yamabushi 3 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 This year I would like to add a back country helicopter trip to my been-there, done-that list. Anybody here done it? Is there a particular destination that is worth the expense? Any company you would recommend? Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Never done that, but would certainly like to! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 didn't you know that's not Gnarly enough in Japan??!! You have to hike every non-lift accessed mountain!! I'd like to do one as well (sarcasm aside). Kagura do one but don't open until the start of april Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 didn't you know that's not Gnarly enough in Japan??!! You have to hike every non-lift accessed mountain!! Naked, of course. Link to post Share on other sites
sand 17 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Valdez Heli Ski guides, would be epic times. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 didn't you know that's not Gnarly enough in Japan??!! You have to hike every non-lift accessed mountain!! Naked, of course. Pies, I thought that was a given and only wimpy, non-Gnarly dweebyzoids would need it pointed out!! Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 You are right, but there may well be some uneducated newcomers who are not aware of such things, so I thought it worth a mention. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 true, true.......we should never waver from our zeal to educate the Un-Gnarly Masses Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 This year I would like to add a back country helicopter trip to my been-there, done-that list. Anybody here done it? Is there a particular destination that is worth the expense? Any company you would recommend? Many many years ago I had the pleasure of a trip from RAF Brise Norton on a training sortie which involved the doors being open in November. I swore I would never sit in a helicopter again. Years after, I took the trip from HK to Macau in a very loud chopper. It was ace. It got me to the food and casino in no time. That's all the experience I have with choppers. If you want to heliski, try Tomamu. Book in advance. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 This year I would like to add a back country helicopter trip to my been-there, done-that list. Anybody here done it? Is there a particular destination that is worth the expense? Any company you would recommend? Did it a couple years ago.......................in NZ! Not naked though! Link to post Share on other sites
dyna8800 3 Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 2012 Dates for Tsugaike Kogen are scheduled for March 10 to April 1, then April 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, and April 28 to May 6. This is a 14 km. long run... Price is JPY 10,000. Cash only. Last season, I could not go on the heli ski tour at Kagura Mitsumata, which would have been great because it was held on my birthday weekend, April 8, 9, and 10. Each day is limited to 100 people, and cost is JPY 16,000, lift ticket not included. They also have a package with overnight stay, lift ticket, and tour. Course is 7 km. long, with 1043 meters vertical! They also have a hike up tour which is JPY 7,000. For both you need lift ticket in order to access meeting point. It is recommended, but not required, that snowboarders bring poles. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 That's Y16,000 for what's basically one long beginner run (7:1 ratio) . Yes, I'd think boarders would definitely want to have poles for that. Link to post Share on other sites
yamabushi 3 Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 That's Y16,000 for what's basically one long beginner run (7:1 ratio) . Yes, I'd think boarders would definitely want to have poles for that. Which one are you calling a beginner run, Tsugaike Kogen or Kagura Mitsumata? I'm looking at the topo maps for Tsugaike Kogen. Shiroumadake (2932m) which is one of the 100 most famous mountains of Japan is on that ridge. Does anybody knows where the helicopter drops you off? A geo location would be awesome Link to post Share on other sites
rider69 18 Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I drops you off at the top of tengupara somwhere near 2000 meters. It is not real heli sking. I think cortina though might actually be running proper heli sking Link to post Share on other sites
Azuki 0 Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Sugadaira used to do them also but it was not difficult terrain and I thought quite uninteresting. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 err, the Y16,000 one, although I've been told by those that did it the Y10,000 one isn't much better. While lift passes in Japan are cheap, at least compared with N.America, the few heli/cat operations are in comparison pretty much of a ripoff (IMHO). More than a few cat-ski outfits in N.America offer you at least 6,000 - 8,000 meters vertical of untracked powder in a day for less than Y30,000, on far more interesting terrain. You can ski more untracked on a good day off lifts in Niseko, Hakuba and other areas that those ``heli-ski'' runs, and again on far better runs. Azuki, I remember when Sugadaira had chopper lifts up to Neko-dake. It looked pretty tame. Link to post Share on other sites
MrSingh 0 Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Cordova Alaska, Points North Heli-Adventures Video from our trip in Feb. Too bad the snow that Alaska is known for didn't arrive until much later in the season. http://www.youtube.com/user/hawaron?feature=mhee#p/a/u/1/ebub3ml6U5s Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Great stuff! Too bad you ran into that Cordova concrete, but still looks like a fantastic time. :thumbsup: Link to post Share on other sites
echineko 1 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Yes Sugadaira was not extreme at all, I anyone apart from real beginner could do that. But I heard they do not do anymore. Link to post Share on other sites
Azuki 0 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Azuki, I remember when Sugadaira had chopper lifts up to Neko-dake. It looked pretty tame. Yes. I think it was more a "touristy" kind of thing, if that makes sense. Link to post Share on other sites
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