CMH and General Heli trip Qustion

[jerlane]

So, a coworker/friend of mine has a trip booked with CMH next month. He had invited me in the early stages of planning, but it was just to much for me to swing. Well, the trip is right around the corner and it turns out someone can’t make it. I might be able to take their spot on the cheap.

I’m trying to get an idea of what the add-ons might be and how much I could expect it to cost in addition to the original booking fee. I know booze will be extra, but do they charge normal prices or Ritz Carlton types prices? I don’t want to have to sweat every beer I drink. What about tipping? Anything else I should know?

This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity and I should jump on it, but I want to know what to expect so I can decide if I can really afford it.

Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Shredhead]

Yes, drinks will be expensive and they will add gratuity. Guides appreciate tips, but they’re not mandatory.
If your last minute and can be assure good conditions. Go for it!

If it’s good, don’t hesitate to pop for the extra vert. It’s the best bang for the buck, cause you’ve already incurred the fixed costs.

[LeeLau]

Drinks at CMH will be quite pricey. The extra vert is also pricey. Definitely factor it in. You should also call their general number as they're quite upfront about the costs

[RUBBERDUCK]

Which CMH lodge will you be at? If you are at Revelstoke or Kootenay you can buy beer in town. At the remote lodges, I usually drank a couple hundred dollars of beer in a week, worth it.

[skinipenem]

Or dare I say, just don't drink etoh that week? Scotch packed with ski gear seems risky.

Travel, depending on where you are coming from will be a large expense, plus a potential covid test (depending on how granular you want to budget. )

Apres ski massages are extra. Unless your friend is a special friend.

I haven't been yet.... so take everything I say and don't trust it.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[gaijin]

Just bring a credit card. Go skiing. Don’t drink. Keep it simple. But if you discover you want to go party, have a card on you. Pay for it later.

Haven’t you heard?— you can’t put a price on the best time of your life.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[jmedslc]

Just go. Don’t drink and don’t spend any money on anything else. Ski your ass off. Sound like a very simple solution to me.

[Bunion 2020]

Just bring a credit card. Go skiing. Don’t drink. Keep it simple. But if you discover you want to go party, have a card on you. Pay for it later.

Haven’t you heard?— you can’t put a price on the best time of your life.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

This, its just money and the world may not end tomorrow.

[Dexter Rutecki]

For my money you can do way better than CMH (I've never been, but I have that on good authority from people I've skied with who have been there and to various AK heli-ops).

[GoldMember]

"This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity"....

Yeah, that's what I told my wife...the first time. And the next time. And so on. Go easy on the booze, you want to get up and ski your best each day. Plus, it is bloody expensive. Bring in your own bottle if you must but keep it on the qt. Never drink before or during skiing. Pretty simple. Have a great time!

[doebedoe]

If you like a nice evening buzz, just make a quick stop at a dispensary on your way to the heli op. Have a beer a night and pop an edible.

Whatever you do, the opportunity for discounted heli-skiing doesn't come to all of us that often. If cash is immediately tight, I've tipped many a guide with venmo or the likes a few weeks later.

[Dexter Rutecki]

FWIW, at the place I've been in AK the first stop on the way back from the airport is the liquor store. I've never spent anything beyond the regular price of a sixer on beer while heli-ing.

[hatchgreenchile]

Make sure you post up a trip report!

[Z]

Extra vert is quite cheap compared to cost of a trip. $150/1000m. You could cherrypick if you're worried about going over, but be careful cause if the program skis the alotted meters, you did too (despite not actually skiing them). Really only an issue if there are down days...

Everything else is expensive, as expected.

[Hacksaw]

https://www.heliskihistory.com/evolutions

[brutah]

Just do it.
or you'll be one year old when you do (and it will probably cost you more as well)

[TheK12]

Sounds like the OP is being penny wise, pound foolish. At most, the cost of booze will be about 1% the cost of a heli trip (all in, considering flights, transportation, etc). What's another couple hundred on top of thousands.

As for CMH... Provided you get good conditions, it won't matter if you're skiing ski hero lines or mellow tree runs. It'll be a week of untouched powder!!! All day... everyday. How can that not possibly be fun?

[Bronco]

Yeah, and definitely tip your guide.

[mntlion]

so trip / flights is $10K CND.
3 beers a night, plus tip/taxs = $50 * 6 nights = $300

$10,000 vs $10300 = nothing. go skiing, enjoy, tip ALL the staff (not just the guides, but I think CMH now does a staff tip out anyways) you will have an amazing time

[old goat]

I don't know CMH. The one time we skied in AK there was a certain amount of heli time advertised. More than that was extra. Less than that and it was covered by Travel Guard. We had lousy weather--only 1 1/2 days of flying and I think we got a lot of money back for the amount of heli time we didn't get.
I don't know if other travel insurance would cover that, but Travel Guard did--about 4 years ago I think. But things change, so check it out.

[jerlane]

So this is happening. Pretty hard to believe. The whole beer thing wasn’t really a make or break thing, I just wanted to know what to expect.

Now on to more pressing issues… anything else I need to know? Do I need to bring my best Hugh Hefner smoking jacket? Any other pearls of wisdom?


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[PNWbrit]

So this is happening. Pretty hard to believe. The whole beer thing wasn’t really a make or break thing, I just wanted to know what to expect.

Now on to more pressing issues… anything else I need to know? Do I need to bring my best Hugh Hefner smoking jacket? Any other pearls of wisdom?

Don't walk behind the helicopter. Ever.

Don't kick the snow off your boots on the helicopter when you get in.

[LeeLau]

So this is happening. Pretty hard to believe. The whole beer thing wasn’t really a make or break thing, I just wanted to know what to expect.

Now on to more pressing issues… anything else I need to know? Do I need to bring my best Hugh Hefner smoking jacket? Any other pearls of wisdom?


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Which CMH?

[Dexter Rutecki]

Don't walk behind the helicopter. Ever.

Don't kick the snow off your boots on the helicopter when you get in.

Both of these, and never approach the bird with skis above your waist (if the guide even lets you near it with your skis). Drag them.

Keep your boots buckled. I learned that the hard way and it cost me part of an ACL when I forgot to buckle back up and a bale snagged in the ski bin when I was unloading...

Do whatever you have to to get into a strong group. Can make a huge difference. And make sure everyone is on the same page getting the guide to trust in you--you'll get onto better terrain that way.

It's so awesome...

[Bunion 2020]

Do whatever you have to to get into a strong group. Can make a huge difference. And make sure everyone is on the same page getting the guide to trust in you--you'll get onto better terrain that way.

I am going to add the caveat to that of, go with a group you are compatible with and can keep up with. You don't want to be that guy.

Listen to the safety briefings, practice with your beacon before you get there. They will probably want to provide the skis.

Have a great time.