Heliski La Thuile

Flying Above the Alps
Landing Where the Real Adventure Begins

Pietro M. Dalmasso
+33607933550
pietro.dalmasso@monaco.mc

 

There are days when you want to go beyond the pistes, beyond the lifts, beyond what you can normally reach on skis.

This is where Heliski in La Thuile begins.

The helicopter rises, the valley falls away and glaciers, ridges and great untouched slopes appear before your eyes. Then you land. The engine switches off. And only the mountain remains.

Heli-Skiing in La Thuile: Rutor, Miravidi and the Great High-Altitude Descents
The location of La Thuile makes it possible to reach some of the most spectacular environments in the Western Alps. Testa del Rutor, Mont Miravidi, Mont Ouille, Mont Freduaz, Pointe Lechaud and Becca Bianca offer different possibilities, to be chosen according to the snow, wind, visibility and mountain conditions.

Among these, Rutor represents one of the most fascinating experiences. Glaciers, wide open spaces and silence replace pistes and lifts and, when conditions allow, the descent can also continue towards the French side.

Italy. France. Glacier. Fresh snow.
The itinerary is not decided from memory. The mountain is assessed and the terrain most suited to the group and the day is chosen.

The mountain decides. We learn to listen to it. The helicopter takes us up high. The skis do the rest. Once you get out of the helicopter there are no prepared pistes, signs or groomed terrain. There is the mountain.

Heliski is particularly suited to skiers with an excellent technical level and solid off-piste experience. Technique must be sound, control natural and the ability to adapt to the snow fundamental.

In the high mountains it is also mandatory to be accompanied by a qualified mountain guide who knows the area and can assess glaciers, terrain and conditions throughout the day. My role, as a ski instructor and federal coach, is to work alongside the guide and focus on technique and the quality of the skiing.

Preparation begins before take-off: equipment, conditions, bulletins and terrain characteristics are checked before departure. We do not set off because a descent was good yesterday. We set off when it is right today.

A Day on the Rutor: Four Skiers and an Immense Mountain

They were four French skiers of an excellent level, accustomed to off-piste and deep snow. They were not simply looking for a helicopter flight: they wanted to experience a real high-mountain day.

The previous evening we discussed their experience and expectations for the following day. In the morning we checked the conditions again and prepared the minimum mandatory equipment. Avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe, backpack and everything necessary were ready. Then we set off.

When the helicopter began to climb, La Thuile became smaller and smaller beneath us. The forests disappeared and Rutor appeared ahead.

One of the four looked out of the window and said:

“This is exactly why we came here.”

A few minutes later we were on the snow. The helicopter took off again and the noise disappeared behind the mountain. In front of us were the glacier, wide slopes and a completely natural environment. We observed the terrain and began the descent.

The first section was a large open slope. The snow changed from one section to another and we continually adapted the line and rhythm. After the first few metres one of the skiers stopped and smiled:

“I have never seen this much space to ski.”

Further down, the terrain became more varied and required greater attention.
Every section had to be read and interpreted. At one point one of them told me:

“The best part is that we're not just following a track. We are choosing where to go.”

And that was exactly what I was looking for.
Not a race.
Not an extreme descent at all costs.
A real Freeride experience, built around the mountain conditions and the group’s abilities.
At the end, one of the skiers told me:

“I thought the helicopter would be the most exciting part. It wasn't. The skiing was.”

Perhaps that is the most beautiful thing about Heliski.
The helicopter takes you where you normally could not reach.
But it is the skis that truly let you experience the mountain.

Heli-Skiing in La Thuile: An Experience Built Around You
Not all skiers are looking for the same thing.

Some want to experience Rutor, others want to discover the French side and others simply want the feeling of being, with skis on their feet, in the heart of the high mountains. That is why every experience is built around the group, the conditions and the possibilities of the day.

We do not simply choose where to land. We choose how to experience the day.

Are you ready to see La Thuile from another perspective?

Taking off from La Thuile, looking at the Alps from above and then beginning a descent in a completely natural environment is an experience that stays in the memory.

La Thuile is spectacular from below. From the sky, it is another mountain.

If you have an excellent technical level and want to experience a day of Heliski built around the real conditions, contact me.