The range of experience among my fellow heli-hikers—neophytes like me as well as veteran climbers—attests to the variety of activities Canadian Mountain Holidays offers. If you can get in and out of the helicopter, you'll find a walk, hike, or expedition to suit your interests.

CMH relies on guests' self-evaluations (and its own observations on the first day's hike, I suspect) to group hikers by ability, from "A" (experienced) to "D."

My performance the first day, plus self-assessment—a high "C"/low "B", because I'm in pretty good shape but have limited hiking and mountain experience—earned me an invitation to try mountaineering. On the last day, however, I opted to join the "D" group for several leisurely treks. There was plenty of time to chat, shoot pictures, and soak in the incredible scenery. The helicopter shuttled us to some dramatic spots—glaciers, mountain lakes, and meadows—and flew in a BBQ picnic, plus all the other groups to join us.

Spring/Summer 2000