Founded in 2004, Skeena Heliskiing caught our attention in the fall of 2017...
2015 - Skeena's Backcountry Dome Village! Photo; Courtesy of FDomes
At the time, they offered a rugged, yet economical backcountry heliskiing experience known as "Base Camp." At Heli-Skier we were just beginning our "random internet stumbles" to book a trip, and this setup was really unique! Out in the backcountry, they built a compound or collection of high-end, non-permanent geodesic domes that served as their heliskiing Base Camp to fly from...and to eat in, socialize in and sleep in! It was really cool!
Yet, on that trip, we did not choose to ski there...and we still have not skied at Skeena Heliskiing...but WE ARE BIG FANS...and it feels like the clock is ticking...gotta get there soon...
And typically, we at Heli-Skier, don't review an operator unless we have visited their operation and skied there. Recently we have made some exceptions, and in this circumstance with Skeena, we feel very comfortable with the review. Here's why:
Blue Bird Day entering the tree line! Photo - Courtesy of Skeena Heliskiing
To begin with, Skeena still maintains records of that original communication when we were interested in skiing there. The correspondence was lengthy and contained multiple substantive exchanges. The tone of their communication was anything but a sales pitch. To the contrary, we were very impressed with the educational and informational nature of that exchange. It represented true confidence in their product. They didn't need to sell it. It sells itself, and that has not changed.
What really gave us conviction...frankly creating an urgency for us to get up to the Skeena Mountains and visit this operator...was a recent, long Zoom call between Heli-Skier and Martin Wehren, President & G.M. of Skeena Heliskiing.
Several things in that conversation really left us with a satisfying "Rush of serotonin, wrapped in a warm blanket!" Hard to explain, right? We'll try...
First, and this is a BIG ONE...Skeena flies TWO A-Stars for their twelve 12 guests in thier Classic Package. (They only invite 12 guests each week - that's it.) Most larger operations will utilize multiple helicopters, each bird flying (3) three groups of (4) four skiers. When you "elevate" your ski package from that set up...to something more elite and boutique...your skiing / riding experience ascends one HUGE quantum leap! We'll elaborate.
We at Hel-Skier have flown with one operation that utilizes 2 A-Stars for just eight guests. Adding that additional helicopter makes a big difference! Two aircraft for 12 guests results in an "aircraft to guest ratio" of just 1:6, something that we measure. That's a big deal and it creates a much better experience.
The operation gets the guests out into the mountain in the morning much faster, So you don't have to in many cases take a shuttle to a staging area and wait for a pickup. This set up moves skiers around in the tenure with greater versatility and gets you back to the lodge more quickly. TWO Birds + 12 Guests = a Premium Experience! Frankly, this is the only operator that we are aware of with this unique set up of a 1:6 Ratio.
And that set up certainly propels the delivery on the real promise of of Unlimited Vertical. Now you have a proven recipe for a tremendous amount of quality heliskiing.
Martin has been at Skeena Heliskiing since 2011 and runs the business. And when you're running a business, you're accountable to the bottom line. The old saying is that, "You grow or die." There are certainly economic pressures on Martin to grow the business and his response is "Growth for growth's sake," is not necessarily the correct growth path.
Blue Bird Day SMOKE! Photo; Courtesy of Skeena Heliskiing
Growth doesn't need to mean EXPENSION. Martin's influence was key to making the decision about adding the extra helicopter. He added significant additional expense saying, "You can actually grow a business by improving quality." That can translate into better employee retention and greatly improved repeat customer loyalty. These were topics and a surrounding sentiment communicated by Martin that we have not experienced with any of our operator relationships. His dialogue really came from the heart - it was pretty cool!
Obviously during our conversation, we talked a lot about core values and guest experiences. And one of elements that stood out to us is the way that Martin designs the guest dinner experience. The group is just large enough where he could easily exclude himself and exclude the guides from the dinner table, but he chooses to go the other direction. Guides are encouraged to dine with their guests, further bonding that guide - guest relationship. (If you have ever had a guide for longer than a couple days, you know how this fond relationship can easily develop.)
Martin's style creates an intangible glue from Operator -> Management -> Guides -> Guests -> Repeat Guests - a quality business principle. So when they talk about "family," they mean it. This unique perspective and operator culture shows up on their booking calendar. Very limited availability.
Heli-Skier is an authorized booking partner of Skeena Heliskiing. As an agent, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a commission when a trip is booked through us. Our reviews and editorial opinions remain our own.
As We Said, It Sells Itself. No Verbal Sales Pitch - WOW!
The Quick 411:
Skeena Heliskiing is located near Hazelton in northern BC and combines a huge terrain with a deliberately small operation.
With a TENURE SIZE of: more than 2.3 million acres of terrain, 360+ established runs, they fly in one of the largest heli skiing tenures in the world.
Accommodating just twelve guests in the exquisite Bear Claw Lodge and offering Unlimited Vertical while utilizing two A-Star aircraft is a recipe for heliskiing nirvana.
What are you waiting for?
How do I Get to Skeena Heliskiing & Bear Claw Lodge?
Getting to the Skeena Mountains, where your heliskiing adventure starts!
Located in the Skeena Mountains, right on the Kispiox River, in Hazelton, British Columbia, Skeena Heli Skiing is a bit more than a 2.5 hour, very scenic shuttle ride from the airport...allowing time for your busy life to dissolve behind you, as you transition into the groove of a premium heliskiing trip!
Most guests fly into Vancouver International Airport (YVR) before connecting to Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat (YXT).
Skeena's friendly staff will greet you coming off the plane, and assist loading your gear into the shuttle to Bear Claw Lodge.
Prefer to fly up to Bear Claw Lodge? No problem! Pamper yourself with an upgrade to private helicopter transportation, about a 40 minute flight from YXT to the lodge! Depending on your arrival schedule, it is possible to add an additional day of skiing, especially if you've booked a Private Package. Ask us about the details.
Either way...this is a heli-trip...and your journey to the Bear Claw Lodge will be a memorable part of the adventure!
Regardless of your perspective on the effort invested to arrive here...once you're at Bear Claw Lodge, the skiing is surprisingly close. Skeena describes its nearest run to be only six minutes by helicopter, with much of its terrain accessible within approximately 15 minutes.
For heli-skiers, proximity to the terrain can be VERY important. We have all had 20 minute flights from a heli lodge to a drop zone or the reverse.
Tell me About The Accommodations and Amenities at Bear Claw Lodge
Tell Me About the Terrain at Skeena Heliskiing
What Skiing Packages Does Skeena Offer? Tell Me About Package Details
What Activities Are Available if The Helicopters Are Unable to Fly?
