Heliskiing Travel British Columbia, Canada
It may be true that here in Canada we have the largest majority of heli skiing opportunities in the world, but there is also a lot more to this amazing country than just great heli skiing. Here in BC we have stunning natural beauty and a great history. So if you make Canada your choice, make sure you plan some extra time to travel the expansive British Columbia area. Here are some interesting facts that you may or may not know about this wild land.
The Coastal Mountains have been long inhabited by native peoples, but the first European known to traverse the mountains was Alexander Mackenzie, way back in 1793. Nowadays, there are 8 roads that traverse the range, including ones between Stewart and Meziadin, Squamish and Lillooet, as well as Highway 7 from Haines, Alaska up to the Chilkoot.
The Canadian forest industry builds approximately 15,000 km of logging roads each year; around half of these being temporary winter snow roads or unsurfaced summer roads. Strict enforcements are made to manage and protect the environment during the planning and construction of these roads, vital for the construction industry. British Columbia leads the way rehabilitating roads after harvesting, making sure the forest sites are available for growing trees.
The Canadian Heritage Rivers System was set up in 1984 with the goal of protecting through long-term management, and giving national recognition to some of Canada’s most prestigious rivers. The rivers in the program run from the wilderness rivers of the Barren Lands to ones in densely populated areas. Of the three rivers in British Columbia, the Fraser is by far the largest, at an enormous 1375km in length.
Canada is home to three species of bear. The polar bears occupy the Arctic coast and islands, whereas the black bears and grizzly bears live within coniferous and deciduous forests, as well as swamp and tundra habitats. Bears have inhabited North America since Miocene times, less than 27.3 million years ago, and during this time have evolved differently to suit their environment. Most bears are solitary, and not a significant danger to humans unless given reason to be. Over the winter months, bears sleep in their dens for long periods, but are believed not to truly hibernate. The bears likely to be commonly found in parts of BC live on a main diet of vegetable matter and occasionally fish, but will also happily scavenge for food wherever it’s available.
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