Alaska

• Get a heli bump! If you are able to, and it works with your plans, try to find Heli Assisted Touring packages. You can either book a helicopter assisted touring adventure in advance, with several days of this. Or, you can work with a local guide or operation to have a single day heli bump included in your experience. Many of the Heli Ops offer this service when the heli isn't being used for heliskiing that day. 
• Decide between a lodge, resort, or Airbnb for your stay. Many of the operations in Alaska may include lodging as part of the package, but guiding services might not. They can help you arrange your stay, but decide what accommodations you prefer before starting your search. Do you want to stay at Alyeska Resort so that you can have some resort ski days as an option. Are you hoping form more of a luxury Airbnb situation where your friends can all stay together and hang out on off days or at night? Or are you looking to have a lodge experience, where all the planning around accommodations is taken care of for you. 
• Mix in some resort days if you can. Even if you have very focused objectives for your uphill missions, sometimes it can be nice to have a resort day as a warm up or departure day activity. Getting off the plane and directly onto the skin track can be challenging. A Quick warmup day at the resort can be a great way to get the group excited for the days to come. Plus, you'll get some turns under your belt before you're standing on a summit looking down and thinking about your last ski day being 3 weeks ago. 

Clear objectives and good visibility on ski zones make Alaska a unique destination for backcountry skiing in North America. Alaska is known for being wide open, which can make it much easier to scout routes and see ski zones clearly on the approach. There are even great opportunities directly from the highway. It's common to see people parked roadside, heading uphill. Although, we do recommend using a guide or operator to help keep the group safe and happy. They will know the best options based on the snow conditions. 

The vibe and the people in Alaska are what make it a special ski community. Alaska has truly earned its nickname as the Last Frontier. It is a truly wild place. The ski community is a wild and fun one. You can find plenty of fellow skiers in the local haunts, just don't expect any of them to share intel with you on local zones and favorite spots. This crowd isn't afraid to have a good time. But just note, it's more small town restaurants and locals bars than a big nightlife scene. 

Things in Alaska are often more à la carte. You can pick and choose what you want to do, and work with a local expert or guide to create the perfect experience. Often times, last minute seats on a heli become available, which you can jump on last minute. Sometimes you can work with your guide to get a cat ski ride or rent sleds for the day for tow skiing.