| Mica Heli Guides stands alone in the world of powder | | | | be a singular skiing day. Our route followed a broad |
| for two simple but obvious reasons: its terrain (which | | | | avalanche path down a series of rollers-plunge down, |
| is massive and private) and its helicopters (which are | | | | bench out, plunge down, bench out, for 1,000 vertical |
| small and also private). Ski Canada editor Iain and I | | | | metres. |
| made a weekend visit to the only heli-operation in | | | | The five of us-Mica Heliskiing's lead guide Craig Ellis, |
| the Rockies last April to check out the sometimes | | | | Iain and I, and happy American pals Dan and Jay |
| chest-deep (not so difficult when you're Iain's size, | | | | immediately fell into the rhythm that had eluded us |
| but even I disappeared occasionally) snow that | | | | the day before. Amiable fellows and enthusiastic |
| draws skiers from around the world. | | | | skiers, it would have been great to ski a whole week |
| The access route to Mica Heli Guides follows a valley | | | | in Dan and Jay's company. Iain quietly remarked |
| wedged between the Selkirk and the Monashee | | | | several times on their ability, wishing his friends back |
| mountains-both prime heliskiing territory-but Mica is an | | | | home, who are intimidated at the thought of heliskiing |
| all-Rockies operation. That's significant in itself. The | | | | or catskiing, could see how the pair of advanced but |
| Rocky Mountains have a bad reputation in | | | | not necessarily expert skiers were enjoying deep |
| backcountry skiing circles-they're said to be too dry, | | | | powder. |
| too windswept, too cold, too avalanche-prone. | | | | It was a decadent but comfortable feeling not skiing |
| Consequently, the vast majority of snowcat- and | | | | out of a massive 212 chopper with 12 in a group like |
| heli-skiing takes place in the warmer, snowier | | | | other operations. Skiing with only four guests makes |
| mountain ranges to the west. | | | | Mica Heliskiing stand out in the heli crowd. There was |
| Mica Heliskiing puts the lie to the Rockies' dire | | | | never a scramble to go first each run, or who would |
| reputation. Well, that's not quite right. Vast regions of | | | | have to play tail gunner, no waiting for the slow one |
| the Canadian Rockies especially on the Alberta | | | | in the group and no worries about having to keep up |
| side-indeed are relative powder deserts, and | | | | with the best skier. Everyone was relaxed and simply |
| consequently prone to killer shallow-snowpak | | | | enjoying the skiing at his own pace. |
| avalanches. But hidden in this vast range of ranges | | | | Craig's smile seemed to come more easily on day |
| are certain zones that due to mysterious | | | | two. Gazing out at the chequered panorama of |
| geographical quirks, are blessed with a local climate | | | | peaks and cliffs, dark forest and huge open |
| seemingly transplanted from the Selkirks or | | | | snowfields, overlain by a sky of puffy fast-scudding |
| Monashees. Mica Heliskiing is one of those zones. | | | | clouds and patchy blue sky, Craig commented: "You |
| The cedar and hemlock growing among the more | | | | can see how unusual this part of the Rockies is. |
| familiar spruce and pine were one indication we were | | | | These outer areas basically look like an extension of |
| in a unique zone. The most obvious, though, was the | | | | the Monashees, broad and round-shouldered and very |
| snowpack, which, even in a bizarre winter like 2005, | | | | skiable, while over there, one valley over, you can |
| was double the depth found elsewhere in the | | | | see those are unmistakably Rockies-like, and they |
| Rockies. Normally, this region averages 1,500-2,000 | | | | get steeper and cliffier the farther in you travel." |
| cm of snowfall per year at 2,000 metres, or just | | | | Others have compared parts of Mica Heliskiing's area |
| below treeline. Compare that to 400-500 cm typical | | | | to the Himalayas. I couldn't see it myself-local |
| for the Alberta Rockies, and it seems almost | | | | Canadian analogies plus a couple of adjectives |
| unbelievable we're talking about the same mountains. | | | | seemed more than sufficient. But there's no |
| Despite that precipitative bounty, the weather at | | | | accounting for certain writers' verbal flights of fancy. |
| Mica Heliskiing is less humid, on average, than the | | | | It would have been great to do a day of full-blown |
| Selkirks, with a bigger share of sunny days. As well, | | | | exploration. For me, that's what so much of skiing is |
| it's less prone to the fog and rain that can leave | | | | all about talking about, dreaming of, traveling to and |
| other heli-ski operators with a frustrating number of | | | | exploring new terrain, then reliving the experience at |
| down-days. | | | | the end of the day. If it was purely and solely about |
| Last season, if you wanted to be sure your heli-ski | | | | turning in powder, then why ski more than one slope |
| holiday booking resulted in actual turns, you couldn't | | | | your whole life? I knew there were descents up to |
| have done better than Mica Heliskiing. All other | | | | an incredible 2,500 vertical metres lurking out there, |
| heli-operators suffered at least one major rain event | | | | huge glaciers, massive alpine bowls and narrow ridges |
| to their peak elevation. Some lost entire weeks of | | | | spilling couloirs, with the towering peaks of the |
| operation, taking the unprecedented step of sending | | | | Rockies' main spine in Jasper National Park seemingly |
| batches of glum guests back home. Mica Heliskiing | | | | within grabbing distance. |
| also suffered cancellations-because some prospective | | | | I was lusting to push farther out into Mica Heliskiing's |
| guests assumed it was rained-out. It wasn't; the | | | | immense terrain, a provincial tenure containing seven |
| show went on throughout January, and in early April, | | | | major drainages covering an astounding 4,700 square |
| the time of our visit, the snowpack was deep and | | | | km. To date, several substantial zones have seen |
| solid and the fresh powder was well beyond copious. | | | | only exploratory flights, if that. This season, the |
