to bring along the right clothing and skiing/ snowboarding equipment.
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It is highly recommended that you opt for modern ski clothing made of breathable, waterproof and windproof materials. While multi-layered clothing is always preferable, you should be careful not to over-dress though. Make sure you pack a pair of ski goggles, warm gloves, and a hat (preferably made of wool or fleece), and on sunny days, don’t say no to sunglasses and sunscreen. If you don’t already have what you need, consider paying a visit to a local heli skiing BC store for a comprehensive selection of quality skiwear, powder gloves and various other skiing/ snowboarding accessories.
General instructions:
• Bring clothing that is appropriate for mountain conditions.
• Goggles are mandatory.
• Sunglasses (with retention straps) are recommendable on high-glare, sunny conditions.
• Sunscreen is useful in the springtime.
• Make sure you bring a warm hat made of wool or fleece.
• Additional equipment like shovel packs or cameras is generally permitted, as long as it respects the size restrictions imposed by the operator.
• Although they are optional, hydration backpacks are a great way to make sure you won’t be running low on water reserves during trips.
Equipment recommended for skiers
With the right ski equipment, your heliskiing Canada day will be a lot more fun and rewarding. Whether you are an intermediate, advanced or expert skier, powder skis are generally best for taking on terrains specific to Canadian alpine snow-covered territory. Compared to other models, powder skis are wider and shorter, which traits render them perfectly adequate for deep snow conditions, and also simplify steering, decelerating, emergency stopping and various other moves.
If you are a professional heli skier with plenty of experience in practicing this sport, you could opt for a slimmer profile for your skis instead, especially if you want to push your limits and take your skiing to the next level. On the flipside, if you want to stay on the side of safety and have an easier time riding even the trickiest snow, it is best to stick by good old “fat skis”.
Equipment recommended for snowboarders
Particularly when in comes to riding Canadian powder snow, snowboarders should opt for a longer, wider and less rigid profile for their snowboards. Be advised that short carving boards and long, narrow racing boards are not appropriate for BC heli boarding, and the ideal snowboard design should reach up at least to your nose when you lift it up straight. A large majority of snowboarders prefer riding Burton powder snowboards, so you should try that too if you are comfortable with this kind of design.
If you don’t own a set of skis or a board that is suitable for typical heli skiing/ boarding Canada conditions, there is always the option of on-the-spot rental. Virtually all respectable heli boarding/ heli skiing BC operations allow customers to rent quality boarding/ skiing equipment at local rental shops, after they discuss their equipment needs and preferences with dedicated technicians.
