Heli-Skiing in Canada: The Importance of Location

Nine out of ten heli-skiing operations in the world are located in the Canadian Rockies. However, the notion that there is not a large number of location options is mistaken. The Canadian Cordillera is nearly 1,000 miles long. As such, there is as much diversity of terrain and snow-types as any place on Earth.

Equally as important is the fact that many mountain ranges in the Canadian Rockies receive more snow than any range in the lower-48. Some mountain ranges in the Canadian Cordillera get as much as 45 feet annually.

To get a better idea of where you might want to spend your next heli-skiing in Canada trip, consider the differences between the Canadian Rockies five principal subdivisions and the mountain ranges within each.

The Four Subdivisions of the Canadian Rockies

Though each subdivision of the Canadian Cordillera has a large number of independently identifiable mountain ranges, dividing the Canadian Rockies into four sub-ranges simplifies the geography.

The list of sub-ranges below includes the general location, a short description and a few of the heli-ski operations running tours in the area.

Northern Rockies – Second only to the Southern Continental Ranges with regard to annual snowfall, the Far Northern Rockies are home to the Unuk River´s Eskay Creek Mine, home of the second most annual snowfall of any place in the Canadian Cordillera. The area receives an average of 43 feet of snow a year. Even those areas that do not accumulate that much — Pleasant Camp, for example — still get nearly 300 inches.

A number of the popular heli-skiing operations in the Northern Canadian Rockies include: Last Frontier Heliskiing, Northern Escape Heli Skiing, and Tulsequah Heliskiing.

Central Mountain Ranges – The Central Mountain Ranges are far less popular than those of the South and the Central Front Range. That isn’t because they don’t have large sums of snow, it´s because of the remoteness of these mountain ranges. Even the ranges in Northern Canada do not create the sense of isolation the Central Mountain ranges do. For the person seeking adventure, the Central Mountain Ranges are the place to be.

Additionally, the Central Mountain Ranges offer the highest quality of snow, very dry.

Cariboos CMH, Mica Heliskiing Guides, Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing

Central Front Ranges – The Central Front Mountain Ranges are impressive because they are both less popular than those to the south — meaning they offer a more unique experience — and because of the views. A large number of the mountains with heli-skiing offer views of both the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. These mountains are also renowned for getting a great deal of snow, particularly the Tahtsa Lake West area.

The companies running tours out of the coastal mountains include: Big Mountain Bella Coola Heli-Sports, Coast Range Heliskiing, Powder Mountain Heliskiing, Tweedsmuir Bella Coola Heli Skiing

Southern Continental Ranges – The mountain ranges in this area receive more snow than any others in Canada. In addition, the mountain ranges in this area are known for being the most rugged in Canada. A few of the notable Southern Continental Ranges are the Selkirks, Purcell and Monashee Mountain Ranges. Mount Fidelity is buried under more than 45-feet of snow every year. Even the ranges that get less — Fraser Camp, for example — gets 275-inches plus.

Some of the heli-skiing operations in the Southern Continental Ranges are Adamants CMH Heliskiing, Selkirk-Tangiers Heli-Skiing, Bear Paw Heli-Skiing, Bobbie Burns CMH, Bugaboos CMH Heli Skiing, Eagle Pass Heliskiing Heliboarding Revelstoke, Galena CMH, Gothics Canadian Mountain Holiday Heliskiing in Canada, Great Canadian Heli-Skiing, Monashees CMH Heli-Skiing, Purcell Heli-Skiing, Revelstoke CMH Skiing, RK Heli-Skiing, Snowwater Heliskiing, Stellar BC Heli Skiing