# Virus Avalanche - Heli Boarding



## poutanen

Not me!!! Just shows that I'm not the only one out there that thinks the Avalanche FLP AFT makes a great off-piste board.

Get past the first shakey minute and then it's good...


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## hardasacatshead

Well then...now I have a hard on. Thanks Pout :blink:


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## poutanen

Yep, the lines just go and go and go... :blink:


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## hardasacatshead

They do, which is awesome. But to be honest the terrain looked a little boring, it'd be nice with a few natural rollers etc to pop off on the way down. In saying that, if was there I'd be all "Yeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwww!!!!" the whole way down. :laugh:


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## poutanen

hardasacatshead said:


> They do, which is awesome. But to be honest the terrain looked a little boring, it'd be nice with a few natural rollers etc to pop off on the way down. In saying that, if was there I'd be all "Yeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwww!!!!" the whole way down. :laugh:


Yeah that pics that Neni posted of heli boarding in AK looked like there were a few more natural features to hit. In the vid it looked like there may have been higher avalanche risk? Maybe they were riding safer terrain due to higher risk?

THIS is where I want to Heli board! Looks like the rock garden at Lake Louise, but bigger, and untouched!


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## hardasacatshead

Yeah, looks ok :blink:


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## MarshallV82

Deltron 3030
Haha. They put on a pretty sick concert! 


Looks like a blast, I'd love to make an Alaska trip one of these days!


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## timhatimay

Hey that's my video! Haha, just stumbled upon this thread, and figured I would say Hi. It was definitely a dream vacation, and the Virus avalanche was a great board. It floats pretty well, and is a lot of fun in everything I've tried so far. Actually, thanks to Poutanen for your reviews of the board, because it was one of the reasons I ordered it this year. I certainly haven't been disappointed!

In regards to the terrain, about 50% of the video is actually from 2 different runs that we did a few times each. It was indeed mellower terrain, and while we did get to play on a few rollers, hips, etc., we generally avoided them due to higher avalanche risk. It was still great fun on these runs, because it makes you feel like Craig Kelly or something just ripping down from the top of the ridge with big snow-tails behind you. 

On the whole the terrain was definitely not mellow or boring, however. Staring about 7:30 in the video we start to get into some steep pitches. At about 10 minutes is probably one of the steepest runs we did, which you can tell by the significant amount of slough and conservative riding. We also did several couloirs that were narrow, some having rocks just below. I also missed a few of the couloirs and steeps we rode due to my GoPro battery dying (which happened every day despite having 2 batteries). At about 18:15 in the video was the second run we did on the first day, and we did several more like this that day. Unfortunately, I burnt through my battery filming a bunch of helicopter stuff, since this aspect of it was really exciting! I don't know how steep the higher pitch ones are in my video, but I can say they were significantly steeper than the cirque runs at Snowbird (including Great Scott) and Cirques at Whistler/Blackcomb. I would conservatively guess some of it was 45* and up. The runs are also pretty sustained, so it may be 40-50* for 1000' vertical feet, compared to many places where it may be steep for just one small part. The camera is deceiving and makes it look pretty tame. 

We could really only ski steep terrain in the higher elevations due to the high avalanche risk. This was due to intense rain earlier this year in Valdez, and a different snowpack this year (google Damalanche). While we were out, there were several destructive and sizable avalanches in nearby mountains, and I believe a guide from another heli company was killed in a slide one of the days we were riding.

The picture above looks more like the Cat skiing we did on the days we couldn't fly. Lots of rollers, trees, rocks, and fun natural features to play on. In Valdez most of the helicopter accessed terrain is above the tree-line. That looks more like BC or somewhere in Canada. Looks like fun!

Sorry for the long first post, but consider it an introduction! For anyone on the fence, I definitely recommend going to AK. The mountains were very unique, and had a totally amazing feel (even compared to the Alps). Just plan that if you go, you will want to go back! This was my first trip, and I'm already trying to find a way to convince my wife and bank account to go back next year! I promise if you go, you won't find it boring!

Tim


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## Kenai

Cool, Tim. 

What company did you go with? Also, did I understand your comment correctly that you still can do cat skiing on the no-fly days? I've never understood that aspect about a heli trip - what happens when you just can't get out in the heli!?


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## timhatimay

I went with Valdez Heli Ski Guides. This was Doug Coombs company, and has now changed hands. The guides were great, and our guide was one of the first snowboard guides in the country. Everything was very smooth, and extremely nice. I would highly recommend them, and when I go back, it will be with them. 

