Can I Bring my Snowboard?
YES. If you wish to snowboard you’ll need to bring your own equipment, as operations do not normally supply boards. The snow and terrain you find while heli skiing is ideal for snowboarding.

When is the Best Time to Go?

Mid-February through to mid-March has historically been the most popular time for heli skiing and generally trips should be booked around 12 months in advance to secure your place. Days become longer and the weather tends to stabilise.

Late March and April offers skiing and boarding conditions, which have always been under-rated. For many, this time of year offers optimum conditions for heli skiing. The conditions from day to day in April tend to change a lot faster. The snowpack is usually more stable at this time of the year making it safe to ski/snowboard steeper runs and experience a wider variety of terrain. Typically there is still excellent powder on north facing slopes.

How Good do You Need to Be?

Heli skiing is not for novice skiers. However, it is certainly not just for pros. Many people overestimate the level of skiing or snowboarding that is required to enjoy heli skiing. Conditions and terrain can vary widely, from wide-open alpine bowls and glaciers with moderate pitches to steep and narrow tree skiing. Snow conditions can range from boot-top powder to wind-pressed crust, heavy crud and anything in between. Guides do their best to find the optimal conditions, but for reasons of snow safety, and in difficult flying conditions, terrain options can become limited. Any type of conditions can be expected at any time throughout the heli ski season.
Guests must therefore be both capable and experienced in handling a mixture of conditions. The following can be used as a guideline:

You have considerable skiing experience in a conventional resort setting.
Your run choices are predominantly red/black and you ski them with confidence in almost any conditions.
You are capable of multi-day ski trips.
You may not have the style of a paid skier, but you have the confidence to keep up with friends.
You can make parallel turns with confidence and if the situation arises, you can; side-slip, step-up sideways, traverse and make kick turns.
In the process of becoming a better skier, you have made the transition from novice level equipment to high performance gear and can also recognise the difference.
You may not have a lot of powder skiing experience but you can maintain control in off piste conditions.

How are Groups Chosen?

Groups are chosen with two factors in mind: ability and weight. Every effort is made to have you ski with member of your own group but if there is a great discrepancy in ability it is usually in everyone’s interests to split. The best way to ensure that you are only skiing/snowboarding with your friends is to go on a private package. This means that you have a helicopter exclusively for the use of your group allowing you complete freedom to ski or board as much or as little as you like and entirely at your own pace.

Can Non-skiers Come?
Chamonix is ideal for bringing a non-skier as there’s plenty to do.