Opening weekend for Sun Valley Heli Ski delivers

Author: Chris Owens

Looking good in Idaho

Sent in by Tyler Ferris of Sun Valley Heli Ski:

Right now, Sun Valley Helicopter Ski Guides can boast the best heli-skiing this side of Canada.

While other operations in the lower 48 are waiting for another storm or two to start up, SVHS was blessed with a couple of big ones at the end of 2011. The snowfall in our remote terrain doubled from 2 to 4.5 feet. On our first day of operation on January 6, stability was rated “fair” and skiing was rated “good” to “very good”. Groups skied several extra runs.

It may look thin on Sun Valley’s Balm Mountain web cams, but as often happens the jet stream came straight from the west and dropped two times the snow in the Smoky Mountains, the hidden gem of SVHS.

Ok, how can SVHS offer great skiing with only 4.5 feet? The secret is the terrain. Runs are typically long and consistent with few cliffs or dramatic breaks. There are open slopes and great glades of trees. Every aspect has a skiable line.

In the heart of this skiers paradise is the Idaho Smoky Mountain Lodge. Right now you can have a private “Canadian Style” heli ski experience right here in the US. Check out the footage from our opening weekend below!




Posted on: 1.10.2012
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And the Winner Is…

Author: Chris Owens

Well, the videos were submitted, the votes counted and the people have spoken.  The winner of the CPG / Mammut / GoPro video contest was Ben Szekley.  Ben has won a 7 day, 8 night heli ski trip with Chugach Powder Guides in Girdwood, Alaska.  Congratulations, Ben!

A HUGE thanks goes out to all of you who submitted videos for this contest.  The time and energy put into these entries is amazing.  We were fully blown away by the quality of the videos submitted.

Check out Ben’s winning video “This Is The Year” and the other amazing videos submitted for this contest below.

THIS IS THE YEAR BY BEN SZEKLEY

ALASKA 2011 BY JOHN AND XAVIER

COASTIN AK STYLE BY BRIAN MCCLURE

CPG COMPETITION ENTRY 1 BY JASON WILLIAMS AND MIA LOW

CPG VIDEO CONTEST BY DAVID COHEN

CPG COMPETITION ENTRY 2 BY JASON WILLIAMS AND MIA LOW

ALASKA HELI-SKIING BY MICHAEL MCGEE

CPG 2011 BY ANDY SCHMIDT


Posted on: 12.12.2011
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Posted in: Snow Alaska, Snow All  |  2 Responses »

The 2012 Chugach Powder Guides Guest Host Athlete Roster

Author: Chris Owens

Our 2012 Athlete Roster

This season if you come to ski or snowboard with us in Girdwood, Alaska, you are going to be doing it in good company.  In addition to our stellar group of world class guides and staff, each week our clients will enjoy the opportunity to ride with and get to know a different guest host.  These athletes and industry professionals will move from group to group and help show you the best that Girdwood has to offer.    There is no additional premium to ski or board and interact with the guest hosts. So keep your eye out in your heli load, on the snowcat and on the hill at Alyeska.  The odds are good you’ll run into one of these inspirational personalities.
Check out our 2012 roster and schedule below and pick your week!
2012 ROSTER
Week 1  Feb. 11 – Feb. 19: Ian McIntosh (Download a PDF on Ian’s week here)
Week 2   Feb. 18 – Feb. 26: Reggie Crist (Download a PDF on Reggies’s week here)
Week 3   Feb. 25 – Mar. 4  : Chris Davenport (Download a PDF on Chris’s week here)
Week 4   Mar. 3 –   Mar. 11: Jess McMillan (Download a PDF on Jess’s week here)
Week 5   Mar. 10 – Mar. 18: Lynsey Dyer (Download a PDF on Lynsey’s week here)
Week 6   Mar. 17 – Mar. 25: Zach Crist (Download a PDF on Zach’s week here)
Week 7   Mar. 24 – Apr. 1   : Scott Markewitz (Download a PDF on Scott’s week here)
Week 8  Mar. 31 – Apr. 8   : Elyse Saugstad (Download a PDF on Elyse’s week here)
Week 9   Apr. 7 –    Apr. 15 : Bryan Iguchi (Download a PDF on Bryan’s week here)

 


Posted on: 10.30.2011
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Posted in: Snow Alaska, Snow All  |  No Responses »

Don’t Forget to Submit Your Videos

Author: Chris Owens

September is almost here and we’ll soon be judging the submissions from the GoPro video contest. If you have been putting together video for our GoPro contest, don’t forget that the deadline is September 1. You could win a free heli trip! So get your edit on and submit before it’s too late. Check out this entry from Dave Cohen.


CPG Heliboarding Alaska from Dave Cohen on Vimeo.

A reminder about the contest:

WIN A FREE 2012 HELI SKI TRIP WITH EPICQUEST AND GO PRO

Make a video, win a trip. It’s that easy.

 

Through a unique and generous relationship with GoPro, we are excited to offer all package guests the use of GoPro wearable HD video cameras for the entirety of your stay at no cost to you. We’ll make sure you leave with a copy of your video data so you can share with friends and relive the memories of your trip.

