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mountains is highly variable, but riders can expect to be shred- ding from 9AM to 3PM in condit ions ranging from waist-deep snow in steep trees to wind crusted glaciers; full-on whiteouts to wide open c1earcuts. Rarely will you cross tracks and certain conditions can be extremely challenging, so if you're about a beginner to intermediate ri der, inquire with operators for intro- ductory packages. There are 13 heli-ski operations in Be. Most opera- tions include fat-ski rentals and avalanche rescue gear in the price. At most operations skiers and boarders should be strong intermediates, as snow conditions can be unpredictable and ter- rain steep and difficult. If you've got the dough and you want a snow adven- ture among some of the planet's wildest mountains, a day of heli-skiing in British Columbia will take you to places few have ever gone.-Mitchell Scott OUTFITTERS RK HEll-SKI PANORAMA INC, Canada RK epitomizes the typical big BC heli-ski operation-they have an excellent safety record, great guides and a location with sick terrain and rich snow. 5 days, $2,750, December 20 to April 15 (booked by request), 250-342-3889, 800-661-6060, www.rkheliski.com In loud, rhythmic bursts, the sky cracks. The bird cometh. From behind a steep, glacially ravaged ridgeline, a Bell 212 helicopter swoops towards the earth. At the bottom of the Blockhead Glacier, deep in British Columbia's Purcell Mountains, you huddle by a red marker flag with nine other skiers and snowboarders as the pilot positions his bird for landing. Wind blasts through your goggles and snow stings your cheeks. The six-million-dollar machine gently slides to a halt. Guides load skis and boards, while all of you scramble inside. You're dropped at the top of a gloriously remote peak. The silence of the Rocky Mountains resonates from the powder-filled bowls and corniced peaks that stretch as far as the eye can see. This will be just one of four or five drop-offs you can expect on a heli-trip in the Purcell Mountains. The Purcells, which comprise the southern heart of the BC Rockies, receive 36 feet of snowfall annually. With peaks above 11,000 feet and serious glacial activity, it is one of the province's wildest heli-ski venues - which is saying something, since BC has some of the most spectacular heli-skiing in the world. Most heli-ski operations in BC offer guaranteed vertical, or a run minimum. For day users, this usually includes the aforementioned amount, with each run averaging between 1,500 to 2,500 vertical feet. For seven-day trips, vertical guarantees average about 65,000 ft with a $70 charge per 3,280 ft over that and conversely, a sim- ilar rebate if, due to poor weather or mechanical problems, the guaranteed vertical is not reached. Time in the 54 MIKE WIEGElE'S HEll-SKIING, Canada Wiegele's explores two of BC's biggest and most snow-blessed ranges, the Monashees and the Cariboos. Coupled with out- standing food and 5 star log-lodge accommodations, Wiegele's is known amongst the heli-ski elite as the world's premiere operation. 5 days, $3,040 (Nov.-March), $3.325 (April-May), 11/24-12/1, 12/1-12/8, 12/8-12/15, 12/15-12/22, 12/22-12/29, 12/29-1/5, 1/12-1/19, 1/1'}-1/26, 1/26-2/2, 2/2-2/9, 2/'}-2/16, 2/16-2/23, ~ 2/23-3/2, 3/2-3/9, 3/,}-3/16, . 3/16-3/23, 3/23-3/30, 3/30-4/6, ~ 4/6-4/13, 4/13-4/20, 4/20-4/27, 4/27-5/4, 5/4-5/11; 800-661- ~ 9170, www.wiegele.com o CANADIAN MOUNTAIN HOLIDAYS => ::0: ~ 8 CMH offers you a choice of 11 different areas throughout BC and ~ Alberta, such as Kootenays, Revelstoke and Bugaboos. ;;; 7 days, $3,679 (Kootenay), 12/20-12/27, 1/6-1/13, 1/13-1/20, ~ 1/20-1/27, 1/27-2/3, 2/3-2/10, 2/10-2/17, 2/24-313. 3/3-3/10, ~ 3/10-3/17,3/17-3/24, 3/24-3/31,3/31-4/7, 4/7-4/14, 4/14-4/21, ~ 4/21-4/28; 800-661-0252, www.cmhski.com '" ~ ~ :z: 0. ~ ... :z: z