Heli-skiing is one of the most exhilarating sports you could possibly engage in. As with such adrenaline-inducing activities, there are certain risks and dangers associated with heli-skiing.
Of course, it is to be expected that skiing down a mountain that is only accessible by helicopter isn’t as safe as sitting at home and watching TV, but how dangerous is it really?
Right now, we’ll figure out how dangerous heli-skiing is, what the biggest risks are, and what you can do to stay safe.
What is Heli-Skiing?
Heli-skiing involves using a helicopter to fly up a mountain that is otherwise inaccessible.
Instead of taking a ski lift or gondola to the top of a groomed track at a ski resort, you’re flying in a helicopter to the top of a mountain peak (or close), then you ski down an ungroomed mountainside with plenty of fresh powder and incredible views.
Many of the world’s premier ski destinations can only be reached by helicopter, motivating ski-lovers and ski experts to gladly pay a premium for such exclusive access.
Read our related post “What is Heli-skiing? (The Ultimate Guide)” here.
Is Heli-Skiing Considered a Dangerous Activity?
Heli-skiing is considered to be a relatively safe activity. Of course, using a helicopter to access a mountainside, and then ski down through fresh powder and unknown obstacles poses a certain degree of risk.
It’s certainly more dangerous than skiing down a manicured slope at a well-maintained ski resort, plus there is the danger of flying in a helicopter too.
As far as extreme sports go, heli-skiing is decidedly one of the least dangerous of all. According to this report by Reinsurance Group of America, avalanche deaths in Canada between 1984 and 2005 showed 204 deaths, heli-skiing accounted for 21% of deaths (42 deaths). The company Canadian Mountain Holidays, a heli-skiing operator, recorded 42 heli-skiing deaths. This represents a skier death for every 31,000 skier days.
As you can tell from those numbers, heli-skiing fatalities are not very numerous at all. To provide you with another figure, according to this report by Unofficial Networks from the Simon Fraser University, in the 1970’s there were roughly 85 deaths per million skier days. That number has decreased to roughly 10 deaths per million skier days (2016).
NOTE: Skier days” is a metric commonly used in the ski industry to quantify the number of skiers on the mountain for a given period. One “skier day” represents one person skiing or snowboarding for one day.
Also to put this in perspective, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, up to 77 children die annually from choking on hotdogs in the USA alone!
5 Primary Dangers of Heli-Skiing
There are five main dangers associated with heli-skiing, so let’s take a look at each one and get into details.
1. Avalanche Risk
Perhaps the biggest risk when heli-skiing is that of an avalanche. According to dosomething.org, avalanches kill an average of 150 people per year worldwide. The same report also states that in 90% of these accidents, the victim or someone in the party caused the snow slide to begin.
There was recently an avalanche in BC, Canada, which took the lives of three heli-skiers, and injured four more.
Important to note, however, is that finding accurate statistics comparing avalanche deaths when skiing compared to heli-skiing is nearly impossible.
However, on that note, between 1997 and 2016, there were 18.6 fatalities per million skier days caused by natural winter hazards, with avalanches accounting for 77%.
That said, this same study also shows that while the risk of avalanche deaths has decreased significantly over the years, the risk of death from avalanches while snowcat skiing is about 50% of that of heli-skiing.
The risk of avalanche death or injury is much higher when heli-skiing than when regular alpine skiing, particularly on a maintained mountain. Although, if you examine all of the evidence, the actual number of deaths when heli-skiing is not very significant.
2. Difficult and Unknown Terrains
Another one of the biggest risks with this type of skiing is that you’ll often be faced with unknown and very difficult terrains. This can include gullies, extremely steep hills, fresh powder, trees, rocks, cliffs, crevasses, and more.
Mountains are often covered in several feet of snow, sometimes dozens of feet. This means that large obstacles such as rocks, trees, and even crevasses can be hidden from sight until it is too late.
Here we have an instance where a skier fell off a 150 cliff and survived unharmed (although he was likely not heli-skiing). In the grand scheme of things, however, crevasses and other such obstacles account for very few injuries on a yearly basis.
