As a first time heli skier, but long time back country enthusiast who happened to have just enough jingle in his pocket for the plunge last spring. This trip was worth every dime. Buck up and let them into your pockets for a few extra days and you won't be disappointed. If you're even considering a heli ski trip, then you are fully aware of the investment you are prepared to put down. Trust me when I say this, you will not be disappointed with Black OPS Valdez. The recipe, from what I have gathered when making preparations last season, for a successful heli ski trip is this: -the destination (get to the most extreme place you can swing) -the gear (make sure you're rucksack has all the essentials to keep you comfortable and confident) -the guides (take the word of others who have gone before you for gold and trust their opinion) -the lodging (for pete's sake buck up and get comfortable, you're already putting down a considerable amount to even make the trip, it's worth a little extra to have some extravagant amenities) -weather (well, enough said, you better hope your outfit has an insurance policy --- BOV does!) -the people behind the guides (as BOV, you're as much a part of the family when you're there as the people helping with operations all season) Black OPS Valdez has a unique position in the Chugach, they are great people who love what they do, take your safety and enjoyment into equal consideration, and are overall the most laid back outfit in the scene, and if you don't know, now you know... -CCB http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g31156-d6589804-r311170905-Black_Ops_Valdez_Day_Adventures-Valdez_Alaska.html# read more

We are a group of 8, been skiing together for 15 years all over North America. Snowcats and Heli. Found Black Ops Valdez through some research and word of mouth. Tabatha was excellent at communicating with me and answering all the dozens of questions that came from our group. Not easy to coordinate the crew, but finally got everyone on the same page. Went with the 7-Day Private Package. Guide crew was top notch. Briefings were a bit in depth, perhaps from us having so much experience over the years, but as safety was/is a top priority for us too, we appreciated the extra attention. Great snow over mid/tail of the week once the initial storm system moved out. We split our crew into an A team and B team so we would all get runs suited to us and that worked great. Lodge was stellar. Very comfortable. Had an incredible time relaxing and enjoying the food and time with friends. Was very impressed with Travis in the kitchen for accommodating all of our special vegan and gluten free requests. Enjoyed a hike to the Valdez glacier to explore icebergs, and a trip to the museum before hitting the local brewery on one of our down days. Some of the crew used fat bikes, snowshoes and yoga mats at the lodge to pass the day. Weather can be tricky, and we did have some down time, but made it up through the mid/tail of the week, so no complaints. Pilot was also one of the best I've seen in our experience. Hope to come back again someday. read more

Absolutely incredible few days with Black Ops Valdez this April 2021! Truly top notch guiding in some of the most incredible terrain I have ever seen. I wasn't able to take my avalanche safety courses in time and they went above and beyond to ensure I felt trained using the tools they provided (beacon, avalanche pack/kit). They also spent time going through lots of different scenarios and talking about snow pack, etc. The second I arrived at the heli base (with SO MUCH EXCITEMENT) I was cared for (literally the base manager carried my kit down to the heli launch pad) there was hot coffee and great company. Their heli-ski guides are literally some of THE gods of Alaska heli-skiing, like 30 seasons skiing that terrain. I was so lucky to take a private heli trip and skied perfect snow in basically wonderland with an amazing guide. Not only is the heli-skiing incredible their lodge staff was as well! One of my bags was literally bumped off the Ravn air flight and they had someone go get it in Anchorage (5 hrs away!) otherwise I would have missed two full days of skiing with all my gear being in that bag. PLUS when there was forecasted storms for a full week during my departure window they arrange for a transfer to Anchorage as well. WOWOWOWOWOWOW! If you want to ski with the best ... Black Ops! read more

Aloha, I have been Heli skiing in Alaska for a few years...This year, the outfit I was scheduled with cancelled on me the week before we were supposed to fly...I had already purchased the flight, got work off and convinced the wife about the trip...I had to scramble and I found a great company, and experience. Black Ops is the new guy, but often on life the new guy has seen the old guys make mistakes and has learned. This proved so true. I asked them to push me and put me on terrain that challenged me. I got a great group and a great guide both days. I skied some serious bombs, steep and deep all day, both days....Throughout the trip, I continued to meet more Black Ops employees, I was honestly impressed with every person. The owners Tabatha and Josh were great, down to earth and fun to be around. It was clear their hard work and hiring decisions reflected on their values and work ethic. Thank you so much for a weekend that I will never forget...I will be back next year! If you are a serious rider and thought about Heli Skiing, DO IT...It will change your life and motivate you in so many ways to be a better skier. Valdez is a special place, Black Ops is adds to the experience making it even more special. Aloha!!!! KM read more

