Three days of heli-skiing, including 12 drops, with lift-accessed off-piste skiing in a lesser-known freeride destination!
If freeride is your priority, and you want to maximize your powder time without spending days on long-distance travel, we’ve got something for you!
We present a quick heli-ski trip to the Italian Alps, complemented by lift-accessed freeriding or backcountry touring.
The package includes a whopping 12 long helicopter drops, spread over 3 days of flying – hell yeah!
Our destination is Madesimo, Italy, a quaint alpine village nestled between 3000m peaks, offering top-tier freeride with relatively low visitor numbers. We’ll stay in a cozy family-run 4-star hotel, where the helicopter picks us up, and after the action-packed days, we land right next to a bar serving aperitivo 😎
Our simple, yet brilliant plan: for three days, we’ll be heli-skiing the nearby peaks, and for the remaining three days, we’ll explore the off-piste terrain of the resort and the iconic Pizzo Groppera mountain (2948m). For those interested, there’s always the option to purchase additional heli-ski drops!
So – andiamo?
Heli-ski
Small group
IVBV guide during heli-ski
4* hotel, HB
Price Includes:
- 6 nights accommodation in Andossi**** Hotel with meals included, double rooms
- Half board: breakfasts and dinners
- 3 days of heli-skiing with a guide (12 helicopter drops in total)
- 2 days of lift-accessed freeride without a guide
- Supervision by a Polish team leader
- Rental of an avalanche airbag backpack and avalanche safety equipment (beacon, probe, and shovel) for the duration of the heli-skiing program (reservation required)
- Standard travel insurance including medical expenses, accident coverage, and personal liability. Additional insurance covering off-piste skiing is required. Many of our clients already have year-round high-altitude policies. If you don’t have one, we can provide coverage for the trip at a cost of 230 PLN.
Price Does Not Include:
- Flights/transport
- Optional airport transfers (upon request)
- Lunches
- Extra heli-ski drops beyond the included program (can be purchased on-site, the price for one additional drop is 230 eur)
- Ski passes
- Ski or snowboard equipment – you need to bring your own
- Extreme sports insurance, including off-piste skiing
- Tips
- Anything not mentioned in the program
ACCOMMODATION AND TRANSPORTATION
- We’ll be staying in the small town of Madesimo, Lombardy, at the Andossi**** Hotel https://www.hotelandossi.it/
- You can get there by:
- Car – about a 13-hour drive
- Flight to Milan Malpensa or Bergamo, followed by a 2-2.5 hour drive. We can help arrange airport transfers upon request or we can rent a car together at the airport – which is a more economical option.
- For more information, check the TRIP PROGRAM tab
OFF PISTE – Terrain Details:
- Heli-Skiing:
- The package includes three days of flying, with a total of 12 helicopter drops
- We will fly in groups of 4 participants plus a guide
- Standard runs range from 600 to 1000 meters of vertical descent
- The surrounding mountains offer up to 50 different drop-off spots (see map below)
- All runs are guided by IVBV/IFMGA-certified guides
- Difficulty level will be matched to the group’s ability, and we strive to form fairly homogenous groups
- It is possible to purchase additional flights (extra vertical meters) – the price for an additional drop is 230 eur per person
- If conditions are unfavorable, we will try to reschedule flying days. If rescheduling isn’t possible, the helicopter operator offers partial refunds or a voucher valid for 3 years (your choice) – contact us for more details.
- Off-Piste in the Resort:
- The lifts of the Skiarea Valchiavenna resort are located right next to our hotel https://www.skiareavalchiavenna.it/en/ (see map below)
- We’ll spend the remaining 2 days (and possibly post-heli-skiing) riding off-piste in the resort without a guide
- The terrain is 90% alpine, with minimal tree coverage at lower elevations
- Consider bringing touring equipment if you’d like to explore the Spluga Pass area
Difficulty Level: 6/10
- The difficulty of the runs will be adapted to the participants’ skill level, and with 7 or more participants, we will split into smaller subgroups. Heli-skiing is definitely not suitable for beginners. A solid skiing ability is required, including confident skiing in all conditions on black runs or off-piste on slopes with a 35-degree incline.
Trip Profile
- This trip is all about the descents! ;D
SAFETY
- Off Piste’s golden rule – we only hire local guides who know the terrain inside out
- During heli-skiing, we will be under the care of IVBV/IFMGA guides – one guide per four participants
- After heli-skiing hours and on non-flying days, there will be no guiding, and we’ll ride independently within the resort
- The trip will be overseen by a Polish team leader
- INSURANCE:
- The trip price includes basic travel insurance. Additional coverage for off-piste skiing is required. This can be purchased from us for 230 PLN per person. We do not include this in the base price as many of our clients have their own year-round high-altitude policies.
- There is also an option to purchase Trip Cancellation Insurance, which provides a refund in case you are unable to join us due to illness or other unforeseen events.
- Participants should have completed an avalanche safety course
- The price includes rental of an avalanche airbag backpack and avalanche safety equipment (beacon, shovel, probe) for the heli-ski days (reservation required).
HOW TO JOIN THE TRIP
- Fill out the reservation form
- We will contact you to sign the contract
- Pay a 35% deposit
- We’ll complete the group, handle the formalities, flights, details, etc.
- Pay the remaining amount 60 days before departure
CANCELLATION POLICY
- We recommend additional insurance in case of illness or an unforeseen event preventing you from traveling. You will then receive a full refund for the trip. Ask us about Trip Cancellation Insurance.
- We reserve the right to change the program due to circumstances beyond our control, such as insufficient participants, snow or weather conditions, or political situations. In case we need to cancel the trip (even for reasons beyond our control), we will promptly refund all payments made.
Day 1 (March 5)
We meet in the evening for dinner at the Andossi**** Hotel in Madesimo, Italy.
Day 2
A warm-up day of off-piste skiing using the local lifts, with the highlight being Pizzo Groppera at 2,948m. Dinner will be served at our hotel each evening.
Days 3-5
The main event: heli-skiing! We’ll start each day with a safety briefing with the guides before heading to the helicopter landing site. The program includes a total of 12 drops (4 per day), although on good weather days there is always a chance to do more. Additional runs can be purchased on site. Any extra time can be spent skiing at the resort.
Day 6
Another off-piste day using the lifts. There’s also the option for a ski tour from Passo dello Spluga or additional heli-ski runs.
Day 7
After breakfast, we head back home.
