Why Ski When YouCan Heli- Ski?What to know before taking your next snowyadventure to epic new heights

Written by David Foxley (http://dujour.com/contributors/david-foxley/)

For skiers who take the sport—and the precious time they spend doing it—seriously, heli-skiing (http://dujour.com/lifestyle/queenstown-new-zealand-travel-guide/) can be the ultimate worthwhile indulgence. You can forgetabout endless lift lines, “death cookies” and crowded slopes, focusing insteadon the blissful task at hand: barreling down a vertical-drop Shangri-La ofuntouched snow.

While heli-skiing is not just reserved for the Bode Millers among us, thealpine backcountry is a long way from the bunny hill(http://dujour.com/gallery/best-ski-resorts-for-kids/). So we checked in with afew experts at Helitrax (http://www.helitrax.com/), a reputable heli-skiingoperation in Telluride, Colorado. Here are some of the things a first-timer—who, no matter what, must be an experienced skier—can expect whenchoppering up to powder paradise.

No surprise here, but it’s essential to be in excellent physical condition. “Thebest advice we can give to skiers before their first heli-skiing experience is togenerally be in shape,” says Joe Shults, director of Helitrax. “If you’re activeand in good shape when you finally go heli-skiing, you will enjoy theexperience to its upmost.”

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Each guest who flies with Helitrax receives a safety orientation and helicopterbriefing the morning of their ski day. And all skiers are required to do ahands-on beacon search before they take off, should an avalanche occur.Finally, all skiers are equipped with avalanche airbag packs, transceiverbeacons and plenty of food and water. But it’s the competency of the guidesthat matters most. “Our operation and staff have earned the reputation as oneof the safest and most experienced helicopter skiing services in NorthAmerica,” says Shults. 

This winter has been one for the books—a perfect season for heli-skiing.Thanks to El Niño, the area around Telluride has been blessed with over 17feet of snow thus far, with a lot more on the way. “If you love skiing, there’sone thing you have to treat yourself to and that’s a day of heli-skiing becauseit will be, I guarantee you, the best ski day you ever have in your life,” saysHelifax guide Brian “Speed” Miller. 

Ready to go? You’re in luck, thanks to the Hotel Telluride’s(http://thehoteltelluride.com/) new “Master of the Mountain” package, whichincludes, among other perks, a day of guided heli-skiing and bespoke skisdesigned by Pete Wagner, the maestro of custom sticks. Guests of this four-day weekend stay in the luxury boutique hotel’s Mount Ajax Suite, receive a90-minute custom spa treatment and tuck into a private five-course dinnerwith wine pairings.

“Helicopter skiing is exceptional on many different levels,” Shults explains.“What really wows guests is the pure beauty of the mountains. Being able tonot only ski above tree line, but to fly over summits really lets you experiencethe mountains in an entirely exciting way.”

The bottom line? Don’t get pissed off—get off-piste.