Mountain snow drop

Alpine Helicopter pilot Toby Wallis leaves a group of heli-skiers in the powder on Mt Alpha, in the Buchanan Range, earlier this week. Mt Aspiring is in the background.

Despite difficult conditions in the early part of the winter, heli-ski companies report a "strong" August and September.

Harris Mountains Heli-skiing operations manager Roger Kingston said heli-skiing was likely to continue for a week or so in October, depending on demand.

Alpine Group general manager Jonathan Wallis said direct flights between Australia and Queenstown were of great benefit to the heli-ski industry, with Australians able to decide on a Thursday to spend the weekend skiing in New Zealand.