Amazing Heliskiing and Trip to Alaska! Bucket list trip to Black Ops was unbelievable! I've been skiing since I was 5 and this has always been a dream of mine. Long short, I recently got a divorce and what better time to do the things I've always wanted. I did a fair amount of research and landed on Black Ops as my choice. No fly day options and guide experience were my two biggest things. They did not disappoint! The guides have been doing this for decades and know the area well to say the least. No lack of communication and they made me feel very comfortable in a setting that is intimidating to someone like myself. They were calm, and obviously in their element. The lodge was comfortable and homey. The hot tub and sauna were amazing after our ski day. The main lodge had shared baths but I had my own cabin Tabitha set me up in since I was the only woman in house for most of the week. Her and her husband Josh made my trip soooo great! I did a day of snowmobile skiing and a glacier snowshoe hike on the two days we didn't fly. The lodge staff was super awesome and made me feel right at home. And the food!!! Travis' Dinners were AMAZING!! Great people, great place, GREAT TRIP! read more

I have ridden with Black Ops Valdez for 3 years now. This is a world class operation with amazing terrain, a safe and friendly staff, state of the art B3 helicopters and the deepest powder days you will ever experience. The operation is run by Josh and Tabatha, who are a local family that is committed to the community and providing a once in a lifetime Alaska experience. They make sure to get you in the right groups and meet you where you are with skill level and desire for level of terrain. They are straight forward with their rates, using Hobbs hours and efficient helicopters, which gives you the best value and powder for your investment. The guides are all world class, making sure everyone feels safe, but also getting groups into zones that will blow your mind. The base operation is located in the heart of the Chugach, so you don't burn much fuel getting to the zones that are worthy. I have flown with four other operations in Valdez and Black Ops is by far the best one I have experienced. Overall, Black Ops is phenomenal in every way and I would recommend it to anyone looking to ride or ski in the Chugach and spend a lifetime of exploring Alaska. read more

I've been skiing in Valdez for 9 springs in a row with 2 other heli guide services, and the last 3 years with BOV. I had fun with all of them, but definitely had the best experience with BOV. The guides take the safety aspects seriously, but they don't try to have a bossy attitude. They certainly try to give everyone the funnest day of their life every time! There isn't a single guide in their crew that I would not recommend. I've probably skied with all of them, and had a blast. We skied some awesome cirques that were very efficient on heli time and delivered the Valdez terrain that we keep coming back for. Valdez has no lack of challenging terrain, and snow quality seems to be a high priority for BOV. Some guides I know very well at other outfits like to do a epic chute of hardpack just to do it. I say, the clients are on vacation, and you guides should do your training runs on your own time! We got to BOV base, got dressed, had some refreshments, got briefed, and we were flying pretty damn soon after landing in Valdez airport-pretty awesome! Just like last year, and I hope this year goes the same. If it aint broke don't fix it! read more

If you like to ski or snowboard and want a real mountain experience, I would highly recommend this operation. This was my third year in a row in Alaska with Black Ops and I wouldnt think about going anywhere else. Three years ago I did an internet search for heliski trips and came across Black Ops. I signed up for the week package and stayed at The Robe Lake Lodge as part of the overall package: a week guided in the heli, food, lodging, etc., all included. It was one of the best weeks of my life. So, I went back a year later, and then went back another year after that. I will be going back hopefully for many years. These mountains are incredible, and challenging, scary, and relaxing. The guides make it a safe and fun time - many of these guys have 20+ years experience up in these mountains. I cant say much about the other operations up here so I cannot comment on them. However, BlackOps has been an amazing find and a great operation. I look forward to going back . read more

I flew here for a 1 day shot at getting some steep and deep after I was shut out in girdwood, and with the luck of good weather and the expertise of the staff at black ops I had one the best if not the best day snowboarding of my 20 year snowboard life. I have only been heli-boarding one other time in BC, but this place is definitely a place to go back too. They know what they are doing and the day was so smooth I felt like I was riding with friends. Great accommodations at the lodge too, the staff and service were outstanding and the food was perfect. The thing I like the most about this place is the flexibility of ways to snowboard. They offer snow cat and snow mobile service which helps if the sky's don't let you fly in the bird. They also offer single day heli trips which in my opinion is perfect for those who don't want to shell out a ton of cash for a 5 or 7 day trip or just looking to break up the days in to heli/cat or snowmobile tours. read more

