Followers of Canyon Blog will undoubtedly be aware of the helicopters that often nest just off the bypass road between Snowbird and Alta. And that they support Little Cottonwood Canyon’s heli-skiing. What you will not likely understand though is how heli-skiing works or even how to go about dipping a ski into the aviation facilitated snow pond.
Despite 30 years of helicopter work in his military career your correspondent has to sheepishly admit that they’d never considered heli-skiing and assumed (incorrectly) that it was somehow out of his reach. To rectify this terrible oversight, he sat down with VP of Operations Kevin O’Rourke and Sales and Marketing Manager Kettler Thomas to get the final word on Powderbird.
The first thing you’ll notice when you walk in is how welcoming and serene the facilities and view are. Their heli aerie is the envy of any property in the canyon. Anticipating Canyon Blog’s first question, Kevin lead with, “We really specialize in demystifying the heli-skiing experience.”
“If you can competently ski all of Snowbird’s terrain then you will have a great time with us,” said Kettler. Adding, “Most people who’ve never tried it think of the pro skiers in a Warren Miller film dropping into impossible terrain, but our goal is to get you on terrain suitable for you.”
So, how’s it work? They offer three packages. Private: for 1-8 people with exclusive use of a heli. Semi-private: for you and up to two additional friends, where you share a bird with another group. And Single Day: ideal for the lone skier to join others. “You’ll begin the day as strangers but end it as friends,” concludes Kettler. All packages include some of the best guides anywhere in the world for instruction and safety.
“We’re celebrating our 50th year at Snowbird (and 20th anniversary in Greenland and Argentina). In that time much has changed in Utah. What’s the same is the mountains are as beautiful as ever and our skiing is still world class,” states Kevin, finishing with, “Snowbird’s location for heli-skiing is unequaled.” Just in case your correspondent forgot.
Powderbird operates each year from December 15th to April 15th and can be found at https://www.powderbird.com/ or by contacting Kettler via [email protected] or 801-742-2800.
“What we offer is a progression in your ski career. Even if you’ve been skiing for 10 or 20 years, you’ll still have new experiences. And we’d love to cater to your desires!” Because at Powderbird, they know how to maximize and demystify the heli experience.
So, has Canyon Blog hopped onboard? Not yet, but he’s going to and will report back to you on his experience. Standby for take off…