A Conversation With Dirk deBie

Here's how I was introduced to Dirk and how he assisted my journey.

I'm "relatively new" at this...

In the fall of 2017, I was VERY FORTUNATE to have had a pretty long conversation with Dirk deBie. That half hour on the phone set many events in motion...

Although I made the effort to write Dirk a thank you note when I got to Revelstoke, and I dropped it off with the ladies in the Mica Heliskiing office there in town, it wouldn't surprise me if Dirk didn't remember the call, now several year later. It was a "degrees of separation" introduction that began on FaceBook (of all palaces...)

After a frustrating search for a heli skiing operator that I could get comfortable enough to book with, I just wasn't there yet. I had spent a few weeks on and off, browsing "random" operator sites, and all I saw (at that time) were wine glasses and helicopters! It was a very difficult process. See About heli-skier and my BIO for a full synopsis and more elaborate explanation of my quest to book my first trip.

I posted on my friend Matt's page because he has a huge following. Another friend Keith tagged me and said his brother Christian had met a Canadian helicopter pilot while windsurfing in Baja, and they got to be friends. Keith & Christian gave me Dirk's number and said call him, he's expecting to hear from you!

I mean...talking about paving the road to your doorstep! That was like getting backstage tickets to The Rolling Stones with an invitation to hang out with Keith & Mick and talk about song writing! Seriously...I couldn't have been introduced to a better information source - a heli-pilot for Mica Heliskiing.

Dirk was super generous with his time and very cool. I told him about all my email exchanges with heli skiing operators all over B.C., from Skeena Heliskiing, down south, then over to Revy and Selkirk Tangiers. I had a lot of questions about the snow in different regions. I had a lot of questions - Period!

Again, Dirk was kind enough to answer all my questions. And in the end, although he rightfully gave a soft plug for Mica, he encouraged my to book with Selkirk. He said they had a great reputation for, "Always getting you out there skiing." (in inclement weather.) At the time, I had no idea how important that was!

He was right. Selkirk Tangiers does have a great reputation. And after 3 trips, they have fulfilled my vertical guarantee every time, even faced with challenging weather!

It also didn't hurt that my good friend Keith said he was drinking in a bar in Seattle, and his friends in the bar confirmed the same..."Go with Selkirk!"

I didn't regret it one bit!

I'm told that Dirk still flies for Mica. He also runs Whitetooth Helicopters out of Golden B.C.

Thanks again Dirk! I really appreciated your help!

BRADY