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November, 2024

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What would you want in a heli trip?

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jon@wh2o
Posts: 314 - Karma: 158
O.K. Here's the deal: my dad works for a big heli-ski operation, and they're trying to figure out ways to draw in more people from the newschoolers kind of demographic. THey're having a big meeting on what to change/add, and it would be cool to get opinions from you guys and not just what a marketing department thinks about younger skiers.

So basicaly, what would your ideal heli-ski trip look like?
May 12 2011 8:45PM
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RIP_leos_shack
Posts: 714 - Karma: 3,216
Draw from NS demographic ha! Heli skiing's great and all but it's just too damn expensive for most of us, and I don't think there's much that can be done to change that.
May 12 2011 8:47PM
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JosephStalin
Posts: 1673 - Karma: 100
pretty simple, endless pow.
May 12 2011 8:50PM
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los.pinguinos
Posts: 555 - Karma: 34
set up a sick park with tons of rails, also groom it as much as possible
May 12 2011 8:54PM
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jon@wh2o
Posts: 314 - Karma: 158
haha, very true.
I guess it would be more of a dream trip.
May 12 2011 8:56PM
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los.pinguinos
Posts: 555 - Karma: 34
but seriously, this, heli skiing appeals to probably everyone but they cant afford it, you dont really have to change any other aspects of it
May 12 2011 8:57PM
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-LyricalFaya-
Posts: 71 - Karma: 14
Let the guest hit more cliffs, Yes i understand the liability and the snow conditions but you often ski by so many and just want to send it.
May 12 2011 9:03PM
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A.Eberhard
Posts: 4426 - Karma: 415
99.9% of the Newschoolers population probably can't afford a heli trip, let alone lunch at the ski hill. Definitely appealing to the wrong demographic.
I would say just a lower price and a prime location would bring in a lot of people. It also seems that a lot of high level intermediate skiers/ advanced skiers really want to do heli/cat skiing so having a variety of zones that would appeal to all skill levels would be a good idea.
May 12 2011 9:20PM
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SurfaceHoar
Posts: 311 - Karma: 240
1. Stability
2. Visibility
3.Private Ship
4.Consistent snow
5. Unlimited Vertical
6. Hookers and Blow
7. Hot tub
8. Massage w/ happy ending
9. Lots of good food
10. Friends to share it with
May 12 2011 9:30PM
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
small groups, willing to get as gnarly as the guest wants, something below treeline for the low light days.


pre built booters with sled rides for bad vis days, offer barebones lodging/meal package, mini shred park back at the lodge(assuming you have a lodge)


honestly though it all comes down to the amount of fly days i can get, and for how much.
May 13 2011 4:34AM
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GBS
Posts: 1386 - Karma: 33
POWDER. /tread
May 13 2011 8:00AM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
This sounds a lot like what I would want. I'm thinking about going next year. I'm time rich, but cash poor, so I don't mind waiting for the weather to clear, but I don't want to be paying a lot for accomodation whilst I am waiting. Heli time cost is obviously a factor, but i know that's always going to be expensive.

In the heli I want to be able to push myself in the lines I ski, so I don't want to be held up by rich old guys. Something to do on low light days would be great.
May 13 2011 8:15AM
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^BEANS^
Posts: 624 - Karma: 248
a few hidden booters and other secret jems hidden. maybs a little rail set up back at the lodge for bad weather days/night jibbing.
May 13 2011 9:49AM
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colleenator
Posts: 885 - Karma: 60
ski flying.
May 13 2011 10:09AM
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_DUSTY_
Posts: 1097 - Karma: 686
Build some good sized jumps to hit on you're way down. Also having some pillow lines available would be sick.
May 13 2011 10:22AM
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snomaster
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 5,771

less trips in a day for cheaper rates:
meant to drop you off in a zone so that you can build a booter, lap mini golf zone(s) via skins/hiking, etc
other ops call this 'heli assisted touring', but you could market it much better.

also provide blunts with hookers and blow.
May 13 2011 10:33AM
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mozzy
Posts: 1034 - Karma: 60
Well, things like insurance get in the way of the gnar factor.

As for appealing to a younger demographic, the cost of heli is really high, no matter which way you look at it. I've done it before, but it one of those once-in-every-five-years events, because of the cost.


May 13 2011 2:20PM
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jon@wh2o
Posts: 314 - Karma: 158
ya, this would be the basis of the program, and with o focus on more filming/fun stuff. I was kinda thinking you buy an hour or two of heli time, which gets you to a zone, and a couple runs, and then you shred that zone with a group of similar abilty skiers. Every guest get a gopro, and there's editing sessions at the end of the day, like at a summer camp (i think). This would make it significantly cheaper, but you'd get less heli-lifts. As for powder, that's almost never a problem. There's been times where ther'es se much pow up high that the heli can't land.
May 14 2011 12:16AM
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0ggzy
Posts: 123 - Karma: 33
I would want sean Petit In my dream heli trip
May 14 2011 6:52AM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Gopro idea is cool, but how many people who can afford to go heliskiing don't already own some sort of headcam? And if the editing took away from ski time, I really wouldn't be keen. Perhaps I'm not quite the demographic you're aiming at (bit older than the average nser).

A similar 'access pass' idea is run by Helipark NZ, I've not personally been, but I hear it works pretty well.
May 14 2011 8:59PM
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TONYDANZA
Posts: 181 - Karma: 2
Head off to a sick beach with some hot Ladies, beer and stuff. Other dudes? Yeah Right!
May 15 2011 12:52PM
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erejto64
Posts: 817 - Karma: 228
some inbound booters
May 16 2011 7:33PM
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