It’s been snowing in the Selkirk and Monashee Mountains for a few weeks now, but in the last few days it has been dumping all the way to the base. Check out our video to see the white out at Bighorn. With just 3 weeks until the start of the season, the snow base is looking good and we expect great early winter conditions. Bring on the pow!
Superchalets in Vanity Fair
We are delighted to be featured in this month’s Vanity Fair magazine. Their ‘Superchalets’ feature highlights the very best luxury chalets in the world. Bighorn is described as “The apex of chalet luxury in North America at the pinnacle of heliskiing”. Uniquely we offer the ultimate in accommodation and service alongside private heliskiing adventures in the Selkirk Mountains. The result is that this “thrashes the finest bespoke skiing in the world”.
Read the full article here.
Bighorn Nominated at the World Ski Awards
We are delighted that Bighorn has been nominated as Canada’s Best Chalet at the World Ski Awards. The stunning accommodation, outstanding service, delicious food and of course world class heli and resort skiing sealed our nomination. With competition from properties in Whistler, Bighorn is really putting Revelstoke on the map. With North America’s highest vertical descent at Revelstoke Mountain Resort and epic heliskiing direct from the house helipad, Bighorn has the perfect blend of luxury and adventure.
You can vote at www.worldskiawards.com/nominees/canada
When is the best time to go heli skiing?
Revelstoke offers unbelievable heliskiing from December to April, but which is the best month? There is no easy answer to that as snow conditions are never predictable, but whether you want thigh deep powder in the trees or sunny glacier skiing, Revelstoke has it all at various times in the season. Check out our monthly guide:
December:
Snow tends to start falling in October, so by December there is a solid base with plenty of fresh snow. December is a great month for powder skiing in the trees (click to see video). Visibility can be limited with stormy conditions, but our heli pilots can almost always access tree skiing at lower elevations.
January:
More fresh snow and intermittent storms mean the pow gets deep! Thigh high powder snow is not uncommon, especially in the trees where it is protected from the wind. The base is deep now, making for fun terrain features like powder pillows and small cliff jumps.
February:
Stormy conditions die down, but there is regular snowfall to keep conditions fresh. Towards the end of the month clearer skies and stable conditions mean we can access the high altitude terrain. Ski huge vertical starting on glaciers and alpine powder bowls and finishing in the trees at lower elevation.
March:
March brings spring-like conditions with longer days, more sunshine and boot top to knee deep powder. Enjoy the spectacular high altitude skiing, plus the chance to enjoy blue skies and amazing scenery.
April:
The snow is still great at high elevations, with superb corn snow on lower sections. This season there has been 66cm of fresh snow in the last 7 days! With Easter falling late next year, Bighorn will be open for spring skiing until April 26th.
Five reasons to go heliskiing in Revelstoke
For most of the winter heli skiers flock to Revelstoke to experience the deep powder snow conditions, but the spring season offers a different yet equally special experience. Here are 5 reasons why you should consider spring skiing:
1) Sun
Who doesn’t like skiing under a bluebird sky? The spectacular Selkirk and Monashee Mountains provide a stunning wilderness backdrop to your heli ski experience and they are best viewed in blazing sunshine. Catch a few rays when you take a break for a gourmet picnic lunch and don’t forget your camera.
2) Visibility
The snow storms that deliver dumps of snow in December and January are less frequent as the season progresses meaning skies tend to be clearer. Improved visibility allows heliskiers to access the high alpine terrain that is sometimes impossible for the heli to land in during midwinter. Discover high alpine powder bowls and glaciers – flattering skiing with incredible scenery in the background. You’ll feel on top of the world.
3) Longer days
Maximise your heli ski experience with longer day light hours. This not only allows you more vertical per day and a more flexible schedule, but also means you can enjoy sunset with a beer in hand from the Bighorn hot tub!
4) Spring snow
The Selkirk Mountains receive an average of 40-60ft of snow each season, meaning they are snow-sure until mid April. Warmer conditions in spring mean the snow is continuously frozen and thawed which makes it form large crystals called corn snow. These snowy granules make for smooth, soft and fast skiing – great fun for flying down a wilderness glacier on. Revelstoke’s extensive forests make for the best tree skiing in the world. In the spring the trees provide shade from the sun, preserving the snow late into the season.
