Even Bigger – Heliski Area Expanded for 2017

In a heliski operation, flexibility is key. If you only offer high alpine skiing, for instance, it’s great for sunny days, but in weather it’s a problem. Storm skiing is something that a lot of operations just don’t have that much of. A heliski operation has to be able to deal with all sorts of challenges, from inclement weather, avalanche stability and temperature fluctuations in the snow to snow coverage, fuel costs and flying time; lots goes into it.

So when George Rosset, Franz Fux and Mike Watling were looking for an area to open a heliski operation, they wanted flexibility. They wanted to offer skiing and riding in all sorts of conditions where no-fly days were limited. That meant an area that offered huge variances in terrain; glacier skiing, tree skiing, steeps, bowls, high elevation and low, with enough scope to really maximize the heliski experience.

When they found the massive chunk of land in the remote mountains of Northern BC that now comprises the heliski area of Last Frontier Heliskiing, they found a place with just about everything they could ever need. First was the size. At over 9,000 square kilometres, it was the single largest heliski tenure in the world. One big chunk of Northern BC ski paradise. Bordering Alaska on one side and spanning the Coast and Skeena Mountains, this massive area offered some key benefits in the realm of flexibility.

First, it snows a lot up here, some 25 metres per year at 1,000 m in elevation. That’s over 80 ft a year. Second, because of it’s size, the conditions, weather and snow stability can be different all over the tenure. Bad weather in one spot? No worries, move a little further or a little deeper into the tenure. Fantastic weather close by? Let’s shred close to home so we can smash in as many laps as possible in a day. Dodgy stability in the western end of the tenure? Head south, or east, or north. Inclement weather? No worries, with such a large area whose valleys are over a mile below the peaks, there is lots of storm skiing. We have dozens of lower elevation landing zones that offer up some of the best tree and storm skiing in the world.

Expansion to a New Area
Flexibility is key and it’s what Last Frontier Heliskiing offers more than a lot of other operations. As a result, we average about a half to a full day a week of no-fly weather. And every year, we are working to improve that experience, but this year, we’ve managed to add something really special. A new area. Located just south of our Ripley Creek location in Stewart BC, a 600 square kilometre piece of coast mountain beauty will be part of our operation for this year. Nestled on a mountainous piece of land between two fjords, this chunk of terrain will offer some great storm skiing and close to home alpine skiing on those perfect days when groups want to shred as much as they can or the weather is playing silly buggers. Not to mention those spectacular views over the Portland Canal. You can see Alaska from here.

So now, our tenure sits at just over 10,000 square kilometres. The single largest continuous chunk of heliskiing terrain in the world. It’s so large that every year we are exploring new spots, but with this new piece of terrain, the exploration will be all season long. Even our guides are excited! There will be myriad options for first descents and naming new runs. So grab your gear and come on up. There’s a new place to shred at Last Frontier Heliskiing. It’s big and epic and close to home, so on those days where the weather isn’t playing ball or the conditions are sunny and all time, it might just be the place to set your vertical record and maybe even get a run named after you.

Be safe, ski hard.