wrote in message
oups.com...
hi,

Snip
Can anyone give us any tips, advice, recommendations of where to check
out along the way: we a re ok boarders (doing blacks and reds in
Europe) but aim to improve a lot and do some cheaper heli or cat
boarding along the way.
Snip
Chog.


First - there is no such thing as "cheaper" heli! Expect about
$750 -1000/day. Cat is $200-$300/day.

Vancouver is a great place to start. However, I don't know if Whistler is
worth a couple of weeks, YMMV. Check out www.skitown.com and look at BC and
AB and where the resorts are located around your route. I would highly
recommend heading east across BC stopping across the way at resorts of your
choice, to the Lake Louise Area and then South again and do not miss
Whitewater near Nelson and Red Mountain in Rossland. Both have great steeps
in bounds. I think Red has some of the best in bounds terrain period off its
Paradise lift if you like trees and glades. Whitewater also has very good
steep terrain.

Now for Cat and heli operations. I would contact Snowwater Heliskiing
(www.snowwater.com). They are near Nelson and offer both Cat and heli. Went
there last year (during a miserable snow year) and they still gave us a good
time. The heli is the way to go if you can afford it as you can get to more
terrain and usually get much more vertical per run that Cat. They actually
let you get as far in as you are capable and have great guides. We are
heading back this February we we liked it so much. There is also a new cat
operation near Red Mountain called Big Red Cats (www.bigredcats.com). I am
going to try them out next week when I hit Red with the family. I will post
a followup then.


On the way back you have many options of heading back to the coast for Mt
Hood etc... or sticking in the corridor of Idaho, Montana, Utah, to Tahoe,
then Mammoth. Colorado as well.


My choice in BC across the 1. Whistler, Sun Peaks, Silver Star, Powder
Springs, Kicking Horse, to Banff, then Panorama, Fernie/Kimberley, to
Whitewater, the Red. At that point head down to Spokane and pick your
direction. I would go Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah and then decide whether
you want to drop into Colorado and then head to Tahoe and Mammoth or go more
south to Wolf Creek, NM, AZ.