We did a 7 day Heli trip and it as amazing! Robe lake lodge is in a great location. It is quiet, the views are incredible, and just a short trip to town. The accomodations were comfortable. The food was fantastic! Josh, Tabatha, and all of the staff were wonderful! On down days they kept us well informed, and came up with a lot of options for activities to keep us entertained. And the skiing is as good as it gets! There is endless terrain, and some of the best steep lines you can find anywhere! The guides and pilots are awesome! They do a great job of finding the best lines for the group while keeping it safe. We also stayed after the Heli week and di a couple days of Sled skiing, which was also a blast! The guides found us some great snow and some really fun lines, and the rides up on the sleds were a lot of fun! It was an awesome trip! and we are planning on going back to stay with Black Ops again next season read more

Black Ops did an amazing job and provided clients a very nice experience. Having been to Alaska many times heli-skiing, we will be return guests to Black Ops. First, the guides and pilots did an amazing job stepping up the terrain to the groups ability, while keeping everything safe. Keep in mind the terrain they access is incredible: some of the best steep lines you'll find anywhere. Second, the overall accommodation situation at the Robe Lake Lodge was very nice. Good food and plenty of it. Proximity to the town of Valdez and other activities during heli down days (which you're going to have in Alaska) was well thought out and guests were provided options. Finally, great company of like minded guests. Overall a very positive experience. Having experienced many of the heli-ski operations in Alaska, we will be coming back. read more

I had the best Heli Snowboarding experience yet with Black Ops! Our goal was to ride and film the biggest and best lines we could. Black Ops did an amazing job of getting us to the powder! There were a few days I went out that I thought the clouds were going to shut us out, but our pilot and guide did an awesome job of hunting down pockets of clear weather and keeping us in the sun! The drops were efficiently linked together to allow for lots of long runs with minimal heli time being burned. The terrain that Black Ops has available is seemingly endless. Ever since my trip ended, I've been trying to scheme ways to make millions so I can try and ride every line in their zone, but I fear that I might need a few more lifetimes if I want to fulfill that dream! read more

Amazing heli-ski trip! Having skied with a few companies in Alaska over the years, Black Ops Valdez proved to be top notch! Amazing guides and professional staff! Hobbs time packages eliminate the confusion with runs and vertical, Im not sure why they don't all do it this way! They advertised 5-6 runs average, but our first day we skied 10 runs in our hour, and they were big runs, to our group anyway. Im guessing 3-4,000 foot drop on each. Dinners and the lodge were amazing as well! Thanks so much for making our trip one for the books, and thank you to all at Black Ops and the Robe Lake Lodge! read more

I flew with Black Ops during the 2014 season and could not have been happier. The crew was prompt, professional and cool. They provide world class skiing without the stuffy attitude of other heli ops. They even let us park our RV in their lot for 2 nights while we waited for the weather to clear. Our guide, Jerry, had 25 years of AK experience and got us to the best snow possible (18 inches of fresh blower) while the operations guy, AJ, was hustling his butt off to make sure everything back at the base was running smoothly. I will be back in AK every spring and I will only fly with Black Ops. read more

I have skied with many operations in Alaska, and by far I had the best experience skiing with Black Ops Valdez. The owners Josh and Tabatha are great people, and were very helpful through out my Alaskan adventure. I did the all inclusive package which was more than worth the money. The guides and whole Black Ops staff are very professional and friendly. I skied the best powder in my life, and I guess it was an off year for Valdez! Can't wait to get back!! Thanks again! read more

Awesome 2 days of snowsled skiing First day was a little rough with poor visibility and a little rain but our guides made the most of it and took us to a great local spot so we could make lots short runs. 2nd day was awesome! The skies started to blue and cleared up and wind stayed low. The skiing was was everything you expect from Alaska 2000'-3000' ft runs and great powder! read more

I've flown and stayed with Black Ops on several different occasions and can honestly say that they offer a first class, one of a kind experience. In the hectic world of a heli ski operations, they do an amazing job balancing client expectations, safety and an incredibly organized operation. If you're looking to book a trip of a lifetime, look no further than Black Ops. read more

5 star skiing, 5 star guides, 5 star accommodations, 5 star food, 5 star staff. I try not to have expectations going into a ski trip, but it was our first heli trip and it was impossible not to have high expectations. Our week went way above and beyond whatever it was I had in mind. Thank you Black Ops for facilitating an incredible skiing experience. read more

I think these guys are the best heli-ski/board operation in the USA. Their guides all have tremendous experience in these mountains, as well as on the other continents. I have been there 2 years in a row and plan on making 2016 my third year in a row. Stay at the Robe Lake Lodge and do the package. ....it's well worth it. read more