About Us

Learn more about who we are at Last Frontier, our history, and our story, and meet the incredible team driving our success.

In 1996, founding partners George Rosset, Franz Fux, Mike Watling, and Geoff Straight set out to explore uncharted mountain ranges in Northern BC, Canada, and make their first descents in what would become Last Frontier Heliskiing.

That passion for exploration and adventure lives on in our DNA. Everything we do at Last Frontier revolves around the mountains and the journey of chasing snow.

In this wild place up in the mountains, far away from four walls, routine, and repetition, our family is dedicated to the craft of producing one-of-a-kind heli-skiing experiences for our guests.

The Crew

The Backgrounder Series

The History

  • Initial Exploration & Feasibility
    1994

    Bell 2 Lodge is discovered in the heart of the Skeena Mountains in Northern British Columbia. Founding partners George Rosset, Franz Fux, Mike Watling and Geoff Straight are in awe of the potential for heli skiing and began exploring the area.

  • First Descents
    1996

    Last Frontier initiates an exploratory eight week heliski season using a single A-Star helicopter based out of Bell 2 Lodge. Teton Gravity Research (TGR) take the opportunity to visit this undiscovered * part of the world. Featured in their movie Re:Session.

  • The Birth of a Heliski Village
    1997-2003

    A full re-construction is started to transform Bell 2 Lodge into a heliski village.

  • A Second Home
    2005

    Ripley Creek is born in the small community of Stewart, opposite of Hyder, Alaska. Lead guides George Feitzinger and Andre Ike explore the zone establishing a whole new heliskiing area, probing deep into the coast mountains.

  • Safety Innovation
    2008

    Last Frontier becomes one of the first operators in the heliski industry to adopt the use of mandatory avalanche airbags for all guests.

  • Expansion
    2010

    A third helicopter is added at Bell 2 Lodge, enabling more flexibility for private groups. Capacity rises to 34 guests.

  • Rejuvenation
    2013

    Renovations are completed to modernize common facilities at Bell 2 Lodge. The dining room and lobby/gift shop see a big face lift.

  • The Beginning of a New Chapter
    2014

    Founding partners George Rosset and Franz Fux divest of their stake in Last Frontier Heliskiing. Franz remains on as Director of Operations and George is succeeded by Mike Watling in the role of Managing Partner.

  • A Milestone
    2015

    Last Frontier Heliskiing celebrates it’s 20th birthday.

  • Smaller groups of four
    2017

    Groups of 5 were great, but groups of 4 are even better. We carry more fuel in the helicopter and thus travel deeper into our massive heliski area. Now 1 guide to every four guests instead of five - also better.

  • Makeover
    2017

    Bar, entertainment area and media room see a full renovation at Bell 2 Lodge. The bar at Ripley Creek also gets a facelift.

  • Bootroom Update
    2020

    Full renovation of the bootroom and games area at Bell 2 Lodge.

  • New Sauna Building
    2022

    A complete overhaul of our sauna building which houses our massage rooms, stretch classes and dry sauna.

  • Guestroom Renovation & New Coffee Shop
    2023

    Our renovated guest rooms feature new washrooms, heated tile floors, additional sound insulation and fully re-worked lighting. The beloved soapstone wood stoves remain. Our coffee shop also underwent a full transformation.

The people

A few of the key people that keep our operation humming along are listed below. Visit our safety page for additional guide & pilot profiles.

  • Mike Watling
    Managing Partner / Owner
  • Cliff Umpleby
    Director of Operations & Lead Guide
  • Steve Rosset
    Director of Media & Marketing
  • Natalie Ovens
    Sales / Reservations and Head Office Manager
  • Elaine Childs
    Reservations
  • Monica Robinson
    Reservations
  • Maggie Van Der Meulen
    Financial Controller
  • Jonathan Therrien
    General Manager - Bell 2 Lodge & Ripley Creek
  • Cameo Hutman
    Bell 2 Lodge Manager
  • Britt Reid
    Bell 2 Assistant Lodge Manager
  • Jesse Hutman
    Bell 2 Maintenance Manager
  • Jacob Confurius
    Bell 2 Bar Manager
  • Xanthe Howard
    Ripley Creek Assistant Lodge Manager