Being this was my first trip, I didn't realize how touchy flying in Alaska is. This is consistent with all of the guide companies to my knowledge. Even if it is not snowing, but the light is flat, they will often not fly. Being it is above the tree line its very easy for it to get washed out, and visibility is a big concern. The weather in Alaska is very variable, and at all heli-ski companies, this plays a major role in the amount of fly-time you get.

Apparently in BC and other areas with trees and more visible landmarks, they can fly in the snow and in all different conditions...this was not the case in AK. In fact, the week before I got there, they didn't fly one day. Once I knew that, I was so nervous that we wouldn't get out either! Luckily we flew 3 out of four days. 

One of the reasons I chose VHSG is that they have cat skiing as a back up. There is some fun terrain with trees, rollers, and rocks. Its much less intense riding, so you can mess around and jump, fall, etc. Its much more relaxed.

If you don't have a cat, or choose not to ride the cat, you can get a credit for the runs. You are guaranteed a certain amount of runs, depending on the package. You can use this credit to stay longer, go cat skiing, or come back another time. Its definitely not ideal, and being that heli-skiing is expensive, its a big downer that you might go and not get out.

Tim


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## poutanen

timhatimay said:


> Hey that's my video! Haha, just stumbled upon this thread, and figured I would say Hi. It was definitely a dream vacation, and the Virus avalanche was a great board. It floats pretty well, and is a lot of fun in everything I've tried so far. Actually, thanks to Poutanen for your reviews of the board, because it was one of the reasons I ordered it this year. I certainly haven't been disappointed!


Cool! Glad you signed up to join the discussion! 

A bunch of us are going to try to hit something around Revelstoke next February. I love glade boarding so hitting some steep lines with intermixed trees would be great. Thinking one Sunday in early Feb (after riding Kicking Horse the week before).

So where do you normally ride? And how does the Virus do in that terrain?


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## snowklinger

Pout you should get ETM to devise you a virus to bring dire straits to all your environments. Crush corporations with a mild touch. And revert your whole system to papyrus.


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## linvillegorge

I think you dweebs need to just start rocking hard boots and fucked up angles already and start monoskiing. :cheeky4:


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## timhatimay

poutanen said:


> Cool! Glad you signed up to join the discussion!
> 
> A bunch of us are going to try to hit something around Revelstoke next February. I love glade boarding so hitting some steep lines with intermixed trees would be great. Thinking one Sunday in early Feb (after riding Kicking Horse the week before).
> 
> So where do you normally ride? And how does the Virus do in that terrain?


Revelstoke looks sick! I would love to get up there some time. I live in the east (NYC), but I usually take a few trips each year. So I ride a little in Vermont and Poconos (PA) here, and then do some riding at better mountains when I get the chance (Chamonix last year, Utah, Colorado, BC, etc). Somehow this year even in PA, there was always snow, so unfortunately (or fortunately) I haven't got to test the board on hard pack or ice yet. It does lay down some nice carves, but I won't know for sure until I can test it on some hard snow. In trees in Utah and deep snow (we got 4' while I was there) it was great. Very maneuverable in tight spaces and easy to ride in chop and crud. 

Snowklinger, I know I could have used virus, as it would have gone with the board, but 3030 just seemed so smooth and a better fit. 

linvillegorge, actually I am a dweeb and I ride hard boots as well. If you can't tell in the video I ride high angles even in softies. They are 45* and 40*. 

Tim


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## poutanen

snowklinger said:


> Pout you should get ETM to devise you a virus to bring dire straits to all your environments. Crush corporations with a mild touch. And revert your whole system to papyrus.


I have no idea what you just said there. But that's beautiful man! :yahoo:


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## neni

timhatimay said:


> Hey that's my video!


Awww, I'd like to see it! I can't watch it, it's "blocked due to music copyright blabla in your country". Any chance to post it without music?




poutanen said:


> Yeah that pics that Neni posted of heli boarding in AK looked like there were a few more natural features to hit.


well, there were some natural features, especially in the lower terrain as soon as you get into trees, however we stayed mostly in the high alpine region, since this particular year, due to the little snowfall, the long bluebird streatch, the warm temperature, the tree region wasn't fun to ride (ice, ice, slush, ice). We've been in Cordova in a insane bluebird stretch, 20 days in a row no cloud in the sky, we could fla 5 days in a row. Backup for non-fly days would have been the split-board, which I never used in Cordova. Avy danger was low even in upper alpine region, however, wind and sun had vanished big part of pow. In the higher region, there were spines and bergschrunds to jump. However, the fun thing to ride were the steep aspects. You can hit natural features everywhere. But long 45°+ runs that run out on huge glaciers, that's what I you should be wanting if you go there 




timhatimay said:


> I also missed a few of the couloirs and steeps we rode due to my GoPro battery dying (which happened every day despite having 2 batteries).


