Tag 8 – Heliskiing Day One

02/09/2018

Today the wake-up call is at 07:15, after the morning toilet we go to the hotel's breakfast buffet. The breakfast offers a lot and so we strengthen ourselves for the long day. At 08:30 is the weigh-in and check-in for heli-skiing. Then the bus takes you 800 meters to a large meadow, where there is a good 45-minute safety instruction on avalanche situations and helicopter safety. At around 10 a.m. our bird (Bell 205 Helicopter) comes and takes the 8 guests, two guides and one guide guest to the first "summit". When the heli takes off, there is a pretty strong wind.

The snow is a bit crusty in places, but further down in the forest we encounter beautiful powder. It snowed heavily in the last few days, but unfortunately it was also rather warm and so some of the snow thawed and crusts formed. On the way there are also one or two falls into the fresh snow, Yves' head-on collision with a snow wall after a small hole is particularly spectacular. It knocks him straight out of the skis, which first have to be dug out again. Everything is intact, thumbs up.

After the third run, somewhere in the middle of nowhere (we have no idea where we are, but we have a good guide for that, called "General"...) there is lunch with soup, sandwiches and tea. There is also an opportunity for a photo with the helicopter. After lunch we do two more runs, with the last one flying a bit higher, onto Ghost Mountain, and the clouds clearing away. So we have a great view of the surrounding mountains and can make a perfect descent. Unfortunately, the battery of the GoPro was empty, so there are only a few pictures of this descent.

We don't fly all the way back, but are dropped off at a landing pad by the lake and drive the rest of the way to the hotel by bus. The heli has yet to pick up the other group. Back at the hotel there is an aperitif (included in the package, except for the beer) and some interesting conversations with the group. Our "auxiliary guide" tells us that the general coordinates both groups as well as the heli pilot. So he has a right responsibility. Then we go into the whirlpool, unfortunately the outdoor pool is occupied so we have to make do with the indoor pool and it's very warm there...

After the whirlpool we go to the restaurant, where we eat a burger for the first time. Then we go to our king-size beds, where we relax and look forward to day 2.