Purcell

Ski & ride with just two groups

Looking for a quick getaway? Purcell is the place

Located just two hours from Banff, Alberta, CMH Purcell is our only destination with 1, 2 and 3-day trip options. Choose just how much you’re ready for or extend your British Columbia ski vacation along by tacking on a few days of heli-skiing. Purcell is based in the thriving mountain town of Golden, BC, where it’s all about the skiing and riding, so accommodation is not included — you get to choose where to stay and eat. Purcell is the newest addition to the CMH family, and while we welcomed it to our lineup in 2021, the operation previously had a long and successful history under esteemed Swiss mountain guide Rudi Gertsch. If you’ve been with us for a while and you’re excited to try some brand-new terrain, or if you’re looking to dip your toes into the heli-world, CMH Purcell just might be the perfect option.

Purcell rolls a little differently than other CMH Signature heli-skiing trips. Here you'll get to ski and ride with just two groups of up to eight guests, plus two guides — that equals fewer, smaller groups and more guides than on any other CMH Signature Trip. More flexibility, more snow to keep to yourself, and more potential to cruise big vertical feet each day. Book just a few seats in the heli and be matched with others or book a private experience and share it exclusively with up to seven of your family and friends. The heli can lap as quickly as your crew’s pace allows, or as relaxed as needed. From big, boast-worthy lines to mellow glades, the expansive terrain at CMH Purcell easily suits a wide variety of skiing styles.

CMH Purcell
A big backyard

New terrain to explore

CMH Purcell’s backyard is endless: with more than 250 runs and 495,000 acres of new-to-CMH backcountry tenure to experience, you’re gonna want to create a new bucket list. Make sure it includes wide open glaciers, high alpine bowls, gladed subalpine forest, and some of the best tree skiing around. 

When we welcomed Purcell in 2021, we added nearly half a million acres of backcountry tenure to more than 3 million acres of existing CMH terrain. The landscape here boasts a wide variety of skiing and riding options, as it spans both the Purcell and Selkirk mountain ranges. The Purcells provide a mix of high elevation alpine glaciers and bowls with gladed tree skiing below. The Selkirk area also has a mix of big alpine glaciers and open bowls leading to excellent, naturally burnt tree skiing. Some of the highlights include runs in the Caribou, McMurdo, Duncan, Canyon, Spillimacheen, International Basin and Baird drainages. From newbies to longtime CMHers looking for something new, CMH Purcell is an exciting new menu item to satisfy your heli-skiing appetite. 

Skiable Terrain

Up to

250 + runs

2,000 sq. km / 772 sq. mi

Using snow conditions, wildlife movement, weather forecasts and a variety of other factors, our guides carefully select each day’s run lineup from a roster of more than 250 options. 

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Features

A mix between

50% trees

50% alpine

Spaced trees, wide-open bowls and expansive, glaciated alpine — CMH Purcell boasts an immense variety of terrain both above and below the treeline, which is ideal for a range of abilities.  

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HELI-SKIING SAFETY

Your safety is our priority

Helicopter safety at CMH

You’ll be guided by our team of highly experienced heli-skiing guides, who are all passionate about the wilderness and sharing it with others in a safe, supportive environment. That’s why our 140+ member team represents over 1,400 years of guiding experience. Every CMH Mountain Guide has completed an average 8-year certification process with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) or the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association (IFMGA). 

Learn moreWatch: Safety at CMH 

GREAT CONDITIONS

The entire Purcell atmosphere is just so GREAT. Everything — all the staff, the guides, and the skiing conditions.

Peter from Sweden