Vertical included, guarantees & refunds
We measure the vertical amount of skiing or riding you achieve each day. The cost of your trip includes a certain amount of skiing and riding, which is measured in vertical metres/feet. Just how you reach that amount — and what happens if weather or exceptional circumstances get in the way — is part of our Vertical Included and our Vertical Guaranteed.
What’s the difference between the two? We’re glad you asked.
Vertical included
Every heli-skiing trip at CMH includes a certain amount of feet/metres based on the length of your trip, the destination, and/or the program you’ve selected. This amount is referred to as Vertical Included.
Additional charges*
If you ski up to your Vertical Included total during your trip, you’ll have the option to either pay for more vertical and keep skiing or simply kick back and rest your legs from those well-earned turns.
We’ll post a daily tally of how much vertical you’ve skied in a public area of the lodge so you can keep track.
One of the most frequently asked questions we get about this is, ‘How likely is it that I’ll ski more than my Vertical Included and need pay for more metres?’ The answer is…it’s tough to say! It all depends on your group, the weather, the lodge, the type of trip you’ve booked, etc. Broadly speaking, if you’re in a fast, hard-charging group that skis every single day to the absolute max from first heli to last, you’re more likely to go over. If you’re in a relaxed group or if you tend to come back to the lodge early, you’ll likely be under.
*Exception: On CMH Purcell Day Heli-Skiing trips only, there are no additional charges if you ski or ride more than the amount of included/guaranteed vertical (see below).
Vertical guaranteed
We also guarantee that you’ll have the opportunity to ski at least a predetermined amount of vertical per trip. This is referred to as the Vertical Guarantee.
Refunds
If you do not reach your Vertical Guarantee due to operational factors such as an inability to fly due to poor weather or mechanical breakdown, we will provide you with a refund. The refund amount is calculated based on the difference between the Vertical Guarantee and the metres that you actually skied during your trip.
CMH will not issue refunds if you do not reach your Vertical Guarantee due to injury, illness, accidents, ski ability or personal choice, e.g., because you chose to stay at or return to the lodge and not ski).
Should you be eligible, you may apply your refund towards any charges for incidentals at the lodge (i.e., bar, retail shop, massage), on a future trip with CMH (summer or winter), or a credit card or cheque following your trip.
Exception: there is no Vertical Guarantee on Heli-Assisted Touring Trips. In addition, Private/Exclusive trips are not listed here; please inquire for more information if needed.
Detailed information
Select a season for detailed information.
Winter 2024/25
All charges and refunds are calculated in metres.
Winter 2024/25
| Program / Lodge | Trip Length (days) | Vertical Included | Vertical Guarantee | Charge / Refund Rate (CAD/1000m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 30,500m | 30,500m | ||
| Signature Trips | 6 | 26,150m | 26,150m | |
| Bugaboos, Bobbie Burns, Cariboos, Galena, Gothics, Monashees | 5 | 21,780m | 21,780m | |
| 4 | 17,500m | 17,500m | ||
| $180 | ||||
| 7 | 30,500m | 30,500m | ||
| Signature Trips | 6 | 26,150m | 26,150m | |
| Revelstoke, Kootenay | 5 | 21,780m | 15,250m | |
| 4 | 17,500m | 12,340m | ||
| Day Heli-Skiing | 1 | Unlimited | 3,000m | $475 |
| Purcell | ||||
| 7 | 30,500m | 30,500m | ||
| Small Group | 6 | 26,150m | 26,150m | $200 |
| All lodges | 5 | 21,780m | 21,780m | |
| 4 | 17,500m | 17,500m | ||
| 7 | 30,500m | 21,500m | ||
| Powder Intro, Powder Masters, Steep Shots & Pillow Drops | 6 | 26,150m | 18,310m | |
| All lodges | 5 | 21,780m | 15,250m | |
| 4 | 17,500m | 12,340m | ||
| Fusion | 7 | 17,500m | 17,500m | $180 |
| All lodges (Heli-ski days only) | 5 | 11,500m | 11,500m | |
| 7 | 15,250m | 15,250m | ||
| Child spaces | 6 | 13,050m | 13,050m | |
| All lodges (Family Trips) | 5 | 10,890m | 10,890m | |
| 4 | 8,750m | 8,750m |
What happens if we can't fly?
Day Heli-Skiing
In the rare circumstance that we are unable to fly while you are Day Heli-Skiing at CMH Purcell due to weather and/or mechanical breakdown (AKA you don't ski or ride at all), you will receive a full refund for your trip.
Multi-day trips
In the rare circumstance that we are unable to fly for a significant portion of your trip due to weather and/or mechanical breakdown, we will offer you an additional credit as a Rebooking Incentive towards a future CMH trip. There are two scenarios in which this could arise:
- If you ski less than 65% but more than 30% of your included metres, you will receive a rebooking credit of 15% of your trip cost + your calculated metre refund.
- If you ski less than 30% of your included metres due to weather/and or mechanical breakdown for a significant portion of your trip, we will offer 25% of your trip cost + your calculated metre refund.
Other things to note:
- The amount of your Rebooking Incentive + your calculated Metre Refund must be left on your account and used together towards a new summer or winter booking within two years.
- If you apply your Refund towards incidental charges (bar, shop or massage) or choose a refund on a credit card or cheque, you forfeit the Rebooking Incentive.
- The Rebooking Incentive is non-transferable, has no cash value and expires two years from the date of issue.
Additional Credit as a Rebooking Incentive does not apply to trips at CMH Valemount or Bighorn Lodge (a CMH partner).
Do you still have questions? Give our team a call; we’re happy to explain.