You can see whether you like it by trying an introductory single day at resorts including Whistler and Panorama. If you don’t like helicopters, you can do a watered-down and cheaper version – still hugely enjoyable – by going cat-skiing, also available at dozens of locations in Canada, sometimes (as in Revelstoke) in conjunction with heli-skiing.  Cat-skiing substitutes a snowcat — specially converted to take skiers — for the helicopter. The skiing terrain can be similar but on a smaller scale.  The way the mainstream heli-ski week works depends on the size of the helicopter. The traditional Bell 210 or 212 takes 11 skiers plus their guide.  A typical heli-ski lodge would take four groups of 11 and four guides. There’s always a longish safety talk on day one, introducing equipment such as avalanche transceivers, probes... and shovels. Then the helicopter leaves with the first group and their guide. They’re duly deposited on a snow-blanketed peak or high point (and yes, the machine does land — contrary to myth, the skiers don’t leap out on to the snow in mid-air!).  While the first group are making their first descent, the helicopter returns to collect group B, deposits them on the same and collects group A for their second run. Then it’s time to collect group C, then D, and so on.  Flying one group to its next run and collecting the other groups in between is quite a complex business. The order in which the groups are collected changes each day, as does their guide. In theory, everyone ends up skiing roughly the same number of runs and spending time with all four guides.  More and more heli-ski operations are investing in smaller Bell 407 or A-Star helicopters which take five clients (plus guide) and are much faster than the 210s and 212s.  These are often used by skiers who have paid more to have a “private” week, which means they don’t share their helicopter with other groups. This is turn gives them more chance to rack up what for some is the most important aspect of a week’s heli-skiing – the much prized total vertical drop.  Depending on the available daylight hours, a typical mid-winter heli-ski day might produce a dozen or more descents (roughly 36,000 vertical feet). In the longer days of spring, you might manage 20 descents or more.  Since heli-skiing tends to be the main activity in your ski lodge (you’re typically miles from anywhere, so no shops, restaurants or cinemas), the one other commodity that needs to be up to scratch is the food. Lunch is normally a picnic on the mountain so a slap-up dinner is vital. Each lodge will have a highly skilled chef or two and great attention is paid to fine dining. After all, while you’re swapping tales of derring-do with your fellow skiers you’ll want good food and wine.  A nice touch at CMH lodges is that the guides – those heroes who you’ve trusted all week with your lives — actually get together and serve your meal. Gods by day, servants by night!  Arnie Wilson is editor of the Ski Club of Great Britain’s magazine Ski+board.  Enter to win your dream holiday in Canada worth £8,000
British Columbia is known as the heli-skiing capital of the world, so head to    the Canadian mountains for the ride of your life.