CNN Travel set out to rank the finest heli-skiing on the planet. Alaska’s Chugach Range - our backyard - opened the list. Here is what they wrote about skiing here.
1. Alaska - Chugach Range
CNN points to the authentic Alaska experience and the setting behind so many extreme ski movies: big mountains, big lines, steep and deep. The Chugach Mountains surrounding Valdez receive an annual average of nearly 700 inches (17.7 meters) of snow, and their proximity to the coast means moist snow that bonds - giving skiers more stability on steep slopes.
Valdez Heli-Ski Guides, they note, specializes in big mountains and small groups - four guests per ship accessing Alaska’s famed spines and iconic terrain. Our Eurocopter A-Star B2 delivers guests atop leg-jellying runs averaging 3,000 to 5,000 vertical feet (914 to 1,524 meters). Afterward, the Tsaina Lodge serves gourmet dining with views over the Washington Glacier.
Note: the package prices quoted in the 2019 article are no longer current. See our booking page for this season’s memberships.
