Canada’s Purcell Mountains are the perfect entry to heli-skiing
This Canadian ski operator offers plentiful runs with a safety-first approach. There’s just one problem.
Our ski guide drops away from the rounded crest we huddle on. From the back of the pack, I can’t make out the pitch of the snowy slope. Further on, an unmarked backcountry “trail” follows the fall line of the mountain. One by one, my fellow skiers slide over the roller and out of sight. I edge forward, eye the slope and, realising it’s a mighty fine pitch, claim my turns. The snow is smooth and light; less than boot deep but deep enough to find “the flow”. I carve effortlessly down a face that’s sparkling under a blue sky, and then point my snowboard straight towards my waiting group.
It’s our third run on our first day of heli-skiing in British Columbia’s Purcell Mountains, a place where peaks, valleys, jagged ridge lines and whipped-cream cornices dominate the landscape; a place that calls daring skiers and snowboarders to experience some of the best off-piste terrain in the world. My Canada adventure didn’t start here though.
Less than two hours’ drive east of the Purcells is Alberta’s Banff National Park, home to three ski resorts that make it the ideal location for Aussies to get their “ski legs” back during a southern hemisphere summer. Australia is one of the leading tourist markets for Banff, but the majority of us visit during the green season, lured by the hiking and general sightseeing. In winter, however, the town is wrapped in snow and the resorts are ideal playgrounds for a pre-heli warm-up. My SkiBig3 lift pass gives me access to Lake Louise, Sunshine Village and Mount Norquay, and I spend a day at each, reacquainting myself with my equipment. The resorts have trees, bowls and steeps aplenty, and offer a fair amount of intermediate groomers for those of us, myself included, who don’t want to risk injury or muscle fatigue before we set foot in a chopper. That said, if Mother Nature blesses you with a resort powder day, be sure to grab a buddy and an avalanche pack and check out the gated Delirium Dive at Sunshine Village. Unfortunately for me, that’s for another time. My March visit comes with unseasonably mild conditions, which translates to easygoing resort riding, and, later that week, a relatively mellow experience in the Purcells.
The range is considered the birthplace of heli-skiing in Canada, with CMH commercial operations starting in 1965. The company is the largest heli-ski operation in the world, and its latest acquisition includes more than 250 runs across the Purcell and Selkirk mountains. Known as CMH Purcell, the product is the company’s only day heli-ski operation out of 11 destinations. What makes this day offering so special is that it opens up Canada’s backcountry to skiers short on time. Instead of a multi-day package out of a remote lodge, you can tack a heli day on to a Banff or BC trip, while retaining the freedom of mingling with locals at the town pub and staying in a hotel of your choosing.
For the CMH Purcell experience, that hotel would be in Golden, a town full of folk who spend their winter days boot-packing the spines of nearby Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. The CMH day lodge is on the outskirts of Golden and it’s here I meet my fellow skiers and our guides, and where I have a refresher on how to use avalanche equipment.
There is no denying avalanches are a big concern when venturing away from resorts. But any fears I have about an unstable snowpack are put to rest by the safety briefing and emergency beacon training with the CMH crew. And once we get out into “the field”, I feel comfortable with my guides’ cautious approach to the terrain and our group’s collective skill level. Out of the eight of us, only two (myself included) have been heli-skiing before, but we are all high intermediate to advanced skiers and boarders who chase powder. It must be said, however, there is no jumping out of helicopters or sketchy landings, as some people assume. The pilots rest their choppers on wide patches, we scramble out, huddle together, and once the aircraft has left, we get our gear on and hit the slopes.
For our first few runs of the day, people ski cautiously, and diligently follow the guides’ rules, dropping one at a time and not venturing too wide. Once the group relaxes, we find our groove, hooting as we glide towards the valley and our next pick-up point.
The chilled vibes are partly due to the supportive and positive people I am skiing with, but it also helps that we don’t have to count runs. On CMH heli-ski trips, there is no cap on the number you can do in a day, unlike other operations. That means, if the snow and weather are good, and your fitness is up to scratch, you can keep going until the guides call it a day. And that’s what we do.
Half of Purcell’s tenure is in the trees, but sunny weather means we stick to safe, open faces, with the occasional dash into glades or down a ridge. The snow glitters as we dance across its surface, drawing fresh lines and cutting across others. It is the perfect gateway to heli-skiing, and by the end of the day we are all wondering how on earth we’ll go back to resorts. We’ve had a taste of the good life and we’re hooked.
In the know
CMH Purcell day trips include unlimited vertical, two guides per group, a light breakfast, bountiful snacks, lunch, equipment and safety gear; from $C2115 ($2336) a person.
The best way to explore Banff’s resorts is on the SkiBig3 lift pass.
Jennifer Ennion was a guest of CMH Heli-skiing, Destination British Columbia, Banff-Lake Louise Tourism and Destination Canada.
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