For instance, if you look up news stories, one of the last heli-skiing crevasse-related deaths you‘ll find mention of is an Austrian skier who fell into a crevasse in BC, Canada, in 2011.
3. Helicopter Risks
Another risk associated with this activity has to do with the helicopter itself. Many people are afraid of crashing in a helicopter before they even get the chance to ski. Although this is a risk worth noting, it must be said that this is an incredibly rare occurrence.
Two of the only recorded helicopter crashes related to heli-skiing happened in 1994 when Christie Brinkley’s helicopter crashed (she survived!), and in 2023 when five people died in a crash in the Chugach mountains. Between 1981 and 2004 (the time when this piece was published), CMH (a Canadian heli-skiing operator), did not have a single crash.
There was a heli-ski helicopter that rolled on its side during its landing in March of 2019 in Canada, but all 12 people survived! Based on all of the figures here, you can tell that helicopters crashing during heli-skiing tours is extremely rare, and when it does occur, it is not always fatal either.
4. Unpredictable Weather
Yet another risk associated with heli-skiing is unpredictable weather. Snowstorms, squalls, extreme winds, and rapidly plummeting temperatures may all occur in the middle of a heli-skiing tour, right as you’re skiing down the mountain.
Mountain weather is notorious for being extremely unpredictable, and conditions can shift within a matter of minutes. Heli-skiers must, therefore always be prepared to handle extreme weather, especially as far as cold temperatures are concerned.
The weather can cause problems for both skiers and helicopters.
5. Altitude and Physical Exhaustion
Both altitude and general physical exhaustion also play a role here. Skiing through fresh powder and over difficult terrain requires great physical fitness.
The same is true for operating at high altitudes, as getting enough oxygen once you reach a certain height can be a challenge. If you aren’t getting enough oxygen and are quickly tiring, it greatly increases the chances of you making a mistake and injuring yourself.
How to Prepare for a Heli-Skiing Adventure
There are some vital things that you should do to ensure your safety when preparing for a heli-skiing trip.
Do Your Research!
Always research the exact destination you are going to, including all of the most common risks associated with it. Wear the right clothing, purchase high quality gear, and be prepared for any eventuality.
Be Prepared for Emergencies
Always prepare yourself for any emergency that may arise, whether an injury on the slope, being lost on the mountainside, an avalanche, or anything in between. Each type of risk associated with this activity also has certain precautions that will mitigate those exact risks. Having a way to communicate with emergency officials is always recommended.
Always Follow Provided Instructions
Heli-skiing guides know what they’re doing, and you should therefore always listen to them. If they provide you with instructions or warnings, there is never any good reason to ignore them. Always follow all rules and protocols as provided at the beginning of your trip.
Choose Reputable Heli-Skiing Operators
There are plenty of heli-skiing operators out there, but they’re not all the same in terms of quality and reputation. Do your research to see what the very best operators are for the destination you wish to visit, and then choose from the very best.
Ensure Your Fitness Level and Skills Are Above Average
If you need to have a certain level of fitness and skill for this activity. You’ll be traversing a mountainside with fresh powder, plenty of obstacles, and more.
Heli-skiing might also involve having to trek a little bit. Generally speaking, you should have both above average skiing skills and above average fitness levels to do this activity.
What’s the Minimum Skill Level for Heli-Skiing?
What your minimum skill level for heli-skiing should be really depends on who you ask. Most would agree that you should have at least an intermediate skill level, if not expert.
At the very least, your skill level for heli-skiing should be above average. As far as skiing is concerned, this is one of the most difficult types, so you need to know what you’re doing.
There are different heli-skiing tours available for different ski levels, however, heli-skiing is never recommended for beginners.
Understand the Risks Involved with Heli-Skiing
The bottom line is that as far as extreme sports go, heli-skiing is not an overly dangerous one, although there are still risks associated with it.
The best thing you can do is to respect the mountain and Mother Nature, be well prepared, and always follow all instructions provided to you.
Jamie is the founder of Action Sporter. He is the chief zipline writer and the lead editor. He has 5 years of zipline experience being a tour guide in Newfoundland. Most of the time you can find Jamie adventure traveling, hiking, skiing, skateboarding, or anything action related!