GIRDWOOD HELICOPTER
OPERATIONS
::
heliskiing in the Chugach Range
Chugach Powder Guides
invites you to experience the excitement and sheer magnitude of the Western
Chugach Mountain Range! Our exclusive-use permit area covers over 700,000
acres of mountainous terrain with gentle bowls, giant mountain faces, massive
glaciers and sheltered tree skiing. Based at the Alyeska Prince Hotel at
Alyeska Resort in the friendly ski village of Girdwood, we are only a 40-minute
drive from Anchorage International Airport. Our mountain guides are highly-trained
and professional with extensive Alaskan experience. At Chugach Powder Guides,
our goal is to make your backcountry adventure as exciting, safe and memorable
as possible. We invite you to join us and see why the Chugach mountains
are recognized for having some of the best heli-skiing and snowboarding
in the world!
::
location
Chugach Adventure
Guides exclusive-use permit area covers over 1,500 sq. miles of mountainous
terrain with gentle bowls, giant mountain faces, massive glaciers and sheltered
tree skiing. Based in the friendly ski village of Girdwood,
we are only a 40-minute drive from Ted Stevens Anchorage International
Airport.
:: dates of operation
Our season starts
in late January or early February and ends in mid-April. Each month offers
its own unique characteristics. Daylight starts at 9.5 hours in late
January and rapidly gains to 14 hours by the end of April.
:: weather and
conditions
The Western Chugach
Mountain Range benefits from the combined influences of warm Pacific Ocean
air mixing with colder arctic air that blows in from the Alaska interior.
The resulting high-quality powder snow is why this coastal mountain range
is famous. Our operation areas average 600 inches (1,524 cm) of snowfall
each winter. Average temperatures from February to mid-March are 20F (-7C).
In March, there is a gain of nearly six minutes per day, and as the days
grow longer, afternoon highs are typically 20°F to 30°F (-7C to
-1C). Dry powder conditions can be found on all but the southernfacing
slopes, where excellent corn snow offers yet another style of skiing.
:: terrain
Alaska’s Western
Chugach Mountains wrap around some of the best helicopter skiing and boarding
terrain in the world. The 3,000 to 4,000-foot vertical runs are found on
hundreds of peaks, providing guests with more powder than they can ride
in one trip. Guests can ski directly from our Girdwood base and from there
explore the northern zones, or base their adventure from one of our remote
heli ports in the southern areas. Most guests ski both during their week-long
adventure. Runs like “Lost Shots,” “Dendrites” and “Wall Street” dish out
quintessential Alaska heli-skiing. Conditions permitting, aggressive mountain
lines like “Comet Couloir,” “Stolen Face,” and “Sky Walker” wait to be
skied. It’s about being challenged, and safe. Stability and conditions
take priority when selecting runs and planning the day. If our guides won’t
take you to a peak, there’s a reason (see
our page on safety).
::
girdwood and accommodations
The
Hotel Alyeska
CAG is proud to be
affiliated with Alyeska Resort and The Hotel Alyeska. Located adjacent
to the ski slopes, the hotel serves as home base for our clients. Each
guest stays in a deluxe room with beautiful views of the Chugach Range.
Amenities include room service, in-room coffee makers, safes, refrigerators,
and robes and slippers. A state-of-the-art fitness center, indoor salt-water
pool, sauna and whirlpool are part of the experience, and four on-site
restaurants are known for creative dishes prepared with fresh Alaska ingredients
and breathtaking views. Resort shops offer everything from unique Alaska
gift items to the latest ski apparel and accessories.
For more information
on Alyeska Resort, visit: www.alyeskaresort.com |
Girdwood, Alaska
is 40 miles (64 km) south of Anchorage. The Seward Highway parallels scenic
Turnagain Arm and is flanked by the Chugach mountains and massive hanging
glaciers that blanket this state park. What started as a gold mining prospect
in 1895, today is a quaint ski village with a high-energy community of
2,000, a luxury hotel and ski resort, award-winning restaurants, ski shops,
and unique Alaska gift galleries and watering holes where locals gather
to compare adventures. Daily flights from Seattle, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis
and Denver offer direct connections to Alaska.
For more information
on the town of Girdwood, visit: www.girdwoodalaska.com
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::
heli week packages
::
full day heli-skiing
Ski pristine peaks
with astounding views of the Chugach Range. Includes lunch and offers 6-10
runs with vertical runs of 16,000 - 20,000 feet (4,800 - 6,000 m).
::
private and semi-private heli-skiing
Reserve a helicopter
for your group’s exclusive use, allowing you to customize your daily schedule.
:: snowcat backup
If we cannot fly
due to weather, a guaranteed seat on the snowcat can be purchased for one-week
packages. Snowcat skiing and boarding is our all-weather alternative to
the helicopter. CAG operates an exclusive 1,000-acre (404 hectare) snowcat
area located in the upper Girdwood Valley adjacent to Alyeska Resort.
Exciting mountain terrain, sweeping views, open powder cruising in alpine
bowls, steep pitches and the finest tree skiing and boarding in Alaska
is part of this experience.
:: skiing / boarding
guarantee
Helicopter operations,
our exclusive snowcat area, and Alyeska Resort lift services assure you
will not miss any skiing and boarding during your stay with us.
::
vertical policy
The
charge for exceeding the package vertical footage is $38 per 1,000 vertical
feet (300 m). If we don't achieve the guaranteed package footage, the refund
is $30 per 1,000 vertical feet (300 m).
Skier
/ Snowboarder Grouping
At
CPG we recognize that the key to an enjoyable mountain experience lies
in grouping skiers and snowboarders with others of like ability and terrain
preference. Nobody wishes to be held up by slower skiers and at the
same time, nobody wishes to feel like they are being pressured to ski or
board at a pace or in terrain they aren’t comfortable with. We are
especially sensitive to this and make every effort to collect appropriate
information in advance of your trip and to talk to you about your skiing
style and preferences.
Our
A-Star helicopters allow space for four or five skiers and a guide in each
load. This allows us to keeps groups small, personal and appropriately
grouped with others of like preferences and abilities. As compared
to other outfits using larger helicopters with groups of ten or more skiers
in each load, we’ve found that we are generally more successful in grouping
guests appropriately. If you feel that you have been inappropriately
matched with other skiers or boards, please don’t hesitate to tell your
guide or our staff. Your comfort and satisfaction are of utmost importance
to us and we will make every effort to assure your best possible ski or
snowboard experience.
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