Utah Heli Ski ROCKS!

Utah Heli Ski

In 2004, we somehow managed to get all four of the Komarnitksy Bro's together in Utah for Heli Skiing and we were ready to go in the morning at the Powder Mountain parking lot under sunny skies with fresh powder. Unfortunately, the winds picked up, and the heli was grounded. After numerous attempts, all of us were finally able to try to heli ski again on March 11th, 2009. We had skied 26" of fresh snow the previous day at Solitude Utah, and we were again waiting for the helicopter on a glorious sunny morning .. with no wind this time!

It ended up being picture perfect heli ski day and we shot ~1,000 pictures and videos that day as we did six Heli runs totaling 12,000 vertical feet. Some of those are shown below and there are even more pics of Alek, Kris, Kurt, Bro Skiing, and Myke (plus ski guide Casey Olsen) ripping it up. There's also some pics of me traveling to heli ski (eight hours to fly from Denver to Salt Lake ... via Boise!), the morning drive (less eventful), lots of the Diamond Peaks Helicopter, then heading back home, and even some wrestling in the snow. ;-) A fantastic time Heli Skiing in Utah!!!

Check out Kurt's report from Heli Skiing with H2O in Valdez, Alaska - YOWSERS!

Kris goes snorkel skiing in the Utah Powder - mouse over image to see 1/6 second earlier

Kurt puts up quite the snow rooster tail - mouse over image to see 1/6 second earlier

Myke totally rips it up on the board - mouse over image to see 1/6 second later - oh yeah closeup!

Alek "whooops" it up with retro Bill Johnson red ski helmet ... and camera bag ;-)

Lots of untracked powder when you heli ski - mouse over image to see big smile closeup

Alek & Kris (at Denny's) with Diamond Peaks Heli Ski Coupons ... from 5 years ago!

Diamond Peaks Helicopter lands at the parking lot - note fuel truck nearby

The Helicopter parks South of the Powder Mountain Lodge - we'll be skiing to the North

Kurt & Myke after filling out the paperwork - lets go!

Here's come our parking lot pickup - the Heli lands right next to you!

Getting on the Helicopter - yep, it is "hot load" with the engine running & blades turning

Kris & Kurt just before takeoff in the cozy cabin - note parking lot/lodge to right

Kurt gets off the helicopter at the top of the Ridge ready for some deeeeep snow!

Kurt - aka Captain America - plows through the Utah powder

Kris pounds the powder in the trees

Myke and Kris Dual Ski

Myke takes picture of Kurt skiing by him ...

Two seconds later, Kris joins in as they ski toward Alek taking pics

Alek kept saying ski closer, closer, closer for pictures ...

... but they skied a bit too close on this one - D'OH!

Our Guide Casey kept finding new powder stashes for us to ski

Casey snaps this picture of the four of us skiing by him

Helicopter about to take off from the Lower LZ (Landing Zone) with group in front of us

Kurt, Myke, and Kris say thumbs up to Heli Skiing in Utah

Kris & Kurt chilling at the LZ while waiting for the Ski Heli to return

While the Heli was refueling, Kurt & Myke had a full-on wrestling match! ;-)

Time to get back on the Heli as it lands right next to us again

View from the front seat of the Heli at the top of the Ridge where the upper LZ was

Bro's on the top of the ridge line next to the LZ - mouse over image for another pose

Heli stays "hot as it drops us back off in the parking lot

"Was the Heli Skiing Good Kurt?" - YUP!

Utah Heli Skiing isn't cheap and weather/winds can easily shut you down, but it was awesome on March 11th, 2009. Taking pictures while skiing is a challenge, with the very wide dynamic range of light. As always, you need a decent picture to start, but a little bit of Photoshop can provide that extra "pop" that makes for a better pictures here's some examples.