By Kate Reingold
It's wintertime at Grand Canyon National Park. That means daytime temperatures that hover in the low 40's with either crystal-clear skies or intermittent snow. Amid all this fly helicopters, which offer travelers some of the most amazing views of the National Park to be had.
Departure Points
Chopper tours depart from two locations: Las Vegas, NV, and Grand Canyon National Park Airport, AZ. Flights that originate from Vegas go to the West Rim, while Arizona-based trips explore the South Rim. There are helicopter flights between the rims. Vegas travelers who want the South Rim are advised to take fly by airplane and then transfer to a helicopter.
The South Rim is colder than the West Rim. This is due to its elevation, which is 6,700 feet. The West Rim's elevation is 4,700. Thus, from December to March, the South Rim's temps will range from 40 to 50 degrees during the day and 18 to 25 degrees at night. By contrast, the West Rim's temps during these months will range from 60 to 70 degrees during daytime and in the 40's during night.
During winter, there's a strong chance there will be snow on the ground. The snowstorms usually pass through the Canyon quickly, so it's rare that a tour will be canceled because of bad weather. The West Rim is usually snow-free, but once in a blue moon it will get lightly dusted.
Tour Refunds
However, if you're flight does get cancelled due to weather, the best helicopter tour companies offer a 100 percent refund. I can't vouch for tour consolidators as in many cases you will be booking a flight that is stripped of a refund policy because it's in the hands of a liquidators trying to fill seats as they become available. Because of this, I advise always buying direct from the tour operator and avoiding booking from companies like HotWire, Priceline and Expedia.
What to wear during this season deserves consideration. Dressing in layers is the best way to go. Specifically, find a good base layer. This might be a t-shirt or a polyester shirt that wicks moisture and keeps you warm. You probably have tops like that already and won't need to buy anything new. Over that, I'd wear a sweater and then a Parka-like jacket. A pair of gloves, a scarf, long pants, wool socks and a pair of sturdy shoes are also suggested.
I especially recommend dressing for weather if you book a landing tour. These trips fly out exclusively from Las Vegas; South Rim helicopters are not allowed to fly below the rim and land. Landing options include going to the bottom of the canyon for a Champagne picnic, Colorado River boat rides and VIP Grand Canyon Skywalk tickets. These air-ground trips are very much in demand so make sure you book prior to arriving in Las Vegas.
Take Action!
How far in advance should you make your reservations? A week ahead of time is a good idea, or earlier if you can, because each helicopter only holds six people, and during the winter, some choppers are pulled from service. Further, and I mentioned this earlier in the article, book your flight direct from the operator on the Internet. The best deals are clearly on the Web, but, in order to make sure you get them, you must fully complete your transaction online (lots of people fail to do this and end up getting billed the retail rate!).
Departure Points
Chopper tours depart from two locations: Las Vegas, NV, and Grand Canyon National Park Airport, AZ. Flights that originate from Vegas go to the West Rim, while Arizona-based trips explore the South Rim. There are helicopter flights between the rims. Vegas travelers who want the South Rim are advised to take fly by airplane and then transfer to a helicopter.
The South Rim is colder than the West Rim. This is due to its elevation, which is 6,700 feet. The West Rim's elevation is 4,700. Thus, from December to March, the South Rim's temps will range from 40 to 50 degrees during the day and 18 to 25 degrees at night. By contrast, the West Rim's temps during these months will range from 60 to 70 degrees during daytime and in the 40's during night.
During winter, there's a strong chance there will be snow on the ground. The snowstorms usually pass through the Canyon quickly, so it's rare that a tour will be canceled because of bad weather. The West Rim is usually snow-free, but once in a blue moon it will get lightly dusted.
Tour Refunds
However, if you're flight does get cancelled due to weather, the best helicopter tour companies offer a 100 percent refund. I can't vouch for tour consolidators as in many cases you will be booking a flight that is stripped of a refund policy because it's in the hands of a liquidators trying to fill seats as they become available. Because of this, I advise always buying direct from the tour operator and avoiding booking from companies like HotWire, Priceline and Expedia.
What to wear during this season deserves consideration. Dressing in layers is the best way to go. Specifically, find a good base layer. This might be a t-shirt or a polyester shirt that wicks moisture and keeps you warm. You probably have tops like that already and won't need to buy anything new. Over that, I'd wear a sweater and then a Parka-like jacket. A pair of gloves, a scarf, long pants, wool socks and a pair of sturdy shoes are also suggested.
I especially recommend dressing for weather if you book a landing tour. These trips fly out exclusively from Las Vegas; South Rim helicopters are not allowed to fly below the rim and land. Landing options include going to the bottom of the canyon for a Champagne picnic, Colorado River boat rides and VIP Grand Canyon Skywalk tickets. These air-ground trips are very much in demand so make sure you book prior to arriving in Las Vegas.
Take Action!
How far in advance should you make your reservations? A week ahead of time is a good idea, or earlier if you can, because each helicopter only holds six people, and during the winter, some choppers are pulled from service. Further, and I mentioned this earlier in the article, book your flight direct from the operator on the Internet. The best deals are clearly on the Web, but, in order to make sure you get them, you must fully complete your transaction online (lots of people fail to do this and end up getting billed the retail rate!).
About the Author:
Grand Canyon expert Kate Reingold recommends these hot Canyon helicopters. She also recommends going here for coupons that make these flights cheaper: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopter.org/grand-canyon-helicopter-tour-coupons.html
