I have just recently got back from 10 great days of working in the Northern Alps of Japan. Over the past 2 years I have been working for the Japan Mountain Guides Association to develop a new "ski guide" training course. This course is designed to bring Japanese guides up to international standards and raise the level of ski guiding in Japan.
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I have just recently got back from 10 great days of working in the Northern Alps of Japan. Over the past 2 years I have been working for the Japan Mountain Guides Association to develop a new “ski guide” training course. This course is designed to bring Japanese guides up to international standards and raise the level of ski guiding in Japan. It has been a fun program and I have had the opportunity to work with some great people and to visit some of the best ski touring locations in Japan.
For 2014 Alpine Guides would like to put together a program that enable our ski and mountaineering guests to enjoy these regions and we will keep you posted.
With new snow in the Southern Alps we are now well prepared for this coming season with updates to our website which now works on you smart phone, brochures printed and a compilation of ski tours and backcountry courses all available for booking.
Guides have had a great summer! Laura has been retaining her kite surfing titles, Roy has been catching wave, Jamie guiding in the Southern Alps, Gary and Mark guiding overseas. Paula running her outdoor program and guiding in NZ. Beside the Japan work I have been at CMH heliskiing in Canada and next week will depart for Greenland to heliski! Our pilot Philip is currently out mustering his sheep and has been improving accommodation at Lake Heron. At Glenfalloch Dietlind and Charles have had a busy summer with hosting guests and making improvements to the property.
It’s now a good time to think about dates and book accommodation for this winter!
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Christof and Britta Weiser are proof you can do what you love at any age.
The couple first came to Methven Heliski 20 years ago. This year, Christof, 84, and Britta, 73, returned from Mondsee, Austria to spend another spectacular season with us.
They enjoy escaping away to New Zealand for their summer months, always returning to Methven Heliski.
“Kevin has the biggest area and the most exciting area. Every day he finds a new run,” Christof said.
Over the years the couple has become familiar with many of the runs in Methven Heliski territory, but even during this season, the guides managed to find them a new route to ski.
“It’s amazing coming for so long and to never have done a run,” Britta said.
The thrills and adventure of Heliskiing – along with the peacefulness that comes with making the first tracks down an untouched mountain – is something the couple doesn’t take for granted.
They enjoyed ski touring when they were younger, but Heliskiing was out of reach. Upon first inquiring about Heliskiing in Canada, they learned it would cost seven months of Christof’s salary.
“There was no way. It was impossible. Not in this life,” Christof said.
But the prospect of Heliskiing became a reality through a gain in the Austrian economy, and the Weiser’s savvy business practices.
In 1989, they went on an all-inclusive Heliskiing trip. They recalled Vodka being part of the all-inclusive offer – and when the time came to Heliski a few people were too sick to even venture up the mountain.
Luckily, the Weisers’ distaste for Vodka allowed them to get the full Heliski experience – and they haven’t stopped doing it since.
At age 80, Christof received a certificate for being the oldest regular Heliskier (requiring more than 50 days of Heliksiing per year) in the world.
In the past few years, they’ve developed a routine visiting Canada, Northern India, Greenland and New Zealand every year to get their Heliski fix.
These days, Heliskiing offers adventure in an otherwise relaxed life. With their children grown, and their business operating as a well-oiled machine, the biggest worry these days is when they will go Heliskiing next.
The Weisers say a big reason they’ve been successful in life is because they work hard and aren’t afraid to take on new challenges. This is reflected today while they ski down the jagged mountains of New Zealand.
“At times you think, ‘What am I doing here?’ But you overcome it. You just do the turn, or you slip sideways. However you get yourself out of the situation, you figure out you can handle it and get the satisfaction of having done it.”
Britta and Christof will celebrate 50 years of marriage in just a couple months. Although they don’t have an exact formula for their success, they agree finding a passion they both enjoy is definitely an added bonus.
Heliskiing is a bond Britta and Christof plan to share for as long as they can get away with. When you are skiing, you are not thinking about your age, they said.
“It always gives you something to look forward too. At this age, there is nothing that compares to skiing,” Christof said.
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We thought this season was pretty good for snow with some excellent powder days and good coverage in our Southern Glaciers region. We usually get some Westerly weather as spring approaches but we didn’t expect several meters of new snow over the past week and we didn’t expect the quality to be excellent!
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Big mountains mean big weather ! Methven Heli has been unable to operate for the last 5 days due to a classic Northwest weather bomb. The good news, however, is that we got 100cm of fresh snow in 
this afternoon alone ! Conditions above 1600m will be “amazing” says snowboard guide Roy Hawthorne. With plenty of fresh tracks for all, it’s not time to retire the powder skis or board just yet…
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There’s nothing quite like being whisked away by a helicopter and placed atop a massive snowy peak. I found this out Heliskiing for the very first time on Saturday.
I already knew Methven Heliski was a fabulous company by meeting the people who work here and getting to know how they operate through my work as the office assistant this season. But now I have a whole new perspective of the Heliski operation
I saw some of the best views of my life taking off in the helicopter and making my way into the vast mountain range. It’s hard to believe any one could find a space to land a helicopter on the elevated tips of the mountains, but my pilot Troy made it look easy. I slid out of the helicopter and hunkered down beside the gear and my fellow heliskiers. The chopper blades whirled, pushing wind against my body and sprinkling my cheeks with snowflakes as the helicopter zipped back into the sky. We stood on the ledge with our gear and nothing but sky and mountains for as far as the eye could see. Directly in front of me was a slope covered with thick white powder. After getting direction from my guide, I put on my board and started to carve the very first tracks of the day. The soft snow made turns seem more effortless, and the feeling of descending from mountains in such a pristine setting is unmatched by any experience I’ve ever had while boarding.
I started the day with our guide Al, a true professional with a class-act personality. My fellow Heliskiers were a couple from Austria who will celebrate their 50th Anniversary this year. They are both passionate about Heliskiing with us, and it was inspiring to see how they are still young at heart, skiing down the massive runs with skill.
After five fantastic runs with them, I jumped in with a group of boarders – adrenaline junkies from Aussie. Our guide Roy is a boarder too and is awesome to watch zip down the hill. He shoots down the mountain shredding over ridges, bombing through narrow chutes and flying off rocks. I certainly wasn’t as skilled as the boarders from Aussie, but managed to hold my own making my way down through the amazing terrain.
The whole operation was impressive, from the unique setting of the helipad at Glenfalloch Station, to the skill and efficiency of the pilots. The guides are extremely knowledgeable. They take safety seriously and still manage to have a great time with their guests. Coming back to the ranch at the end of the day, everyone had a big smile on their face. Days later, I’m still grinning as I get flashbacks gliding down the mountains of New Zealand. What a treat!
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The South Ashburton holds some of our best terrain. Runs like Pito Peak offer over 100 meters of straight fall line skiing at a relatively steep angle and the entrance chutes offer lots of excitement. Our regular guest Alan Green ” Greeny” managed to score first tracks
as the guide had to hang back for the picture!
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