Whistler’s Only Sanctioned Heli-Bike Trail Opens For The Season With Coast Range Heli-Skiing

Imagine skipping the grind to the top—no endless pedalling, no burning legs—just a helicopter dropping you on a remote alpine ridge, ready for a long, uninterrupted descent. That’s the promise of Hidden Peak, Whistler’s only sanctioned heli-bike trail, and it’s opening this weekend.

But even the dreamiest descent isn’t worth much if the trail doesn’t hold up. For the team behind Hidden Peak, making sure the trail rides as good as it looks has always been the top priority.

A Trail Built to Last

Hidden Peak’s creation is a model of collaboration, built in partnership with the Province of British Columbia, the Lil’wat Nation Land Referrals Committee, the Squamish Nation, and multiple resource and user groups. The result: a project that’s not only legal, but built to high standards—proof of what mountain biking can be when everyone works together.

Heading into opening weekend, the trail crew has been out in force, making sure the trail is in top shape. Howler Contracting built the original trail with durability in mind. Blackcomb Helicopters Heli Biking Program Manager, Jerome David, says, “The trail was initially built to handle water drainage really well,”. “That meant for this year's tune-up, we were mostly focused on clearing debris and brushing back overgrowth, rather than major repairs.”

The past week has seen crews tackling the overgrown lower sections, clearing fallen trees and brushing back encroaching fireweed. “When you ride down now, you’ll notice purple fireweed lining the trail. We cleared quite a few rocks that were starting to stick out into the track,” the crew says. In all, it took about a week—three days on the lower trail, two up top, with at least three people working ten-hour shifts each day—to make sure Hidden Peak is ready to ride.

What to Expect on Hidden Peak

The trail itself is broken into three main sections: high alpine, 3.5km of treeline, and then a fast, open lower stretch that drops right through the cut blocks into the valley. “It’s a long descent that gives you everything—jaw-dropping alpine views up high, then flowing corners as you drop into the trees, and enough speed and flow to keep you grinning all the way down,” one crew member describes.

The full descent covers over 1,600 vertical meters (5,250 feet), and it all starts with a heli-drop to the top.

The Coast Range Heli-Biking Experience

The day kicks off with a scenic helicopter lift from the valley floor, landing you near the summit with endless single-track ahead. The trail starts with a 3km black diamond alpine descent, weaving through ridgelines and past glacier lakes, before transitioning to a 1.2km climb. After that, it’s a 9km blue descent through old-growth forest, alpine meadows, banked corners, and just enough rough stuff to keep things interesting. Think Top of the World, but with more wilderness—and a lot less traffic.

Hidden Peak is open and accepting bookings. Head to https://www.coastrangeheliskiing.com/whistler-heli-biking to secure your heli-drop.