On a sidenote: We've used Drift Ghost-S, recorded the entire day (i.e. each run, several pickups/flights) without having to change the battery (mine was empty only one time in the evening before the last run - that day I had recorded 15minutes in a row of the flight to the mts). 



timhatimay said:


> For anyone on the fence, I definitely recommend going to AK. The mountains were very unique, and had a totally amazing feel (even compared to the Alps). Just plan that if you go, you will want to go back! This was my first trip, and I'm already trying to find a way to convince my wife and bank account to go back next year! I promise if you go, you won't find it boring!


+1 on every sentence . We planned that trip as a "once in a lifetime" thing. After three days there, we just thought "I'll be back!"; a general consent from all the ppl on that trip.


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## timhatimay

neni said:


> Awww, I'd like to see it! I can't watch it, it's "blocked due to music copyright blabla in your country". Any chance to post it without music?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> well, there were some natural features, especially in the lower terrain as soon as you get into trees, however we stayed mostly in the high alpine region, since this particular year, due to the little snowfall, the long bluebird streatch, the warm temperature, the tree region wasn't fun to ride (ice, ice, slush, ice). We've been in Cordova in a insane bluebird stretch, 20 days in a row no cloud in the sky, we could fla 5 days in a row. Backup for non-fly days would have been the split-board, which I never used in Cordova. Avy danger was low even in upper alpine region, however, wind and sun had vanished big part of pow. In the higher region, there were spines and bergschrunds to jump. However, the fun thing to ride were the steep aspects. You can hit natural features everywhere. But long 45°+ runs that run out on huge glaciers, that's what I you should be wanting if you go there
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On a sidenote: We've used Drift Ghost-S, recorded the entire day (i.e. each run, several pickups/flights) without having to change the battery (mine was empty only one time in the evening before the last run - that day I had recorded 15minutes in a row of the flight to the mts).
> 
> 
> 
> +1 on every sentence . We planned that trip as a "once in a lifetime" thing. After three days there, we just thought "I'll be back!"; a general consent from all the ppl on that trip.


Hmmm, it's tough, because I would have to reprocess the video and add a muted one. It would take me a few days to probably get it done. Have you considered moving?

As far as terrain, I would agree. In going I really wanted to hit the steeps, and I wasn't disappointed. Like you mention, sustained 40-50* is the real fun part. The couloirs were fun too, with steep pitches and rocks to your sides. Also, at the bottom of some you can find some wide open slopes with different fall lines and things in 30*+ range that are really fun to rip and lay down big carves and rooster tails!

I think my GoPro dies quickly because I record in a high quality format, but I don't know for sure. I will have to check out the camera you mentioned. 

Tim


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## neni

timhatimay said:


> Have you considered moving?


Haha, every day in the last 3 weeks


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## timhatimay

neni said:


> Haha, every day in the last 3 weeks


Neni, who did you fly with in Cordova? PNH? How difficult was it to get to Cordova? Did you fly to Valdez, then take a car or ferry or something? 

Within a small area you have Cordova, Haines, Valdez, and Anchorage, which all seem to have great heli companies in the Chugach. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them, but they all seem to have subtle differences.

Thanks!

Tim


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## neni

Yep, PNH. I chose them cos they have many years experience, have their own pilots, helis directly infront of the porch (not rented ones, thus if the sky clears up, everything's ready to go) and since they were recommended to me by someone who's been there; and I can absolutely recommend them as well. Very good guides (look at the CVs on the homepage, all very experienced, selected), pilots, food and the whole groove. More of an adventure camp than luxury lodge kind of thing.

They are the only ones to fly in the Cordova area, while many operaters share the area in Valdez (I was told).

Cordova is inly accessible by air or boat, no car. We got there with Alaska air from Anchorage (IIRC daily), but there's also a connection to Seattle. Others came with the ferry from Anchorage or Valdez.


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