When you return home, get creative and make an edited video of your experience.

The best submission of a fully edited video that captures your trip as a whole will win a free 2012 heli ski trip in Girdwood!

The Grand Prize winner will receive:
• Round-trip ground transportation from the airport to Girdwood, AK.
• Six (6) night stay in a deluxe room at The Hotel Alyeska.
• 50,000 – 60,000 vertical feet of heli skiing for one person
• Snowcat backup for “no-fly” days
• Use of Mammut Pulse Barryvox avalanche transceiver.
• Use of Salomon power demo skis.
• A full Go Pro Hero video Camera Setup
• A Mammut Pack, Probe and shovel kit

Runners up will receive:
• (1) Mammut Pulse Barryvox Beacon, Nirvana Ride Pack, Alugator Light Shovel, and Probe Light.
• (2)Full Go Pro Hero video camera setups

Submissions:
Submissions must be received by September 1, 2011. Submissions may be sent to chris.owens@epicquest.com or mailed on disk to Chris Owens at Chugach Powder Guides, PO Box 641, Girdwood, Alaska 99587


Posted on: 8.03.2011
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Posted in: Fish, Multi-Sport, Snow Alaska, Snow All  |  No Responses »

I’ll have a large order of Chile please!

Author: Chris Owens

EpicQuest Guide Greg Harms goes deep in Valle Nevado, Chile

As we enter our last week of Kings and Corn and wrap up our Alaskan skiing for 2011 with a crew from Warren Miller, we’re already starting anticipate the high altitude powder to be found in Valle Nevado Chile.  While it’s been great skiing world class corn, the prospect of powder around the corner is just too exciting to ignore.  We’ll be heading to Valle Nevado from late July through September, running 3 heli ski sessions with EpicQuest guide Greg Harms.

We love Valle Nevado for a lot of the same reasons we love out Girdwood operation.  Not only is there hundreds of thousands of acres of world class heli skiing served by a ultra professional guide corps, but there is fantastic lift served skiing for days when there is inclement weather that can keep you from flying.   Of course, the Chilean wines are ridiculously good and that doesn’t hurt either. Greg Harms recently put together this collection of photos from Valle Nevado.  Check out the slide show.  We’re ready to head to the southern hemisphere and the high country of Chile.    We hope you can join us for deep, dry powder as we continue to Live the Epic Life.


Posted on: 7.03.2011
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Posted in: Snow All, Snow South America  |  No Responses »

Video from Mia and Jason

Author: Chris Owens

Mia and Jason joined us from Australia for some great pow in February. Check out the vid from their adventure. Thanks for coming you guys!


Posted on: 4.05.2011
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Go Pro Contest Submission

Author: Chris Owens

As you may have heard, at our operations in Alaska, we have joined forces with Go Pro to put cameras in the hands of our clients and turn them loose on the interweb machine. We’ve backed this up with a great contest. The best fully edited submission from a client will win a free heli ski trip next season! Check out this submission from John and Xavier! Thanks guys, and good luck!


Posted on: 3.23.2011
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Posted in: Snow Alaska, Snow All  |  4 Responses »

Sun Valley Heli One Lift Tours

Author: scottdesserault

The one lift tour is one of the great products that Sun Valley Heli Ski offers.  For those who like to earn their turns, but are eager to explore terrain off the beaten path, the helicopter combined with the experience of our seasoned guide staff makes a HASTA tour an ideal choice.  The day starts off in the morning with a helicopter ride to a highpoint within the 750,000 acres of the Sun Valley Heli Ski permit.  From there, your guide and group will spend the remainder of the day skiing and touring back to a pre arranged road pick up point.  For an extra fee, a helicopter pick up can be arranged.  Some backcountry experience and familiarity with ski touring is recommended.   This trip requires the use alpine touring/randonee equipment which is not provided.

Have a look at a video put together by local Sun Valley resident Greg Martin on a recent one lift tour of the Lake Creek Headwall area:

One Lift Tour from Greg Martin on Vimeo.


Posted on: 2.27.2011
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Posted in: Snow All, Snow Rockies  |  No Responses »

I don’t see any disability here….

Author: Chris Owens

This week we’ve had the great pleasure of heli sking with Sandra Dukat and Alison Pearl.  With Sandra on a mono ski and Alison in  a sit ski, we were astounded and humbled to see the way these ladies OWNED our heli terrain.  Just when you’re starting to feel pretty good about  yourself, you meet someone who shows you that maybe you’re not as cool as you think you are.  Thanks for joining us!   Check out the GoPro Hero footage from Alison’s camera.


Posted on: 2.25.2011
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Posted in: Snow Alaska, Snow All  |  No Responses »

Epic skiing with the Tony Robbins group

Author: laurietrautman

We had  the great pleasure of hosting the Tony Robbins group in Sun Valley this past President’s Day weekend.  We also had the mixed blessing of snow, more snow, and snow again.  This made it difficult to stick to the planned itinerary, but some folks from the group stayed for an extra day and we got out into the fresh powder for some amazing runs.


Posted on: 2.23.2011
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Posted in: Snow Rockies  |  No Responses »
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