Ski Industry News

Heliskiing Returns to Lake Tahoe Area

by Brandon Quinn | September 7, 2010


(Photo courtesy of Zach Dischner)

Heliskiing might quite possibly be the ultimate culmination of all things that create a perfect backcountry ski experience: untouched spectacular terrain, powder snow, a variable environment, and epic adventure.

Starting this winter the experience will once again be available to ski enthusiasts in the Lake Tahoe area. Pacific Crest Heli-Guides recently announced that it will be offering heliskiing services in the 2010-2011 season. Pacific Crest is owned and operated by Dave Rintala. The heli tours will operate out of the Truckee airport.

In a recent interview with Freeskier Magazine, Rintala said: “The addition of a helicopter skiing operation to the region allows Lake Tahoe to position itself as a complete winter destination on par with locations such as Whistler, Jackson Hole, Utah and Colorado.”

Pacific Crest will have access to 100,000 acres of remote terrain along the Sierra crest between Interstate 80 and the Sierra Butte. This opens a vast new world of terrain when compared to the combined 25,000 acres available to ski at all of Tahoe’s 14 area resorts. Of course, this experience comes with a price nearly as steep as the terrain itself; $899 to be exact.

Heliskiing has been absent in the Lake Tahoe area for nearly 40 years now and its return has been highly anticipated.

For more information, the Pacific Crest Heli-Guides website can be found here. You can contact them by email at: info@pacificcrestheliguides.com or by phone: 888 792-9222 or 530-581-1767.

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