What to pack

Travel days at the heli-pad:

• Sturdy, warm footwear such as hiking boots or Sorel-style winter boots
• Toque or wool hat (no ballcaps, please. They tend to fly away!)
• Warm jacket
• Long, casual pants or a base layer
• Optional but recommended for cold weather: snow pants.

General equipment: 

• Ski or snowboard boots
• Snow pants
• Shell jacket with a warm layer underneath, or a one-piece suit
• Goggles
• Mitts or gloves
• Wool hat/toque or helmet liner
• Helmet 
  Note: helmets are not mandatory for all CMH heli-skiing trips, but we highly recommend you wear one. Helmets are mandatory for all Steep Shot & Pillow Drops trips. A helmet that offers a low-profile or 3/4 coverage shell and a removable ear cover are the best for heli-skiing, as the ear covers can be easily removed depending on the temperature. Helmets that fully cover the ear (for example, race helmets) may be a safety hazard if they prevent you from hearing your guide’s instructions.
• Multi-layer clothing for skiing. Try to choose technical fabrics that wick away moisture, dry quickly and keep you warm
• 3-4 pairs of comfortable, warm socks
• Neck warmer or buff
• Camera (optional) - We invite you to bring your phone, a small, handheld camera, or a helmet or pole-mounted camera to take photos and videos. Drones and chest-mounted cameras are not permitted.

At the lodge:

• Voltage converter. If you are visiting from outside of North America, note that our lodges use standard Canadian 110-volt electrical outlets (same as in the US). Please pack a voltage converter if you require one.
• Light workout clothes for morning warm-up class
• Bathing suit for hot tub/sauna
• Indoor shoes, sandals or slippers
• Casual clothing for around the lodge
• Optional items: alarm clock, electronics, chargers.
  

In addition to the items in the above general packing list, please ensure you bring: 

• Snowboard boots
• Snowboard (or you can reserve a board with us)
• Collapsible poles for traversing (optional)
• Spare snowboard parts (optional, but recommended) 

If you are joining us for a Ski Touring or Fusion trip, please ensure you bring the following items (in addition to relevant items from the general packing list): 

• Ski touring boots
• Skins
• Ski touring skis
• Ski poles (adjustable style poles if possible)
• Ski crampons to fit appropriate bindings
• Softshell and or light waterproof breathable pants
• Softshell jacket
• Waterproof breathable jacket
• Toque/beanie
• Sun hat
• Sunglasses with dark lenses and good coverage
• Goggles
• Waterproof breathable ski gloves
• Lightweight fleece gloves
• Thermos
• Water bottle. Note: Bladder-style water systems are not recommended, as they may freeze with colder temperatures and leakage happens often!
• Lightweight and medium weight base layers or long underwear
• Backpack (approximately 40 litre / 10.5 gallon capacity)
• Blister kit

• Heated jackets or vests, foil lined clothing, clothing with magnetic closures, and chest-mounted video cameras. These wearable devices are strictly prohibited. They can cause significant interference with the send/search function of the avalanche transceiver you’ll be wearing while heli-skiing. Interference could compromise your safety and the safety of everyone in your group, so we insist that you do not bring these items.
• Personal avalanche transceiver. For safety reasons, everyone at CMH wears the same transceiver, so please don’t bring your own. You will be provided with a transceiver and safety training that covers how to use it. You’ll also receive a guest backpack that contains an avalanche probe, collapsible shovel, and radio.
• Drones are not permitted. They pose a safety hazard to the helicopter, require special permitting, and can be a disturbance to other guests. We encourage you to take photos using your phone, a small, handheld camera, or a helmet or pole-mounted camera.
• All-white or light-coloured outerwear. Consider avoiding muted colours that blend in with the snow. We recommend wearing coloured ski pants and jackets, which are easier to spot in an emergency.
• Select personal care items. You don’t need to pack the following, which your room will be stocked with: hair dryer, shampoo, conditioner, hand and body wash, towels, bathrobe.

Yes! Every guest must bring their own boots. Here’s the gear we provide. 

No. We highly recommend leaving your skis at home and using ours instead. Our destinations are stocked with tried-and-tested powder skis and poles that we know perform well in our wilderness terrain. 

However, if you’re joining us for a Ski Touring or Fusion trip, you must bring all your own touring equipment, including skis and skins. 

We have a select number of high-quality boards available to use. These brands are ideal for the deep, light snow found at our lodges. Please note that you must reserve a snowboard prior to your trip. 

Yes. If you forget something, our lodges have retail shops that are well-stocked with helmets, goggles and outdoor apparel from high-quality brands like Arc'teryx, Hestra, Smartwool, Smith and others. Our shops also carry necessities such as batteries, hand warmers, lip balm and ear protection for the helicopter. 

Dress at CMH is casual. You won’t find any evening gowns here! Although no one rolls up to dinner in their PJs, most people dress ‘mountain-casual’ — this typically means clean jeans or pants with a flannel or collared shirt, a sweater, or T-shirt. The lodge is your home while you’re here, so dress comfortably and enjoy. 

Yes. Guest laundry facilities, including soap, are available at all lodges at no extra cost. 

Cell service varies by destination. If you’re staying at one of our in-town destinations like CMH Revelstoke or CMH Kootenay, you can expect cell service in town. If you’re escaping to one of our backcountry fly-in destinations, you will not have cell service, though you will have WiFi — enjoy being as unplugged as you want to be! 

Yes. Our lodges are all equipped with WiFi. 

Our lodges use standard Canadian 110-volt electrical outlets (same as in the US). Please pack a voltage converter if you require one. 

Yes. If you’re visiting one of our fly-in destinations, we request that you limit your luggage to one piece weighing no more than 40 lbs/18 kgs for a 7-day trip, plus one small carry-on bag per person. This helps ensure that we can fit everyone’s luggage on the helicopter.