Backcountry skiing is more popular than ever and Winthrop provides a perfect base camp for backcountry adventures. Backcountry skiers and splitboarders will find a paradise of terrain in the hills surrounding the valley. The National Forest and the North Cascades mountains are just outside of town. Remember that backcountry travel can be dangerous, and that those venturing out should always be prepared with the knowledge, tools and skills to do so safely. Taking an avalanche safety course, and monitoring the weather. We highly recommend traveling with experienced partners too.
If you are looking to get the most out of your backcountry skiing experience, why not travel with an expert? North Cascades Mountain Guides offers guided tours into the North Cascades. They provide all of the knowledge, gear and experience to have a fun and safe adventure. They also provide avalanche safety courses to help you increase your own backcountry knowledge and experience.
If you’re looking to get out into backcountry skiing in style, North Cascade Heli has just the experience for you. Their heli skiing operation will fly you out into the North Cascades. They’ll drop you off on top of some of the most spectacular peaks in the North Cascades.
Every skier and rider deserves to experience the euphoria of heli-skiing in the North Cascades! We’re based on the eastern flanks of the North Cascades where the powder is deeper and drier thanks to the high-alpine terrain that we access via helicopter. This region of the North Cascades gets massive annual snowfall, colder temperatures, and consistent fresh powder. Our permit includes multiple zones spread out across 300,000 acres with expansive bowls, chutes, couloirs, glades, and treed runs. We can combine people to build a load, but we recommend that you build a full load of four with the same experience, abilities, and objectives to maximize your trip. Bring your own reusable water bottle that you can fill up in the Heli Barn – we’re no longer providing plastic water bottles to reduce waste.
Heli-skiing program includes:
- Certified guides
- 7 heli-skiing runs per day
- Unlimited vertical feet
- Small groups of four plus one guide
- Complimentary use of our K2 demo skis or snowboards
- BCA Float 22 Avalanche Airbag plus transceiver, shovel, and probe
- Delicious heli-ready sack lunch
- Extra daily runs for $100 per person (when possible)
