Ingredients:

• 1-4 Friends and Loved Ones
• 1 Set of Gear
• 1-2 Guides
• 1 Pilot
• 1 Helicopter
• Hectares of terrain 
• 1 epic Lunch Pack

Serves 1-4, Heli-skiing is best served cold!

Method:

Gather your friends and loved ones and head in to see us in either Wanaka or Queenstown to make a booking, alternatively, we are online right here at www.heliski.co.nz.

Before you make your way to the heli-base, prep your station with all the right gear. Boots? poles? skis? board? The rule of thumb is that the fatter the ski, the better! In order to make things easy for yourself to weightlessly glide through powder, we recommend incorporating skis with at least 110mm underfoot to the mix. Whilst it may be warm in the valley, temperatures drop as we gain elevation; make sure you have plenty of layers that can be peeled off, so you don't over-cook! Before you board the helicopter, Harris Mountains Heli-Ski kits you out with avalanche safety equipment, our guides will brief you on how to use it prior to taking off. 

The morning of, we will mix you in with a team of guides. The guides at Harris Mountains Heli-Ski have extensive amounts of experience and training. They know the terrain like a chef knows his kitchen; a lot of time and effort goes into making sure we know exactly what the conditions are like out there to keep everyone safe. Our guides are master chefs and will blend the perfect combo of runs into a batch tailored specifically to your ability. Even after 25 years of heli-skiing for some, they still love what they do and are the first to get pumped for a day out! 

Each group will be partnered with a pilot and machine. Harris Mountains Heli-Ski partners with The Helicopter Line and Aspiring Helicopters, two of the most reputable helicopter operators in the Southern Lakes Region. Their pilots have an immense amount of experience flying in this terrain and safety always comes first which is why the pilot always has the last say in where to land. 

Harris Mountains Heli-Ski pioneered heli-skiing in New Zealand, this ensures that we have secured the best terrain to cater for all abilities of skiers and snowboarders. From over 11 different mountain ranges, our guides have over 400 runs to select from that vary between 600 to 1000 vertical metres. Our terrain folds through sheltered basins and bowls, blends wide rolling mountain flanks, and whips up steep and gnarly chutes.

The right snow is the key ingredient to this recipe. The Southern Alps receive maritime weather systems that dry out as they cross into our terrain east of the Main Divide. This pattern is unique to Aotearoa and means that quality, light, and fluffy powder, is delivered right where we want it! This pristine snow is at your disposal for maximum turns and fun. 

A day out heli-skiing yields a hungry stomach; don’t worry, we have you covered. A well-deserved lunch break includes sandwiches, hot soup, tea, juices, and of course, water. Lunch is served next to your helicopter and is a great chance to chat with the guides, pilot, and your fellow heli-skiers. Don’t forget to take in the scenery and acknowledge how lucky you are to have all this in your backyard!