Heliski weekend Espace Mont Blanc

With a helipad almost directly in front of the door, famous freeride areas as Chamonix and Verbier within range and with the limitless skitouring possibilities starting from our backyard, the Bekker Mountain Chalet in Finhaut offers the ideal starting point for a heliskiing or heli assisted skitouring and freeride weekend. The ultimate backcountry ski experience! During daytime you will enjoy the snowy outdoors and in the evenings you can taste good food, relax at the fireplace or in the sauna or wood fired hot tub with a view of the sky above the Mont Blanc mountain range and the nature of the Aiguilles Rouges.

Highlights

• Clear all-in price: including heli flight, lift ticket, guide fees, local transport and halfboard (full board for heliski and skitouring days)
• Easily accessible from Geneva Airport by Swiss Railways or private transfer shuttle bus
• Small groups from 3 persons, max. 5 / 6
• This program can also be organized as private arrangement in a private catered chalet (ask for the rates for private arrangements)

The Vallée du Trient is situated as a kind of limbo between Switzerland and France, enclosed between the Col de la Forclaz on the one hand and the Col des Montets on the other hand. A century ago renowned for rich Western Europeans for its unparalleled views of the Glacier du Trient and Mont Blanc, the mountain village of Finhaut has been fallen a sleep... and now awakens up, but still little known! We take you in our 4x4 minivan along to "Secret Places" with the most snow of that moment and enjoy, if conditions permit, at least one day of heliskiing / boarding or helis assisted skitouring in the Alps! 

PROGRAM

The program is in all cases determined by the mountain- and skiguide in charge! Only the guide decides whether the program should be modified when he / she considers necessary (due to meteorological conditions, snow conditions, avalanche danger,  or other unforeseen circumstances)!

Thursday: Check in between 16 and 19 hours at the Bekker Chalet. If you are flying to Geneva, we recommend to arrive in Geneva no later than 16:00 /  4pm. The later you arrive, the more valuable skiing time you lose on theory and briefing! Welcome drink & snacks, briefing and safety video on heliski after dinner.

Friday: Early breakfast (07.00) material preparation and a minivan transfer to the ski resort of Vallorcine, Les Marécottes or Les Grands Montets (between 10 and 20 min drive). Off Piste ski training and avalanche safety training in and around the ski area. Overnight and dinner at the Bekker Chalet and use of spa facilities (hot tub, sauna).

Saturday: Our heliskiing (or heli-boarding) day! We leave near the Bekker Chalet and fly high to the Glacier du Trient. From here, many descents are possible and the view is breathtaking! Under good conditions, we first descend down to Praz de Fort of Orsières. Then we fly up again and make a 2nd fantastic long descent over the glacier back to Trient where our 4x4 bus picks us up. Also possible is heli assisted skitouring, which means 1 lift by helicopter up; Armed with freeride / touring skis we fix after 1st descent on the glacier the skins under the skis and skin up in an hour to the Col du Pissoir. Here we pause with views of the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Verbier and Lake Geneva. Then a long long glacier descent to Trient follows. If the weather does not permit flying today, we reserve the chopper for tomorrow and today we opt for an extra day off piste in a different ski area than where you have been Friday.

Sunday: We are on time and make a wonderful skitouring backcountry day in the mountains behind our chalet with a view of our own heliski tracks across the valley! Or we go again heliskiing if you are in it. Options include Petit Combin, Wildhorn, Pigne d'Arolla etc. Freeride in Chamonix or Les Marécottes is possible too! End of the program in the afternoon (Possibility for showering at the Bekker Chalet before departure).

The accommodation is in our own chalet in Finhaut with sauna, fireplace, wood-fired hot tub, free coffee, tea and fast wifi and tasty dinners. Here you will soon feel at home! You sleep in comfortable 2-4 person rooms. You are an experienced freerider in good shape who descends smoothly and controlled in all types of snow, on and off piste.  This program is also open to experienced and very fit snowboarders with split board that can persist well on traverses. Please mention if you participate in snowboard on the booking form. Freeride skis can be rented on the spot and, ABS avalanche airbag, glacier- and avalanche equipment is included.

Edward Bekker is IFMGA certified mountain- and skiguide since 1984. For over 2 decades he acts as heliski guide in the Alps and he is trained as a heliskiguide at the biggest heliski outfitter in the world, CMH Heliskiing in Canada.