| The overall result: Mica Heliskiing is putting the | | | | company aims to ski the more remote terrain |
| Canadian Rockies back on the A-list of backcountry | | | | regularly, enabling lucky groups to christen dozens of |
| skiing destinations, where this stupendously beautiful | | | | new runs according to their tastes. Mica Heliskiing is |
| mountain range belongs. | | | | already talking about building a satellite lodge to the |
| Mica Heliskiing's mountain lodge stands alone on a | | | | south, bringing terrain that's currently too remote to |
| broad, open slope with a stunning vista overlooking | | | | practically shuttle three groups within easier reach. |
| Kinbasket Lake, a gigantic reservoir that backs up | | | | Sadly, the high alpine avalanche danger remained a |
| the Columbia River and fills the Rocky Mountain | | | | tad too substantial for Craig's liking, leaving such |
| Trench for more than 200 km. The Monashees and | | | | adventures sitting prominently on our |
| northernmost Selkirks rise across the water, the | | | | next-time-around list. There was plenty to do right |
| Rockies loom out back. Matt Callaghan, the | | | | here in the Molson drainage, thankfully. Our first run |
| superlative throttle-jockey transplant from Hamilton | | | | was just the outermost descent of row-upon-row of |
| who performed the smoothest take-offs and landing | | | | lines marching up the valley, all of them starting just |
| I've encountered, would place his little A-star right | | | | at treeline before plunging into forests chequered |
| beside the mountain lodge, its three-bladed rotor | | | | with hidden glades and narrow gullies. Safe from the |
| coming within a few metres of the front porch posts. | | | | hazards of the open alpine, Craig led us on a series |
| He laughingly assured us the missing spindles on the | | | | of ever steeper, ever-tighter pillow-hopping forays. |
| lodge's upper railing weren't from trying to land too | | | | Sadly, the high alpine avalanche danger remained a |
| close. | | | | tad too substantial for Craig's liking, leaving such |
| The lodge looked small from the outside, but proved | | | | adventures sitting prominently on our |
| roomy and comfortable. After all, if houses only 12 | | | | next-time-around list. There was plenty to do right |
| guests (mostly American when we visited, but also a | | | | here in the Molson drainage, thankfully. Our first run |
| few Euros), who sleep in a mix of eight single and | | | | was just the outermost descent of row-upon-row of |
| double rooms, each with its own bathroom. The | | | | lines marching up the valley, all of them starting just |
| spacious dining and relax areas included great views. | | | | at treeline before plunging into forests chequered |
| During winter, the lodge is accessible only by | | | | with hidden glades and narrow gullies. Safe from the |
| helicopter, yet it has wireless Internet access and | | | | hazards of the open alpine, Craig led us on a series |
| satellite TV. But despite the TV prattling on the | | | | of ever steeper, ever-tighter pillow-hopping forays. |
| evenings (this was a guys' trip), no one seemed to | | | | After several miles of steady vertical and lateral |
| be watching but instead each took turns retelling the | | | | progress, we could see how the Molson drainage |
| day's events or enjoying self-deprecating ski stories | | | | hooded abruptly to the north and climbed, finally |
| from former times. | | | | sealed by a long circling ridgeline enclosing a great |
| With so much snow our first night an early grey | | | | amphitheater of mostly alpine terrain. We did two |
| morning that filled in our view of the lake, we fretted | | | | runs on its forest-fringed edges, but Craig several |
| that our first of two days would be spent entirely in | | | | times mentioned his "Spider senses tingling," and we |
| the lodge. But our optimist guide Craig Ellis was | | | | soon returned to the trees. Despite the relative |
| bang-on when he said it was going to clear by the | | | | confinement, we didn't cross an old track all day, and |
| time our safety procedures (which required wallowing | | | | even the tightest lines left room for all five of us. |
| around up to our thighs finding hidden plastic-wrapped | | | | On one of these runs it suddenly hit me that, were |
| transceivers) were done. | | | | we in a normal heli-skiing group, that wouldn't be the |
| Truth be told, I lurched around clumsily most of the | | | | case at all. Often, the eighth-or-so skier would be left |
| first day, never really finding a rhythm in the deep | | | | with cut-up snow, and the 12th would face a virtually |
| snow and uneven, often steep and treed terrain. I | | | | packed slope. And if there were four groups of 12, |
| staggered like a hung-over '80s-era rocker from a | | | | half the guests would be slithering though moguls. |
| Pat Lynch article, my turns displaying the mellifluous | | | | Mica Heliskiing's all-small-group approach, with three |
| fluidity of a Helix guitar solo. Iain rambled on the next | | | | groups of four guests, each with one guide, alters |
| morning trying to analyze his dreams that centered | | | | the experience substantially. The guide can pick much |
| around skiing massive swallowing powder-and flying. | | | | tighter terrain and know that everyone will wallow |
| Go figure. Day two was another world entirely and | | | | happily in pow. With only four people to manage on |
| given the limited length I'm allowed to write, I'm | | | | descents and load/ unload each run cycle, the pace |
| happy to write about one spectacular day. | | | | can be simultaneously more relaxed and much faster |
| A flight barely long enough to buckle our boots and | | | | than in traditional large-group skiing. Except for fuel |
| adjust our various dangling accouterments brought us | | | | runs, there's never any waiting for the helicopter. And |
| to an isolated knoll high above the reservoir. More | | | | all this privacy for a price only slightly more than |
| snow had fallen overnight, but the previous day's | | | | large-group heli-skiing. Amazing! So amazing, I can't |
| humidity had evaporated and the first turn, in which I | | | | imagine it'll last forever. |
| plunged chest-deep into dry snow, told me this would | | | | |