Heliskiing: Brief Guide and Frequently Asked Questions

What is heliskiing?

As you might guess from the word, heliskiing is the combination of off-piste descents and the use of a helicopter as a means of ascent. There are two elements that make it unique: flying and off-piste.

To ascend to the summit, a helicopter loads you from the landing station (on a typical trip there are up to 4 people per helicopter, plus the mountain guide and pilot) and drops you off at a summit, where you unload your skis and begin your descent. The view you enjoy during the flight and when you are at the summit is something unique; you won't soon forget it. The helicopter ascent takes approximately 20 minutes, and varies depending on the height of the summit you reach.

Skiers descend from the helicopter during a heli-skiing excursion in Sestriere

The second element is the descents, which are completely off-piste. The peaks reached by helicopter are well away from the lifts, and the runs are all in fresh snow. A descent can take about 30-40 minutes, depending on the elevation gain and the length and difficulty of the route.

For a top experience that takes up half a day or more, we recommend at least a couple of flights (after that, you will be as tired as if you had skied 6 hours!). 3 and 4 flights are recommended for those who are trained skiers.

What level is required to practice heliskiing?

Apparently, it may seem like an extreme sport and accessible only to very few people who are risk-taking and danger-loving.

This is partially true. However, one does not have to be a super-professional to practice heliskiing; good skiing skills and a fair amount of experience in off-piste descent are sufficient to practice it.

The hard part is the off-piste skiing: all the descents you will do are well off the groomed trails, and you are the first to make your mark in the snow - fresh, and often quite high. By helicopter, you reach peaks that are not covered by lifts, so there is no traffic and no slopes: it's you, your friends, and the mountains around you, white, snow-covered and untracked.

Depending on the level and weather conditions, the guide chooses the most suitable peaks and routes in the morning. Given the element of danger and uncertainty in the snow (if you don't know where to go and go where the underlying snow layers are unstable, you risk creating avalanches), heliskiing is always done with a mountain guide.

When is heliskiing practiced?

The heliskiing season starts in December, after it has started snowing at altitude and there is plenty of fresh snow, but it gets really blazing in January, with ideal conditions for practicing it. Excellent conditions are found through April-May (in places with very high mountains, such as Courmayeur Mont Blanc and the rest of the Aosta Valley, even in May there are good conditions for it).

What are the best places to heliski in Italy?

We mention 3: Courmayeur, Livigno and Sestriere.

Courmayeur

Heliskiing on Europe's highest mountain is a unique experience. There are several peaks for landings, providing access to descents with drops of 1000-1600m (!).

Heliskiing in Courmayeur

Livigno

Heliskiing is going great in Livigno, too: from December to May, along with official mountain guides. Heliskiing in Livigno is mostly practiced on the mountains on the Carosello 3000 side, with routes through fresh snow that end in the middle of the woods.

Heliskiing in Livigno

Sestriere

A little gem. In Sestriere by helicopter you can reach the best peaks between Italy and France. Here's a little teaser.

Heliskiing in Sestriere

Is it safe?

Quite (you must already know how to ski, of course). Three things are essential for safety: a mountain guide, equipment, and careful consideration of weather and snow conditions.

Alpine Guide Accompaniment

On descents you are always accompanied by Alpine Guides who assess your level and choose routes accordingly, to ensure you have the most fun in the safest way possible. It is their job to take the necessary precautions such as checking the weather report, assessing avalanche danger, and studying the condition of the snowpack; it is sufficient but also absolutely necessary in this respect to follow their instructions.

Safety docking

It is mandatory to carry an ABS backpack (equipped with a balloon that, inflating in a few moments, significantly increases the chances of surviving an avalanche) containing an ARTVA (Avalanche Beacon) beacon, probe and shovel.

Weather and snow conditions

A few days before departure, it is important to have some contact with the Guide, who monitors the viability of the experience based on the weather. The necessary safety equipment is usually provided by the operator, or can be requested from the Guide again a few days before departure.