October 14, 2011 So when do we jump out of the heli?

A surprisingly common question from potential and eager heli skiers is “do we have to jump out of the helicopter?” I have a feeling that this stemmed from some long ago ski movie that featured a skier launching from a heli for their first turns? Certainly some people even ask “Can we" or “Do we get to” jump out of the helicopter as if hurtling one’s perfectly functioning (I’m assuming if you are heli skiing) body out of a moving object make sense. Let’s not forget it only hurts when you land….

I can’t remember exactly who did jump out of the heli to ski first but I’m sure I could find it on you tube. Maybe Scott Schmidt in the ”Blizzard of Aahs” or the late Trevor Peterson in some old Warren Miller film? Whoever it was, it didn’t happen in Blue River and certainly not with heli ski guests.

In fact we have more 1100 maintained and heli certified landings. Each is cut and groomed and flagged to allow a safe entrance to the site, a flat area to land and an optimal avenue to take off. May sound kind of wimpy. Yes compared to a 5 meter huck into your first turn, it is wimpy but guess what it, makes for much better skiing and a lot longer heli ski carrier.  

Let’s not forget it only hurts when you land….except when you are in the heli.