Skiing Safety

Heli Skiing Operations & Heli Skiing Safety

Providing you with a safe and enjoyable heli skiing/boarding vacation is our highest priority.

Heliskiing safety is the first priority at Northern Escape Heli Skiing. Your heli ski guide is focused on creating the ultimate heli skiing experience for all our guests with everyone going home safe and sound at the end of the trip. The guides will balance your desire for steep and deep heli skiing and heli boarding with the safety and enjoyment of the entire group.

All our heliski guides are dedicated professionals with years of ski guiding experience. Each is a certified member of the ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides), the UIAGM (International Mountain guides Associations), and/or recognized by HeliCat Canada, the British Columbia heliskiing and catskiing operators association.

Our helicopter pilots, like our guides, possess similarly impressive qualifications. They are leaders in the industry, vastly experienced and capable mountain pilots who are chosen not only for their skills and experience, but also for their friendly and outgoing personalities.

We have a comprehensive snow, weather and avalanche management system. Our Heli Ski guides are continually monitoring and collecting snow and weather information in an effort to assess hazard and choose suitable skiing/boarding terrain for each group. The guides meet twice daily to evaluate this information, plan the day and share the information obtained during the skiing/boarding day.

Each helicopter is equipped with GPS, a satellite phone, and a VHF radio to maintain contact with the lodge and the guides as well as first aid, oxygen, avalanche rescue and survival equipment.

Northern Escape Heli Skiing is proud to provide each guest with the use of a state-of-the-art PULSE Barryvox Avalanche Transceiver and the latest in avalanche safety, a Snowpulse Avalanche Airbag backpack. The Snowpulse airbags have proven to significantly reduce the chances of being buried if involved in an avalanche. All guests are provided instruction in the use of these devices prior to skiing/boarding. In addition to the equipment carried in our guides’ packs, each group will carry additional avalanche rescue equipment and a VHF radio capable of communicating with the guides and pilots. In the case of a medical emergency, Terrace has a fully equipped regional hospital and ambulance service located only 15 minutes by road from our heliski lodge.

Northern Escape Heli Skiing is a member of the British Columbia Helicopter and Snowcat Skiing Operators Association, HeliCat Canada. This association sets strict standards for operating a helicopter and/or Cat Skiing area. Only by skiing/boarding with a member of HeliCat Canada member, you are assured of certified ski guides that follow a strict set of operating procedures. We are a professional member of the Canadian Avalanche Association and participate in the Industry Information Exchange, (InfoEx) and together with other leading heliskiing/boarding operators, we sponsor avalanche research projects with the University of Calgary.