BC’s Powder Beckons to Cats and Birds
12-22-2007
by Jack Christie
Helicopters may not have been invented in Canada — that credit goes to the French — but heli-skiing was. One out of two isn’t bad; pair that achievement with snowcats and skiing and the results get even better. Quebec icon Joseph-Armand Bombardier invented snowcats. British Columbian Allan Drury took the technology a giant step further when he launched the world’s first snowcat skiing operation. Three out of four ain’t too shabby at all.
The wonder is that snowcat skiing didn’t appear sooner than heli-skiing. After all, Bombardier’s first B-12s started chewing up snow in the 1940s. It wasn’t until 1975 that Drury put the first set of Caterpillar-tracks in motion at Selkirk Wilderness Skiing in the West Kootenays. A decade earlier, Hans Gmoser, the founder of modern mountaineering in Canada, was coaching his first guests on the fine art of heli-skiing with his fledgling company, Canadian Mountain Holidays, in the Purcells. Both operations are still flourishing, testimony to the vision of these pioneers of backcountry powder.
Today, Helicat Canada, an umbrella organization, represents 17 heli-ski and 13 snowcat-ski operations, regulating operational standards, while ensuring guest safety and comfort. Clearly the passion to carve backcountry lines shows little sign of cooling. In all likelihood that’s because nowhere else in the world offers the boundless terrain found in BC’s mountain ranges. Not to mention the tremendous breadth of experiences available for all skill levels, pocketbooks, and tastes: from intimate lodges to mini-resorts; small town settings to remote backcountry lodges; and exclusive, highly personalized holidays to more rustic experiences.
A perfect combination of abundant snow, cold temperatures, and predictably clear weather guarantees a huge pay off for those willing to pony up for the privilege. Snowcats offer a mid-price range option for backcountry exploration, positioned between lift-serviced resorts and pricier helicopter adventures. A typical snowcat adventure averages between $350 and $700 per day depending on whether you simply head off on a day trip or overnight in a backcountry lodge. Similar heli-ski safaris start at $700 for a day trip and get progressively more stratospheric. On average, budget $1,000 a day if you’re on a multi-day, lodge-based, heli-ski excursion.
If you’ve never tried either approach before, one important difference to consider is that riding snowcats offers a far mellower experience than hunkering down in helicopters. For all the adrenaline rush offered by heli-skiing, at times it feels like a military assault on a peak. There’s much to say for the cosiness of a snowcat cab filled with the excited banter of fellow powder hounds as you catch your breath between runs. When deciding which way to jump, weigh these options:
Backcountry Snowcats
Set in the broad-ridged South Chilcotin Range around the corner from Whistler, you won’t find any infamous “Coast concrete” snow conditions here. Arctic outflow winds mound up powder in deep, dry drifts. Backcountry’s cosy lodge sits at the top of the Hurley Pass; half the enjoyment of getting there is the 45-minute snowmobile ride from owner Reg Milne's base in Pemberton Meadows. Guests are welcome to drive the sleds, but leave the snowcat manoeuvring to the pros who cut their teeth in the school of long dark nights as groomers on Whistler-Blackcomb. You can bet these drivers have behind-the-scenes rock star tales to share while shuttling you up one of 2340-metre/7677-foot Grouty Ridge’s five alpine bowls.
Baldface Mountain Lodge
For a memorable adventure in the West Kootenays, Baldface showcases an out-of-this-world wilderness experience amid untracked bowls and soaring peaks. Partners Jim Fraps, and Jeff and Paula Pensiero, took their cue from already well-established companies such as Selkirk Wilderness Skiing, Great Northern Snow-cat Skiing, and Island Lake Lodge, all of whom have made their mark in the industry. The Baldface partners explored terrain throughout the province for two years before leasing nearly 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres) from British Columbia Assets and Land Corporation in 1998, instantly making them the largest snowcat operation in the province, at least in terms of the size of their territory. While they no longer hold this distinction (a number of BC operators vie for this ranking), in 2002, Baldface achieved the next phase of its long-range plan when the trio progressed from being day-trip entrepreneurs to backcountry lodge innkeepers.
Northern Escape Heli-Skiing
If there’s one thing you can count on in northern BC, it’s plenty of dry powder which forms one of the most secure and stable snowpacks in the Coast Mountains. Think Whistler meets Alaska. Northern Escape, which industry veteran John Forrest inaugurated in 2003, exemplifies the recent change in heli-ski culture: smaller, quainter, and more intimate. These criteria apply both to the chalets NEH operates at three separate locales in the Terrace area and the size of their choppers. This winter, NEH is the first and only Canadian heli-ski company using Italian-made Koalas, designed to fly groups of six at higher speeds than similar rotary aircraft, and across one of the world’s largest heli-ski tenures to boot.
And speaking of endless acres of terrain, BC’s northern reaches also shelter another leader in the field with Last Frontier Heliskiing. A pioneering force in the Canadian scene, Last Frontier Heliskiing boasts two bases for operation - Bell 2 Lodge and the Ripley Creek Inn – not to mention the ultimate in skiing and boarding amid the largest terrain tenure for heliskiing in the world.
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