Heli Boarding NZ pros & cons
In Ausgust 2010 I spent 5 days in Queentown. I was there for the Heli boarding experience only. I personal don,t enjoy boarding the resort around Queenstown ( I have a big problem driving the roads up to the resorts). I arranged a heli trip with Southren Lake Helisking. The weather wasn’t the best so I had to hang in for 3 days before I got a clear day. I got the call that its was a go early in the morning of the fourth day.Pick up @ 9.00 am by a bus at my Hotel to travel to the RV. After a 1 1/2 hour of picking up every man and his dog (30 plus) we arrive at the Staging Area @ 10 .30. Now we all had to do Safety drills. My crew was the seconds to be pick up and drop off for the first of my 4 runs. The run was about 10 minute in durating with 3 stops included, so for the slow one in the crew to catch up. The next three run were of 20 to 25 minute in duration with 2 stops. The run ( the same each time) had a dusting of about 100mm of powder. So I ask would this be the worst conditions excepted to take a crew out. The guide said that we got it good compare to most. The Cost was $800 NZD. So if there is any boarders wanting more info just ask. One of the pros is that it is better then heli boarding in Japan. I know this because my guide was Japanese. So NZ heliboarding is the best heliboarding experience avilable to Aussies unless you travel to Alsaka.
Helipark is way cheaper than that. Queenstown all round is a rip off!
In my opinion, unless you’re made of money - as far as the “pros and cons” go, heliboarding NZ is one big “con”. But if you must give it a shot - avoid Methven, Wanaka and Queenstown, and hit up Helipark or Mount Cook.
well, if you don’t HAVE to have a heli, the backcountry in Japan is way better than anything in NZ
Thanks for the feedback. I am not out to bag the Heliski Company involve. I Just want to inform readers of the Facts for and agaist. For me NZ boarding as not the value for your dollar. I reseached helipark and You got me convince. I will give it a go in 2012. At the moment I can not get away from the value Japan offers. I been the last 3 season and it get better each Time I go.
also, if you want good heliboarding, don’t book until you know there is going to be fresh snow. There’s not much point doing it (especially if you’ve done it before and the heli-ride etc doesn’t have the same level of excitement) unless you’re sure you’re going to have freshies.
Heli park were really good when we went with them last year, they were happy to have us call in the lead up and not cement our booking til we knew there would be fresh snow.
well, if you don’t HAVE to have a heli, the backcountry in Japan is way better than anything in NZ
Troooooooooooo dat!
i had planned to do it last season in NZ but gave it a miss, for what it costs i wanted perfect conditions.
I cant believe you only went there for heliboarding? i mean sure, the roads are not as easy to drive as the roads to the aussie resorts but they are far, far from bad to drive. hell my missus, with no snow driving experience, drove our rented corolla down from remarks in blizzard/white out conditions with ease…
yeah they aren’t that bad. Especially with an all wheel/4wd.
yeah they aren’t that bad. Especially with an all wheel/4wd.
When i was a wee one. I rode down the road from Corenet Peak in the back of a Ute…. The crazy things people did waaay back when!
Deanobruce
I am not worry about MY driving skills but of other Idoits on the road whom have never driven in icy conditon in a blizzard on a not so good of a road down from the Remarkables. Sound formular?
im not sure what formular sounds like?
in the many,many times i have driven in nz the only time i have seen anyone lose control was a local trying to drift the corner and lost it up an embankment.
you find most ppl who have no idea how to drive will take th bus up.
How this for a laugh deanobruce
The Swiss bloke who was driving us out to the staging Area stop the bus out front of this hotel to pick up some more clients. The bus was on a incline and this driver just got up and processed to get out of the buses side door without placing the handbrake on. Well the bus start to roll down the driveway of the hotel and I got his attendion by grabing him and physical pointing this out to him. The bus ended up only 100mm before the driver could stop the bus from wiping out a huge steel bin. This bloke end up being our safety instructor and guide.
well that was stupid of him.
i did the same thing once, was that excited to go for a surf i jumped out of the car and went to grab my board out of the back when i realised it was rolling away from me.
Started heading for the boat ramp at redsands…
The bus was on a incline and this driver just got up and processed to get out of the buses side door without placing the handbrake on.
LOL. this sentence was bugging me - what was wrong about ‘processed’. It just hit me 5 minutes later -> ‘proceeded’ johno, ‘proceeded’
The bus was on a incline and this driver just got up and processed to get out of the buses side door without placing the handbrake on.
LOL. this sentence was bugging me - what was wrong about ‘processed’. It just hit me 5 minutes later -> ‘proceeded’ johno, ‘proceeded’
Sorry Gamblor, English is not one of my best subjects. I,ll try to remember to check my grammar for now no. I know it can be annoying.