Post by Mary on October 21, 2022
This season we ended all three of our classic Chamonix to Zermatt trips with a helicopter drop by Air Zermatt. Many of you have got in touch after seeing Jamie’s photos on Instagram, asking if you can get the helicopter uplift for your own trips. It’s an amazing experience and a fantastic way to finish a trip so we’ve decided to create a long weekend that includes this Heli-biking drop.
We’ll be able to tailor the weekend of riding to your preferences. You might want 3 nights and 2 days in Zermatt, one riding off the lifts and one Heli-biking. Or you might prefer 4 nights and 3 days of riding in two different centre-bases, including exploring the spectacular trails above Fiesch with views of the incredible Aletsch Glacier – the largest in the Alps. We’re also flexible on start and finish days so if mid-week suits you better than the weekend, that’s fine with us.
You may even want to add in a big mountain day, using pedal power to reach the high cols before you treat yourself to some helicopter assistance. Jamie and I rode from Fiesch over the stunning Saflischpass (2563m) in September and it was breathtakingly beautiful. It was a long climb up with 1700m height gain but we were able to pedal almost the entire way. We only pushed for about 10 minutes in total. It was a very rideable climb with stunning views to take your mind off the effort. The joy of being up high in the mountains with no one else around and the fast-flowing singletrack descent made every pedal stroke worthwhile.
At the moment Air Zermatt have a very limited number of drop-off points and really only one is suitable for mountain biking. It’s situated above 3000m of altitude. This means our Heli-biking experience is restricted to the second half of the season, from mid-July onwards. In June and early July there will be too much snow remaining at this elevation to make the heli drop viable. We can still run the trip in early season but it would be without the Heli-drop.
You can find details of the Heli-biking trip on our website. Email Mary for a quote specific to your group.