- The San Juan Mountains are home to Colorado's only heli-skiing operations.
- There are daily departure from Telluride and Silverton.
- Expect around six runs per day, with each dropping about 2,000 feet in elevation.
Overview
Imagine stepping out onto a remote mountain ridge with only the sound of a helicopter’s buzzing rotors ringing in your ears. A pristine, untouched powder field rests below your feet, dropping 2,000 vertical feet under the shadows of 14,000-foot peaks.
Such is life if you’re heli-skiing in the San Juans. The mountains are some of the most rugged and remote in North America, and the terrain accessed by helicopter seems more like fiction than fact.
Where to go Heli-Skiing
There are daily departures (weather permitting) from Telluride into the San Juans, with most trips consisting of six runs dropping between 1,000 and 2,500 vertical feet. The Telluride heliskiing permit allows the highest elevation trips in North America.
Nearby Silverton Mountain also has a heli-skiing operation, although their range is limited to the mountains near the resort.
