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Why drive to a popular hiking trail head to only park your car in a crowded lot when you can take a helicopter to a remote hiking area in the mountains? The problem for heli-skiing operators is how to keep earning revenue after winter and early spring seasons. Heli-hiking brings the best of both worlds for those who enjoy hiking and longing for a unique experience of being dropped off on a mountain peak by helicopter.

Flickr.com (Rick McCharles)

Wildlife. Wild Flowers. Mountains. Meadows. Glaciers. These are just some of the images that will be forever burned into your memories which will last a lifetime. Sounds like annoying marketing language, right? I hate using gimmicky phrases but it so describes the feeling when you begin following your hiking guide in the middle of the mountains with family, friends or friendly strangers.

When unloading from the helicopter for the first time, you’d be surprised to be told to kneel firmly on the ground and keep one hand on your hiking packs for balance. The gale-like winds produced by the rotor blades can easily knock you down if you were to stand up. I almost realized this on my heli-skiing trip when I stepped out from the helicopter and loose debris started to pelt my face as I knelt near the other skiers. Still thinking to yourself that you can get the same enjoyment from hiking local mountains? Let me tell you, once the helicopter takes-off and you’re standing in the middle of a rugged mountain range surrounded by wooded forests and glaciers is unmatched – it’s complete and utter rapture.

The following are some pros and cons if you are thinking of planning a heli-hiking trip:

The Good:

• You won’t hear automobiles, you won’t see industrial smokestacks and you won’t hear the helicopter once it leaves the area or if the engines are shut down.
• It will be just you and the rest of the group surrounded by abundant wildlife with thousands of amazing photo opportunities.
• It doesn’t matter your hiking ability as most, if not all, heli-hiking operators will place you in an appropriate group (i.e., Canadian Mountain Holiday places hikers in groups – gentle, moderate, moderately challenging and rigorous).
• Some operators offer themed excursions such as rejuvenating yoga lessons to action packed mountaineering challenges to heli-weddings.
• The ability to be totally disconnected from work by knowing your cellphone or smartphone will not be able to find a signal – priceless!

Flickr.com (Rick McCharles)

The Not So Good:

• It’s very expensive when comparing it to the alternative – driving to a local mountain and paying a park entrance fee (if applicable).
• You’ll be with a tour guide with a set schedule to meet you at a specific pick up point – so there usually is no chance just to wander by yourself.
• Most lodges are in a remote area away from any towns so you might run into some downtime of just hanging around the lodge after a day of hiking.

Heli-Hiking Operators:

• Canadian Mountain Holidays – This operator can accommodate private trips and family trips from their lodges located in the Canadian Rockies. The prices vary based on the length of your stay but you can expect to pay about $2,490 to $4,690 (Canadian Dollars).
• Alpine Helicopters – This operator does morning and afternoon hikes near Banff, Canada that last about four hours with prices ranging from $389 to $549 per person.
• Denali Heli-Hiking Adventure – Operating just outside Denali National Park you can go heli-hiking for almost four hours with the legendary Mount McKinley towering in the distance. The price will be around $479 per person but travel lightly as there is a $125 weight surcharge.(