The Alaska Heliskiing Experience 3 Day Trip at Costco?

[Yvette]

I stumbled upon this:
Costco link

Heliskiing with Valdez Heli-Camps in Alaska!

Valdez Heli-Camps invites you to the world renowned ski and snowboard terrain of Alaska’s Chugach Mountains. The unsurpassed professional knowledge and guidance of Valdez Heli-Camp’s guides will assist your achievement the ultimate level of your skiing or snowboarding ambition. Heliskiing in Alaska!

The Alaska Heliskiing Experience 3 Day Trip:
3 days all-inclusive lodging with a 25,000 vertical feet punch card
Vertical feet is measured by the distance between where the helicopter drops the skier off to where to the skier gets picked up
Guided skiing
Deluxe lodging, meals, all specialized safety gear, local transportation are included
Must be 18 yrs old to participate or have valid parent or guardian waiver
Any unused vertical feet of skiing is redeemable for two years from the date of issue
Additional vertical feet is available to purchase for those that wish to take advantage of more skiing if available during the trip
Airport transfers in Valdez and local transportation is included
Airfare and Gratuities; not included
Good for 2 years from date of purchase, schedule your Alaska heliski trip anytime during the 2010 or 2011 season running February to May annually. There are no blackout dates. Space is limited, please contact us for advice on your best time to visit.

Valdez Heli-Camps and Costco Wholesale, bringing the ultimate skiing and snowboarding adventure in the world’s greatest terrain to you!!!

For more details and for special upgrade options available only with this purchase at Costco!

For any questions please visit www.valdezalaskaheliskiing.com/heli_skiing_snow_cat_skiing_rates_and_packages/index/costco/

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Wow. Not in my immediate plan but this could be a fun experience, if my children let me... From Costco some more!

 

[pinto]

Yeah, I saw this. I'm trying to ignore it. :D

 

[RachelV]

Um... why is this so cheap? Am I missing something?

The costco 3-day package is $999 with 25k vertical feet:
https://www.costco.com/Browse/Produ...072&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C

A 3-day package is normally over $4000, but guarantees 40k vertical feet:
https://www.valdezhelicamps.com/hel.../heli-skiing_packages/3_day_3_night_heli_ski/

So... it sounds like you'd get less skiing with this package than normal, but it's SO MUCH cheaper! About 25% of the normal price for about 60% of the normal amount of skiing. Are there date restrictions or something? And why is Costco selling heli-skiing? Doesn't that seem weird?

 

[pinto]

Um... why is this so cheap? Am I missing something?

The costco 3-day package is $999 with 25k vertical feet:
https://www.costco.com/Browse/Produ...072&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C

A 3-day package is normally over $4000, but guarantees 40k vertical feet:
https://www.valdezhelicamps.com/hel.../heli-skiing_packages/3_day_3_night_heli_ski/

So... it sounds like you'd get less skiing with this package than normal, but it's SO MUCH cheaper! About 25% of the normal price for about 60% of the normal amount of skiing. Are there date restrictions or something? And why is Costco selling heli-skiing? Doesn't that seem weird?

It's not a ton of vertical, certainly, but it's still quite the deal.

It does seem weird to buy at Costco, but then again, you can buy anything else there!

 

[RachelV]

Ok, I am going to dig into this tonight and do some serious comparing, but I think I know where I am buying my "happy 30th birthday to me" heliskiing from.

 

[tjm235]

The reason it is so cheap is because you are not buying reserved heli time, you are getting a punchcard that gets you access to standby heli time. So in otherwords, if there is room in the heli that day you can use your punchcard and go up, but if there isn't room you are out of luck. This means you could feasibly book a trip up there and end up not flying at all if it is a busy time and all the heli's are full. It also means you most likely will not be able to ski with your friends because you have to take whatever seat you can get.

 

[RachelV]

The reason it is so cheap is because you are not buying reserved heli time, you are getting a punchcard that gets you access to standby heli time. So in otherwords, if there is room in the heli that day you can use your punchcard and go up, but if there isn't room you are out of luck.

Ooooooh, you're right! I read that whole thing about the punchcards and it didn't even register. Thanks!

 

[LilaBear]

Doesn't look like such a good deal now does it?

Thanks tjm235, I think you have saved some teeth gnashing.