5) Flexibility
The beauty of heli skiing is that your expert guides can take you to the best spots in their 500,000 acre terrain. This is never truer than with a private heliski charter from Bighorn, when you have exclusive use of the helicopter and your guide. So if you want to avoid south facing slopes, stay high or stick to the shady trees, the bespoke experience is designed to meet your needs.
Heli Ski in a Winter Wonderland
Renowned ski journalist Gabriella Le Breton shares her top picks for what is new and exciting on the slopes this season in a recent article for CampdenFB. Heliskiing at Bighorn is featured because it offers “unparalleled luxury”. The lodge has a private helipad which allows for a bespoke heliski package, either flying into the Selkirk Mountains for a heliski adventure or enjoying the exciting terrain at nearby Revelstoke Mountain Resort. The “palatial guest suites, a triple height great room with sweeping mountain views, celebrated chef, private cinema, outdoor hot tub and extensive spa” set Bighorn apart from any other lodge in North America.
CamdenFB focuses on family business so Bighorn, which was developed by brothers Michael and Chris Kirkland, is particularly relevant for readers. Read the full article on heliskiing at Bighorn here.
Heli vs Cat Skiing
This month’s Ski Magazine features an interesting debate on whether heli or cat skiing offers the ultimate powder day experience. Using criteria like cost per vertical foot as well discussing just how much of a powder fix you get, this article is a must-read for anyone considering a heli or cat ski trip next season. Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing, with Bighorn, is listed as one of their top 8 heliski tenures in the world and is undoubtedly the best option for those looking to heliski in luxury.
The beauty of Bighorn is that guests get the best of both worlds with awesome heliskiing direct from the house helipad and exciting cat skiing at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, just 1 minute drive away. Since guests have exclusive use of Bighorn for the week, their package can be tailored to include as much heli or cat skiing as they like.
The ultimate skier’s breakfast
We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, never more so than if you are fueling for a day skiing Revelstoke’s epic powder. At Bighorn a sumptuous breakfast buffet is laid out each morning, with hot items cooked to order. As part of this feast, the executive chef Peter Hughes has created the ultimate muesli to energise skiers through until lunch. Healthy, nutritious and full of goodness, we serve it each day topped with really good yoghurt and fruit compote that we make with fresh berries and a reduction of crème de cassis.
The following recipe will keep in an airtight container for up to four months so you can batch prepare and have a tasty, healthy, energy packed, low GI breakfast for the season. Use the best quality ingredients you can find and if possible use organic dried fruits and seeds. The recipe will transform very easily into Bircher Muesli by the addition of grated apple, yoghurt and honey and soaking overnight so that the dry fruit softens and become plump and juicy.
500g Jumbo Rolled Porridge Oats (drizzled with honey and roasted for ten minutes and allowed to cool before adding the other ingredients)
300g Hemp Hearts
300g Pumpkin Seeds
300g Sunflower Seeds
300g Thompson Raisins
300g Dried Mango (finely chopped)
300g Dried Pitted Prunes (finely chopped)
300g Dried Apricots (finely chopped)
150g Dried Cherries
150g Dried Cranberries
150g Dried Blueberries
150g Dried Goji Berries
150g Flaxseed
150g Milled Flaxseed
150g Cacao Nibs
So enjoy some health at breakfast and feel the benefit on the slopes!
Epic Heliski Luxury: A Typical Day at Bighorn Revelstoke
“Bighorn is a slope side Downton Abbey, a potent cocktail of extreme skiing and extreme luxury, garnished with a private helicopter pad”.
Renowned travel journalist Everett Potter shares his experience of Bighorn Revelstoke. Even the luxury at one of the world’s finest private lodges is eclipsed by the thrill of heliskiing in the Selkirk Mountains:
“Fueled up, you pad downstairs to the boot room, as everyone removes their boots from the boot heater where they are perfectly toasty for the morning. Geared up, avalanche transceivers tested, you walk outside and watch a Selkirk Tangiers helicopter fly along the Columbia River valley and then swoop in to land on the private heli pad while Ride of the Valkyries plays in your head. Buckled in, the helicopter rises and you find yourself deposited and clicking into your bindings within 15 minutes on the best powder skiing in the world. A small nimble helicopter like an A 6 can deliver you to virgin snows free of other skiers, lift lines, rules and regulations. You ski 1,500 or 2,000 vertical feet and the chopper is waiting for you at the bottom of the run. Repeat eight or nine times in a day. It’s instant gratification taken to ridiculous levels”.