Word of mouth

Don’t take our word for it. See what our guests have to say about their experiences at Last Frontier.
Grant Gunderson Renowned Sports Photographer
“Last Frontier not only has some amazing tree skiing, but also has some of the most scenic glaciated runs I've ever skied”
Bill Bradstreet Guest - Florida
“I love the small groups. 210,000 vertical feet of fun in 7 days! Runs perfect for snowboarders including a "first descent" that they named for me - Wild Bill!“
Chris Rubens Pro Skier
“It might be a little off the beaten track but sometimes you have to go a little further to find some of the best skiing in the world.”
Mark Mislin Guest - Switzerland
“The Ripley Creek guide team is fantastic, lots of fun and provides freedom without neglecting the safety or skills of the riders.”
Jeff Thomas Filmmaker/Director
"Growing up on the South Coast of BC I have been lucky enough to ski and film in a lot of great terrain but during our visit to Last Frontier it showed me that the Mecca for skiing is in Northern BC."
Mikkel Bang Pro Snowboarder
“Beautiful mountains and great terrain - perfect for heli boarding. Good variety of rolls, jumps and steeps! The whole package was great – food, service and staff.”
Andreas Leu Guest - Switzerland
“The week of heli skiing in Stewart was the best I've had in my life. Thank you for the amazing time!”
Nicolas Mueller Pro Snowboarder
“Five days in paradise, it was a bummer we only had five…Some of the best heli boarding in the world!”
kevin-zadel
Kevin Zadel Guest - California
“Knowing and trusting that Last Frontier’s experienced guides are trying as hard as they can to find the best available snow and challenging descents to the extent that it is safe - that keeps me coming back.”
See the Latest Reviews on TripAdvisor

Visit TripAdvisor

Contact Us

For existing bookings, please contact our head office. For new booking enquiries, try starting with our trip builder here.

** Skype is free Internet telephony that just works.

Head Office in Canada, Vernon

PO Box 1237, Vernon,
BC V1T 6N6 CANADA

Global Representatives

Argentina

Ignacio Bustamante

[email protected]

02944 608603

Australia & New Zealand

Brett Kennedy

[email protected]

+61 (0) 405 363 383

Belgium

Philip Dalemans

[email protected]

+32 495 303 303

Belgium

The Wildlinger

[email protected]

+32 496 93 02 32

Denmark

Michiel de Ruijter

[email protected]

Italy

Sergio Camolese

[email protected]

+39 33 56 08 3800

Japan
Japanada

Jun Yanagisawa

[email protected]

+1 604 932 2685 (Based in Whistler)

Netherlands
Epique - Mountain Adventures

Michiel de Ruijter

[email protected]

+31 (0) 30 88 99 011

Poland

VIP Travel

Aleksander Ferchmin

[email protected]

48 608 554424

Sweden
X-Travel

Patrick Laken

[email protected]

+46 (0)8 333 669

United Kingdom
Elemental Adventure

James Morland

[email protected]

UK: +44 (0) 203 059 8787

France: +33 620 43 65 88

USA

Ann Cook

[email protected]

541-550-8924

Join Our Team

Love powder and have a passion for skiing or riding? Last Frontier is always on the lookout for positive, energetic and talented people to join our team. On top of the seasonal positions at our lodges, occasionally we also have openings in our Vernon head office. Check back periodically to see the latest job opportunities.

Last Frontier Heliskiing has been a pioneering force in heliskiing and heli boarding since 1996. We offer a range of heliski tours from two unique lodging experiences in Northern British Columbia. The Ski Guide is responsible for his or her helicopter group within a 3-group ski program. This position involves supporting the Lead Guide to ensure that the ski program flows as planned to ensure a safe, enjoyable skiing experience for the guests.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Provide a safe and enjoyable day of heliskiing for Last Frontier Guests.
  • Assist with the lead guides plan and execute the days skiing program for the assigned helicopter.
  • Follow the lead guides run choice at all times, whenever practical.
  • Ensure run list is adhered to as per Last Frontier Heliskiing policy.
  • Load Lunch and water on board helicopter for the day.
  • Attend and participate at all guide meetings.
  • Actively participate with down day activities.
  • Assist with vertical reports and flight time entries.
  • Ensure season profiles and snow safety records are up to date.
  • Prepare weather briefings on a rotation basis.
  • Ensure all assigned tasks are completed.
  • Help brief guests with beacons and helicopters.
  • Assist in ski shop when required.
  • Assist in transporting luggage etc. on transfer days.
  • Adhere to Last Frontier Heliskiing risk management protocols.
  • Adhere to Last Frontier Heliskiing wildlife mitigation policies.
  • Dine with Guests during dinner time.

