42.0°

Helicopter drop-offs on nearby peaks and glaciers are one way skiers and snowboarders can extend their season. Though some heliriding happens in November, the most popular months are February through June.

"Most skiers and boarders have a great time at Eaglecrest, but what few realize is what incredible terrain and snow conditions we have in the mountains right behind our town," said heliguide and avalanche specialist Bill Glude. "I know a lot of people who spend thousands of dollars to fly south to the big ski areas, but if they took that same money and spent it here, the same money would give them far more, far better skiing."

As the helicopter flies away, you realize where you are, said Vermont skier Guille Hunt, who spent the winter in Alaska so he could heliski the ranges around Haines.

"The most amazing part is when you get dropped off and the helicopter is gone and it's all quiet and you take in the surroundings," Hunt said. "You feel so small looking down into the valley, onto the glaciers, at peaks that shoot straight up into the sky. You feel so alive because you know you're really at the mercy of the mountains."

Heliskiers say the backcountry offers awesome, untracked wide open powder, with plenty of variety and terrain to scope out a perfect line. At the bottom, when the exhilaration is over, they gather again in the helicopter and ride back to the top and do it over again. On a good day, they can get in as many as 10 runs.

"Flying in a helicopter is the most efficient way of getting to terrain that is otherwise inaccessible," said Hunt. "Ski areas don't offer challenging enough terrain and I wanted to really expand on what I could do."

Heliriding costs between $45 and $600 per day, depending on what kind of trip is taken. Knowledgeable skiers and snowboarders can get together and split the cost of a helicopter, keeping each share relatively low. They get dropped off on nearby mountains, such as McGinnis and Sheep Mountain, or travel further into the icefield to places such as Secret Valley and Split Thumb. The farther you go, the more helicopter time and money it takes.

Novices must hire a guide until they have a clear understanding of snow safety, terrain and conditions in the backcountry, as helicopter companies won't fly people without sufficient knowledge and training. This costs a bit more, but is worth it.

Besides watching for the best snow and the best conditions, professional guides help heliskiers find their way down the mountain safely. Guides are looking out for crevasses, cornices, snow instability, cliffs and rocks, blind drops, and the ever-present avalanche danger. They know how to act in an emergency, which is always a possibility in the unpredictable backcountry.

It takes years of being in the mountains to be able to read and assess what's going on. Backcountry enthusiasts have to consider snowfall patterns throughout the season, how the wind or weather has shaped the snow, the depth and the quality of snow between each layer, and what the temperature will do to the snow at a certain time of day.

While precautions need to be taken, the ride is worth it.

"It takes a lot more energy to hike, and when you have to hike, you end up doing a lot less skiing," Juneau skier Greg Steele said "Helicopters get you there faster and you spend more of your day having fun."

"You really have to feel confident in your ability to ride because it is more intense than riding the bowls around Eaglecrest. You need to know about riding the mountain and respect it, for your own safety, as well as the safety of the group," she said.

Professional snowboarder and heliguide Tom Burt said one of the reasons he returns to Alaska is because of the snow conditions.

"It's maritime, so there's a little more moisture in the snow and it tends to stick to the steeps and the avalanche conditions are generally low," he said. "I like to do first descents a lot, so around the Juneau-Skagway-Haines area, there's pretty much countless amount of runs and mountains that haven't been skied or snowboarded, so it kind of leaves the door wide open on being able to do that."

An annual Sheep Mountain trip attracts 12 to 18 friends who charter a helicopter to shuttle them to the top for a single dropoff and an afternoon of short runs, picnicking, and time in the sun. By the late afternoon the group descends down the mountain to Perseverance Trail, with an easy hike back to town.

"The terrain is perfectly configured for all skier types," said Glude, the avalanche expert. "Sheep Mountain is long and wide open with playful terrain. There are little windips and hollows and jumps and steeper faces for more advanced riders. And with the hike along Perseverance you get to pick wildflowers for salad for dinner. It's a great way to end the day."

Teri Tibbett is a free-lance writer, photographer and snowboarder living in Juneau. Contact her at tibbett@alaska.net or visit her snowboarding Web site at www.snowboardersjournal.com.