CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures, the world’s largest Heli-Skiing and Heli-Hiking operator, has produced an awe-inspiring virtual reality film to introduce the sport of Heli-Skiing to the world. The cinematic piece entitled “Lines of Sight: A Guided Virtual Reality Experience” was created in partnership with the award-winning Sherpas Cinema with support from Google’s AR/VR team, using cutting-edge technology in the virtual reality and ski industries.
Filmed entirely at CMH Cariboos with highly customized, site-specific equipment from Google and Sherpas Cinema, the five-minute film was created to immerse the viewer into the experience and dispel the myth that Heli-Skiing is extreme, instead demonstrating that it is highly achievable. The end result showcases the future of cinematic VR. “Being able to work with the best in the industry in a truly collaborative manner allowed us to push the boundaries of technology and bring the Heli-Skiing experience to a wider market,” said Julia LoVecchio, Director of Marketing at CMH.
“To grow the VR experience for users, we need to empower independent filmmakers to take this medium and bring their own creativity to it,” said Sarah Steele, Google VR Program Manager. “The biggest thing people ask for in VR is ‘take me places I can’t go,’ and Heli-Skiing is an incredible experience that only a lucky few could even imagine.”
CMH founder Hans Gmoser was a visionary who invented Heli-Skiing more than 50 years ago, and it is in the spirit of this legacy that the team continues to provide such innovative experiences. Led through the terrain by ACMG Mountain Guide, Craig McGee, the viewer experiences every part of the journey from buckling in for the helicopter ride to gliding down the powdery slopes of the Cariboo Mountains of British Columbia. The vistas are breathtaking, the movement of the skiers magical, and the result is pure inspiration.
“The ultimate goal with VR is to make you completely forget about the world that you are currently in,” says DP and co-Director for Sherpas Cinema, Steve Henderson. “You feel as though you embody the story.”
“Lines of Sight” was captured over the course of 10 days using the Yi Halo, GoPro Odyssey, and Google’s Jump platform. Site-specific camera rigs were built for the project, including a helicopter long line for sweeping alpine aerials and aerial action shots, a hardware stabilized ski-dolly platform built in collaboration with Levitezer, and an RC car dolly built in collaboration with FreeFly. Highly choreographed action scenes of extended durations while shooting, result in a smooth, continuous experience for the viewer.
“Lines of Sight: A Guided Virtual Reality Experience” will be touring six Ikon Pass mountain destinations across North America throughout winter seasons 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. Visitors will be able to step into a giant CMH helicopter located at the base of the resorts to experience the film in virtual reality firsthand and take the ride of a lifetime.
“Lines of Sight: A Guided Virtual Reality Experience” 2018/19 tour dates and destinations:
11-13 Jan 2019: Winter Park, Colorado, USA
24-27 Jan 2019: Blue Mountain Resort, Ontario, Canada
2-3 and 9-10 Feb 2019: Stratton, Vermont, USA
7-12 Mar 2019: Tremblant, Quebec, Canada
22-24 Mar 2019: Mammoth, California, USA
29-31 Mar and 5-7 Apr 2019: Squaw Valley/ Alpine Meadows, California, USA
Tour dates and destinations can be found at www.cmhheli.com/VR.
Experience Heli-Skiing in virtual reality via download at www.cmhheli.com/VR, in any VR headset, or on YouTube360.
About CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures
Celebrating over 50 years of heli-adventures, CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures is the world’s first and largest Heli-Skiing and Heli-Hiking operator. At 3 million acres, the total CMH tenure is one-third the size of Switzerland. From their head office in Banff, Alberta, CMH operates from 12 lodges located in the Bugaboo, Purcell, Selkirk, Monashee and Cariboo ranges of British Columbia, Canada. Heli-Skiing takes place each year from December through April, and CMH Summer Adventures take place from July to mid-September. For more information, please visit www.cmhheli.com.
About Alterra Mountain Company
Alterra Mountain Company is a family of 14 iconic year-round destinations, including the world’s largest heli-ski operation, offering the Ikon Pass, the new standard in season passes. The company owns and operates a range of recreation, hospitality, real-estate development, food and beverage and retail businesses. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado with destinations across the continent, Alterra Mountain Company is rooted in the spirit of the mountains and united by a passion for outdoor adventure. Alterra Mountain Company’s family of diverse playgrounds spans six U.S. states and three Canadian provinces: Steamboat and Winter Park Resort in Colorado; Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain and Big Bear Mountain Resort in California; Stratton in Vermont; Snowshoe in West Virginia; Crystal Mountain Resort in Washington; Tremblant in Quebec, Blue Mountain in Ontario; Deer Valley Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah; and CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures in British Columbia. Alterra Mountain Company honors each destination’s unique character and authenticity and celebrates the legendary adventures and enduring memories they bring to everyone. For more information, please visit www.alterramtnco.com.
About Ikon Pass
The Ikon Pass is the new standard in season passes, connecting the most iconic mountains across North America, Australia and Japan, delivering authentic, memorable snow adventures. Brought to you by Alterra Mountain Company, the Ikon Pass unlocks access to a community of diverse destinations you want to ski and ride, including Aspen Snowmass, Steamboat, Winter Park Resort, Copper Mountain and Eldora in Colorado; Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain and Big Bear Mountain Resort in California; Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming; Big Sky in Montana; Stratton, Killington and Sugarbush Resort in Vermont; Snowshoe in West Virginia; Boyne Highlands and Boyne Mountain in Michigan; Crystal Mountain Resort and The Summit at Snoqualmie in Washington; Tremblant in Quebec and Blue Mountain in Ontario, Canada; SkiBig3 in Alberta, Canada; Revelstoke Mountain Resort and Cypress Mountain in British Columbia, Canada; Sunday River and Sugarloaf in Maine; Loon Mountain in New Hampshire; Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico; Deer Valley Resort, Solitude Mountain Resort, Brighton Resort, Alta, and Snowbird in Utah; Thredbo in Australia; and Niseko United in Japan. Special offers are available at CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures, the world’s largest heli-skiing operation. For more information on the Ikon Pass, please visit www.ikonpass.com.
