HELISKI GUIDE PROFILES
Meet the guys on the ground who make your heli ski holiday what it is.
The guides are a huge part of the experience. You will spend all day with them and a good part of the evening. It can be a very daunting environment so their primary role is to keep you safe. They know our mountains intimately and will give you a free reign whenever possible, but when they ask you to ‘fasten your seatbelts’ - they mean it. We take no short cuts on who we hire – all are ACMG or UIAGM certified mountain guides – no exceptions.
Franz Fux
Director of Operations
He wears a big hat in this role. He oversees pretty much every aspect of the operation, which is why (most of the time) things run so smoothly. Franz has a ton of experience click here and is one of the main partners in Last Frontier. Franz is not a man that likes to blow his own trumpet, but if you ask him how the skiing at Last Frontier stacks up against others places a wry grin on his face will give you the answer. In short, with Franz at the helm, you cannot be in better hands.
George Feitzinger
Guide
A native from Austria, George originally trained as a culinary chef and hotelier to work in the family business. However he could not resist the pull of the mountains for too long and soon became a fully qualified mountain guide. George joined us in 2000 and together with Andre, have pioneered most of the ski terrain that we have at Ripley Creek. Like many fellow Austrians, George absolutely LOVES to ski.
Jun Yanagisawa
Guide
Born in the concrete jungle of Tokyo, Japan, Jun immigrated to Canada in 1988. Jun has been heliski guiding since 1993 including two seasons in New Zealand and joined Last Frontier Heliskiing in 1999. In summer, Jun enjoys hiking guiding, horseback riding, mountain biking, canoeing, etc. in Whistler, which he calls home.
Colin Moorshead
Guide
He has his roots in Vancouver and is an avid rock climber, in fact he owns and runs Squamish Rock Guides. Since 2005 Colin has made Last Frontier Heliskiing his home in the winter months. He enjoys his existence a LOT so it’s likely to rub off on you.
Jeff Bullock
Asst Ops Manager
Jeff grew up in central Alberta and is an ACMG mountain guide; what Jeff enjoys most about his job is meeting new people, the eating and maybe the skiing too! When Jeff is not eating at the lodge he can be found rock climbing, ice climbing, surfing the pacific, traveling and playing the drums.
Andre Ike
Lead Guide and Operations Manager at Ripley Creek
Canadian born, Andre spent 12 years living in Whistler before settling in Squamish, BC. A carpenter by trade and UIAGM Mountain Guide, he has worked with Last Frontier Heliskiing since 2000. An avid traveler, he has visited 26 countries around the globe many of which he has skied or climbed. Andre is part owner/operator of Squamish based company Westcoast Mountain Guides Inc. that keeps him busy in summer guiding on the rock, in the alpine and teaching courses.
Michael Brackenhofer
Operations Manager, Last Frontier Heliskiing
Born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Michael grew up in a small mountain town in the Alps. Michael is a UIAGM Guide, steelhead guide and pro-photographer. After moving to Canada in 2003 and starting with Last Frontier, Michael lives in Smithers with his daughter Elisa.
Olivia Sofer
Guide
Olivia started her guiding career at 18 years old as a white water rafting guide while attending university in Montreal, Quebec. Later, she began leading river expeditions in remote areas of British Columbia and Alaska. She then added to her skills by becoming an ACMG Hiking Guide and Assistant Ski Guide. Her hometown is Canmore, Alberta where she lives with her husband Robson Gmoser and their son Max. In the winter months she works at Last Frontier Heliskiing, teaches avalanche courses and guides ski mountaineering groups at various backcountry lodges in British Columbia.
Lydia Marmont
Guide
Lydia was born and raised on a New Zealand sheep farm and moved to the bigger ranches of Western Canada in 2000. She discovered the spectacular mountains of Last Frontier country while working a season doing avalanche control for the highway in Stewart. After a moment’s hesitation, deciding whether it was more fun skiing snow than blowing it up, she jumped ship and has hasn't looked back ever since. She is now a fully qualified ski guide after completing the certification program of the Canadian Guides Association. She's delighted to convince others to do the same!
Mike Gajda
Guide
Born and raised in Canada’s Niagara Peninsula, Mike emerged from the mist of the falls in search of grander views and deeper snow immediately after graduation from university. After spending the next four winters exploring the Alps on skis, he relocated to the coast mountains of British Columbia and over 20 years later now calls Pemberton home. When not guiding at Last Frontier Heliskiing, Mike works at a variety of avalanche control projects in North America and spends his summers guiding ski tours for Powderquest in South America. Each year after he’s had his fill of snow, you’ll find him chasing wind, waves, and wayward adventures on a beach somewhere in Latin America.
Christoph Dietzfelbinger
Guide
Christoph Dietzfelbinger grew up as a parson's son in Bavaria, but you should not hold that against him. He studied to be a teacher in Munich but decided that was not for him. Generations of schoolchildren are grateful. He became a mountain guide in 1981 and worked in the Alps for eight years as a free lance guide and guide's instructor. Lured by the wilderness of northwestern British Columbia, he settled in Telegraph Creek in 1986 and, when he came to his senses, in Smithers. Christoph built the Burnie Glacier Chalet in 2001 and divides his time between that ski mountaineering lodge, Last Frontier Heliskiing, teaching professional avalanche courses and avalanche consulting. He also operates a woodlot. He and his family live in the country in the Bulkley Valley near Smithers.