The skiing

The beat of the rotors fades and the whipped-up spindrift settles in your collar. You’re crouching at the top of a range of outstanding beauty with a gang of like-minded skiers, as everything turns wonderfully quiet. A few clicks of bindings and you’re whooshing through feather-light powder, punctuated only by the whoops and whistles of your companions. A thousand feet later and you’re running a natural slalom through pine glades, bouncing down small cliffs—and having the experience of a lifetime.

If it were not so perfect it could get tedious. Skiing in any “normal” resort you might be lucky to get one powder day and two or three runs through fresh snow, while heliskiing can easily get you an entire week of skiing fresh tracks in perfect snow—which may well change your perception of the economics involved.

A surprise might be that you will ski in “runs,” descents well known to the guides and marked as “open” or “closed” depending on conditions or whether anyone has skied them since the last fall of snow. “No, someone’s skied that run, we’ll find another mountain!” is what you’re likely to hear.

The guides
It’s normal to ski a huge variety of terrain unified only by an abundance of fantastically light, fluffy powder. Every foot of snow on every run isn’t always perfect, but the guides are preternaturally gifted at finding great stuff to ski, even on “bad” days. The terrain may not be as steep as you might expect but it’s rare for it not to be totally absorbing.

The guides will assign you to groups based on whether you arrived together and how well you are  skiing upon arrival; groups may include mixed disciplines of skiers, boarders, and—occasionally—telemarkers. The guides will endeavor to keep traveling groups together where possible.

Competence levels
Whether skier or boarder, you need to be competent and comfortable riding on the average blue trail, in powder, and in more difficult conditions.  You should consider yourself a competent skier or boarder, at least comfortably capable of blue trails and happy to attempt any off-piste conditions—including challenging, unpisted snow.

Boarders need to bring their own equipment, but for skiers TLH maintain a range of powder skis from the popular mid-fat Volant Chubbs and Machetes through full-fat Volkl Explorers and Guides, which make off-piste nearly as easy as skiing groomed corduroy. Most skiers now use mid-fats, but if a guest is struggling the guides will tactfully advise moving to fatter and easier skis. If the guides consider, however, that a guest’s lack of ability poses a risk to the group’s safety or enjoyment, then they reserve the right to change groups or refuse to allow them to ski. Because there are no boots available, you are advised to bring them in carry-on luggage, having made sure that they are comfortable and robust enough for the task!

Most guests are good advanced skiers, and many are skilled and experienced heliskiers and boarders. It is worth noting that you will be expected to ski in courteous, tight lines—neither hogging a whole slope nor poaching first tracks every time!

With such a large area TLH can tailor skiing to fit almost any weather conditions or, indeed, level of skier ability. In adverse conditions, the Taylor ski zone nearest the lodge is mostly below the treeline and has lower landing sites, making it possible to ski in weather that would ground other operators.