Baqueira-Beret heli-skiing first-timer
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Started by SueHaigh in Spain 14-Jan-2019 - 3 Replies
SueHaigh posted Jan-2019
Hello! I'll be skiing five days, Feb. 9-13, 2019 at Baqueira-Beret and was considering heli-skiing. I've never skied there before and have never heli-skied before. I'm an experienced skier, but not a lot in deep powder. Any recommendations? Do these companies cater to beginner heli-skiers or should I just forget it? Thanks!
SueSki802
Ranchero_1979
reply to 'Baqueira-Beret heli-skiing first-timer' posted Jan-2019
Have never skied the area so no comments there. From my heli skiing experience as long as you are a confident offpiste skier then definitely has some novelty factor.
Book through a guide (and try to get a day with them before)or confirm that there will be a guide provided as part of the package and speak with them. Remember they are professional so is not in their interest for someone to be out of their depth.
As a massive generalization:
1)If is a single drop (which am presuming you are hinting at), then I would not be overly concerned about pace. Definitely if you are doing a full day with multiple drops then can see how it could be awkward with an ill matched group - some people measure success in vertical
2)The other key element would be to be able to ski some sort of corridor through a variety of snow conditions (might be wind blown at the top, great in the middle and pretty heavy going towards the bottom). Helicopter gives access to the best snow, but is not a guarantee.
3) Independence; quite often the guide will not have skins and will nearly always go first. That means you fall, lose a ski etc. you need to resolve the issue. If you are skiing one person at a time on slope then there is inevitable some self pressure. Having said that I have spent >1hr looking for a guides ski in Canada and most people realize that everyone falls and everyone loses a ski at some point in their powder career.
Book through a guide (and try to get a day with them before)or confirm that there will be a guide provided as part of the package and speak with them. Remember they are professional so is not in their interest for someone to be out of their depth.
As a massive generalization:
1)If is a single drop (which am presuming you are hinting at), then I would not be overly concerned about pace. Definitely if you are doing a full day with multiple drops then can see how it could be awkward with an ill matched group - some people measure success in vertical
2)The other key element would be to be able to ski some sort of corridor through a variety of snow conditions (might be wind blown at the top, great in the middle and pretty heavy going towards the bottom). Helicopter gives access to the best snow, but is not a guarantee.
3) Independence; quite often the guide will not have skins and will nearly always go first. That means you fall, lose a ski etc. you need to resolve the issue. If you are skiing one person at a time on slope then there is inevitable some self pressure. Having said that I have spent >1hr looking for a guides ski in Canada and most people realize that everyone falls and everyone loses a ski at some point in their powder career.
Edited 1 time. Last update at 16-Jan-2019
SueHaigh
reply to 'Baqueira-Beret heli-skiing first-timer' posted Jan-2019
Thank you so much Ranchero for the information. Very helpful!
SueSki802
Sonofapreacher
reply to 'Baqueira-Beret heli-skiing first-timer' posted Oct-2019
We are looking at BB in march and off piste guiding might be an option so post an update if poss.
im going to research more at the ski show.
There seems a variety of guiding options online..
I just typed in Freeride in baqueira beret to links to explore share,
They offer heli deals for intermediates.
Whenever weve gone heli they tend to have take off and landing options with a slight variation the route from the designated drop off point depending how strong the group is.
imo, group match is thd key...too fast or too slow has issues.
That search string above gives a few operators.
The heli will likely be one company only but the people booking them might be multiple operators.
You should get fully quantified mountain guides who will offer safety equip...you probably have the kit and would want Abs bags or the like.
Be careful that the guides speaks your language. Heli seems quite big in BB and they may follow the u.s model of multiple and short runs.
It appears the ski show is well covered for the area so that is my place to start
im going to research more at the ski show.
There seems a variety of guiding options online..
I just typed in Freeride in baqueira beret to links to explore share,
They offer heli deals for intermediates.
Whenever weve gone heli they tend to have take off and landing options with a slight variation the route from the designated drop off point depending how strong the group is.
imo, group match is thd key...too fast or too slow has issues.
That search string above gives a few operators.
The heli will likely be one company only but the people booking them might be multiple operators.
You should get fully quantified mountain guides who will offer safety equip...you probably have the kit and would want Abs bags or the like.
Be careful that the guides speaks your language. Heli seems quite big in BB and they may follow the u.s model of multiple and short runs.
It appears the ski show is well covered for the area so that is my place to start
Topic last updated on 10-October-2019 at 12:13