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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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 »

The Scott Markewitz Photo camp returns

Author: Chris Owens

Life through the eyes of Scott Markewitz

After a resounding success last year, we’re happy to announce the return of the Scott Markewitz photo experience with Chugach Powder Guides in Girdwood, Alaska. This year the program will run from March 24 – April 1, 2012. If you’ve picked up any piece of modern ski media in the last 20 years, you are familiar with Scott’s work. Learn to shoot Alaska like a pro from the best in the business.

 

Check out some of the shots from last years camp below. Get the full details on the program HERE.


Posted on: 10.17.2011
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Posted in: Snow Alaska, Snow All  |  1 Response »

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 »

Great GoPro footage from Cat Skiing in Girdwood

Author: Chris Owens

You just have to love these little GoPro cameras and the creativity of the people who use them. Check out this piece from a great day of snowcat skiing in Girdwood!


Posted on: 4.28.2011
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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 »

Cold Call

Author: Nick Thomson
 Anxious, our crew meets up at the cafe to see if we can salvage our ski trip.    We’ve been stuck in the condo in Jackson Hole with 40 mph winds and dangerous temperatures of -30F.  We have taken a few days away from the office to ski and celebrate a deal-closing, but a large persistent arctic air mass seems to have other ideas.  Sometimes you have to take a little risk to reap the reward; time to make some “cold calls”.
 
8:30am

We meet below the tram at the cafe, frustrated and over-caffeinated.  We are hemorrhaging cash, craving adventure and skiable snow, and trying to salvage a precious ski vacation.  Give up or get creative?

9:35am

Make a few calls and hear that the snow and weather is better to the west, in Sun Valley.  Call over to Sun Valley Heli Ski to check on availability and snow conditions.  Reports favorable.

9:45am

Call to Independent Jets in Teton Village to check on availability and pricing for a King Air…  response favorable (and surprisingly affordable).  Aircraft is available and ready to go.

10:00am

Our crew decides to go for it, and calls Sun Valley Heli Ski again.  They warm up the heli, rally the troops, and make arrangements.  We go to our rooms and suit up for skiing, slipping a toothbrush into our pockets.

12:15pm

King Air C90 wheels up from Jackson Hole.  Weird wearing ski boots on an airplane… we’ve got skis stacked in the aisle.

Loading Up

 

Terrific flight past the Grand Teton

 

1:00pm

Wheels down in Sun Valley. Met on the tarmac at Hailey Airport by the Sun Valley Heli Ski helicopter. 

Hop in the heli, and we are off…

1:30-4:30pm

Back-country shredding!!

Adrenaline levels return…

Happiness returns, stoke is high, grumpiness gone.

4:30pm

Land at the remote Smoky Mountain Lodge.  Pure backcountry luxury!

Welcomed by the lodge team, Dire Straits, and PBR.

Followed by steaks, birthday cake, and shenanigans.

8:30am

Breakfast is on the table.  Wake up!!  A nice start to the day…

9:30am

Warm up the heli – we are going skiing again!

10am – 2:30pm       

MORE POWDER….

3:00pm

Fly the heli back to Sun Valley Airport, transfer gear from the ship to the plane, and fly back to Jackson for our regular flights home. 

Many thanks to the terrific team from Sun Valley Heli Ski for pulling this off on about an hours’ notice.  It was an epic trip, requiring an amazing display of spontaneity, logistics, and hospitality.  We all sat on the plane home incredulous that you pulled it off, so happy that we grabbed life by the horns and went for it…

MAKE THE CALL!

Ethan, John, Nick, and Craig


Posted on: 3.15.2011
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North Star and Banana Hammock

Author: Chris Owens

With tons of sunshine and incredible stability, we’ve had lots of opportunity lately to hit some of the more coveted lines in the Girdwood area. Check out this great video from client Collin Tilbe of our escapades on North Star and Banana Hammock couloirs.

Heli Skiing with Chugach Powder Guides, Girdwood, Alaska March 5th and 6th, 2011 from Collin Tilbe on Vimeo.


Posted on: 3.11.2011
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Posted in: Snow Alaska, Snow All  |  1 Response »
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