Boot Camp

Even if you log thousands of vertical feet at your local mountain beforehand, heli-skiing can wreck you after one day. Here’s how to beat the bonk.

- By Jen Murphy

HELI-SKIING IS THE DREAM: ditching groomers in favor of steep lines and long descents; taking a chopper instead of a chairlift; and gorging on fresh powder or hero corn instead of icy bumps. But screaming down the 20,000 to 40,000 vertical feet you’ll average on a single day heli-skiing in Alaska is a far cry from spinning laps at a resort. Top to bottom is a whole different game, especially when it comes to the energy your legs must absorb.