Ever had to send in a bird?

[Ill Named]

Watching all these sledding videos with all these choppers flying around rescuing sleds left, right and center makes me wonder. Has anyone ever had to get a helicopter up to the mountain to come a rescue your broke down or mangled sled from the back of the back of the back bowl? If so, how much did it cost you? Did you have to meet the thing in the mountains to hook up your machine or could you catch a ride in it from the parking lot?
I am just wondering cause if you're like me then you get yourself into some pretty gnarley spots that there would be no way in hell that you would be towing yourself out of. I have often wondered how much that would cost me if it happened.
Watch, by posting this question, it will probably happen to me this weekend. Oh well, it's been a long time coming, I guess.

Ill

 

[HuskyPower]

Ride in BC so could be different all over. I also work with heli's daily with my work. Broken down and have a sat tel or cell service call up the heli company to come fly the sled out. helps to have a GPS to give coordinatesor very detailed directions/landmarks. Also realize they only fly using visual cues so if its socked in good luck. They will bring a longline, straps, hooks, and a net. Pilot will land, shut down and set up and help you set up the line on your sled. Here in BC the pilots do not allow anyone else in the maching while carrying an external load so snuggle up to your buddy and meet the heli at the parking lot.
some other things to consider...
- good to have the contact number before all this is needed
- most of the time they will send in an 'intermediate lift' helicopter which can lift about 1000lbs. sometime tho you are stuck with a 'light' and for the older or heavier sleds the external load is really light like 600lbs!!!
- most intermediate heli's run at $1700 and hr plus fuel or higher
- sometimes its nice for the pilot if your landing area has reference points as it is very hard to see depth in pure white while snow is being blown all around

thats some of it anyways. hope that helps and hope you never need it!

 

[markoo]

High mark for the day

I broke down in revy a couple years ago. Way behind boulder mtn. Phoned "selkirk helicopters" He took me for a ride and we picked my sled up. Cool thing is he put my sled right into the back of my truck. $700 an hour. It took him 1/2 hour to get my sled. Not cheap but better than blowing a few belts or rolling a machine trying to pull it out.

 

[Highmarker]

I hope I never have to find out!!!

 

[Rithinc]

Had mine hauled out a few years ago. Met them at the JH airport and flew me in. Landed,hooked it up, hauled it to the closest road, and back to the airport. 900.00 hr Took 30 min. Cost me 450.00. Well worth the Money.

 

[frock]

I've been on a few sled rescues in northern BC. In all cases we had to double the rider out. I carry a sat phone that has a GPS in it, highly advisable if you ride in gnarly areas. I carry business cards for both of the local chopper companies with me and the price has varied from $600 to $800.

 

[graveler]

here are a few shots of a loser having to get a ride out from the big dawg in whistler, notice where the track is!!!!LMAO




this is him praying that the Heli can lift his fat A*s and pick up his apex at the same time!!!

 

[Fordman]

$900 later and I was back at the heli pad..... That was only for 40 minutes of flight time.

Look at all the other crap you guys strapped to my sled.... I should've charged you!

$900 was far worth the expense instead of heading back down that upgly trail 29 miles down the road.

 

[Nate]

damn, that sucks

Was a good thread with all the "captions" to that picture hehe

Is that track forsale?

 

[Fordman]

I still have the track..... Too tall of lug to make much out of it. 2.5 Extreme

 

[06MXZXRenegade800]

In my line of business we use choppers regularly, up here you can expect at least $1000/hr + Depending on the bird.

 

[Ill Named]

Woo-Hoo I never jinxed myself. Got really stuck on a completely vertical slope though, took about 30 min to get out of it. Awesome day.

 

[switchback800]

I'm not sure if it is still true, but I think colorado used to have a deal where for an extra fee on your snowmobile tag, they would cover recovery costs of you and your sled if you were injured in the back country.

 

[snowyo]

And they usually only accept cash..............so be prepared if your riding way the hell out there have the dough.$500-$800.

 

[BENDER 151]

had to get choppered out ef revy 1.clutches blew up half way to monster bowl from turtle..phoned in gps co ordinance 400 later she was in the truk

 

[Trader]

Heli

I have had to do this too many times. It is like anything else, time is what kills you. Make sure to do everything possible to get a gps cor. on the sled and it usually isn't to bad, but if they have to search for it thats when it gets real pricey. I also had to heli out of the big dawg last year and like fordman said the bucks weren't to bad when you factor in the trail down. Also there are ways around the whole no passengers deal but every pilot is different.

 

[Weekday Warrior]

I think next time I go to REVY I'm going to program my HELP button on SPOT to dial Selkirk helicopter!

that oughta work good

 

[chopperride]

Yes the name chopperride isn't for ridding hogs LOL,4 times one time me and my kid in the same
day ??? Now i just fixit where it is ,total rebuild,stator you name it!

 

[chopperride]

Oh we did get a two for one deal LOL, if your gona fix it where it is ya need a good budy
that can ride good to dubble you in and another to carry your parts if your dobblin in pick
some one with the same ridding style and both stand up you be surprised where you can
go