Skills Required:

  • Applicants must be certified through one of the following associations:
    • Ski / Mountain Guide – Association of Canadian Mountain Guides
    • Ski Guide – Canadian Ski Guide Association
    • Mountain Guide – International Federation of Mountain Guides Association

Full-time, Fixed term contract

Expected start date: December 16, 2023 / Expected end date: April 13, 2024

Salary: $47.50 per hour

Benefits:

  • Dental care
  • Disability insurance
  • Extended health care
  • Life insurance
  • Vision care

Schedule:

  • 8 hour shift
  • Holidays
  • Weekends as needed

Location of work:
Last Frontier operates out of 2 locations in Northern British Columbia. Ripley Creek operates out of Stewart, BC and Bell2 Lodge operates approx. 360km’s North of Terrace on highway 37A

Contact information:

Interested applicants will direct all Resumes to: Cliff Umpleby, Director of Operations.
Email: [email protected], Phone: 250 898 3091

Download PDF

Last Frontier Heliskiing has been a pioneering force in heliskiing and heli boarding since 1996. We offer a range of heliski tours from two unique lodging experiences in Northern British Columbia. These heli skiing operations are supported from our head office in Vernon, BC, where a small team looks after sales, reservations, marketing and accounting functions.

We are seeking a talented graphic artist with a proven track record of creating engaging design that speaks to our brand and audience. This position is suited for someone with an established business and that can work with us on a project by project basis. The scope of graphic design work includes:

  • Brochures, Price Lists, Posters, Maps
  • Promotional Materials Including T-Shirts, Hats, Stickers, Water Bottles & Other Items
  • Email Marketing
  • Web & Social Media Graphics
  • Advertisements for Web Use

Attributes and Skills required:

  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
  • Positive, can-do attitude in what can be a fast-paced environment with quick turnaround times.
  • Proven track record of developing specialized graphic art & design work.

Nice to Have Attributes/Skills

  • Website Design
  • Video Editing

Remuneration & Start Date 

Work will be assigned on a project to project basis and can vary widely throughout the year. Remuneration is negotiable and we are looking for someone to start as soon as possible.

If you have a passion for creative design and the outdoors, we look forward to hearing from you. Please submit your work experience and graphic portfolio to: [email protected]

Download PDF

Use the contact form below to express your interest in working with us.

Make An Application

Please use the form below to make a general employment enquiry. If you are from outside Canada, we require that you have a valid working visa in place before we are able to hire.

  • Max. file size: 128 MB.

Environment

Environmental Stewardship

We depend on the pristineness of the wilderness in order to do what we do. Naturally, we are therefore keen to protect it. There are multiple tiers to this stewardship and below are just a few examples of the areas in which we concentrate our efforts. We work together with government, industry best practices, and our First Nation Neighbours.

Wildlife

Whilst most of the helicopter time is spent taking skiers out on their next adventure, guides are also constantly monitoring the locations and quantity of various animal species. Mountain goats are prevalent and some of the biggest herds in the world are to be found within our ski area. The animal movements are plotted and reported to government biologists providing them with critical information used to protect the herds. Without us flying this information would either simply not be available or it would have to be gathered by flying there anyhow. In areas of dense population, flight exclusion zones have been developed. The goat mitigation strategy is part of our program on a daily basis. Similar lengths are taken for the Wolverine populations and any grizzly bears.

Fuel

Operating helicopters is not a positive carbon footprint headline. However, the way we store and handle the fuel is. While some of our fuel is stored in locations that are considered more environmentally sensitive than others, we consider all storage locations to be equally important. Double-walled enviro tanks are utilized with anti-siphon valves to prevent spillage or leaks. Most fuel that is unused at the end of every ski season is removed from the tanks to further eliminate any risk of contamination in the off-season. All our fuelling locations are inspected and serviced on a regular basis, both on and off-season.

Waste

Not only do we operate in an economically responsible manner but we also try to produce as little waste as possible. We have a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant that requires the use of only gentle detergents and little or no bleach. Any leftover food scraps are fed to the staff so they can be fattened up for slaughter in the spring. … actually they go into a giant composting machine and are used as fertilizer for our summer veggie and herb gardens. We take every opportunity to recycle in any way we can.

Heat & Energy

We are off the grid and despite the fact that a large electricity line runs within kilometres of the lodge, the powers that be (no pun intended) have made it cost-prohibitive for us to connect to it. We desperately hope that this will change so we can remove our dependence on diesel. To date, the government offers no assistance or subsidy to help make this shift. We lobby regularly. Excess energy not consumed for the core running of the lodge is used to supplement the heating of outbuildings in the winter. The main source of heat for us is wood – a renewable resource.

The Big Environmental Picture:

Our guests visit a very special part of our planet. It’s a place where, while there is very little there, a great richness exists. A richness, a rawness, and a sheer beauty that leaves people in awe. It affects them immediately, but the effect lingers and lasts. We believe it endures and influences the way they make decisions in their everyday worlds, and that is with an eye on preserving places like this. We don’t just believe this, in fact we know it and we know it because our best customers who have been feeling it for years have told us so.

 

Now that you know who we are at Last Frontier, join us and embark on the adventure of a lifetime. 

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