Bear Paw Heliskiing
Bear Paw Heliskiing is the premier boutique operator in British Columbia. Established in the mid-2000’s by the duo Kevin Taylor and Amber Shipley, Bear Paw is all about providing a laid-back experience where fresh powder lines always come first. Instead of offering a large corporate experience, Kevin and Amber prioritize small-scale heliskiing, never accommodating more than 8-10 guests per week. This toned-down and rustic experience provides a heliskiing journey that’s truly authentic of a backcountry adventure.
As rustic as they are, amenities are top-notch. Comfort after a long day of skiing is equally one of their specialties and you’ll have no problem finding yourself at home in the operator’s hand-built log cabins.
Facts & FAQ
As easy as it gets, Bear Paw Heliskiing is located in Sinclaire Mills, just a short 1 hour drive from the Prince George Airport. This airport is just a quick hop North from Vancouver, making it a convenient flight in. This convenient access makes their packages ideal for someone who considers themselves independent and wants to take charge of their own transportation. If you find it more convenient, a shuttle is provided by Bear Paw.
In the small, rural town of Sinclair Mills, you won’t find big box stores or many additional amenities at all. Traveling to Bear Paw is all about getting out into the wilderness and sharing the experience with your friends and guides. Nestled near the banks of the Fraser River, you will find 150 acres of pristine property, the Binchi Lodge and the eight private guest cabins that Bear Paw calls home.
Sure, Bear Paw Heliskiing is out there in the boonies. That doesn’t mean you have to rough it. Their main Binchi Lodge is a humble, but beautiful gathering area for all visiting skiers. Surrounding this lodge is an assortment of private guest cabins. These immaculately built cabins give the feeling of pioneer living, but with the comfort and amenities of the modern era. With handcrafted log beds in each room and heated slate floors at the entranceway, simple living has never been so glamorous.
This collection of log cabins and Lodge construction is courtesy of Bear Paw Mountain Homes, Kevin & Amber's summer passion. So their personality is literally "built into" their accommodations!
Despite the wilderness feel of their accommodations, a variety of high-end amenities typically expected at a heli skiing lodge, can still be found:
- Boot Room and Boot Dryer
- Sauna and Hot Tub
- Massage Therapist Available Upon Request
- 5km of Cross-Country Skiing Trails
- Wireless Internet
Gourmet Meals and Brews from Pacific Western Brewing
Uniquely, Bear Paw gives you the opportunity to name runs. In their expansive 1.2 million acre tenure spread across four mountain ranges, there are numerous runs that have never been skied. If you’ve got the eye, and the ability, your guide would be happy to take you on a first descent and allow you to coin its name.
This operator has it all, but their long tree runs are where they truly shine. In fact, their longest glade called "Full Suspension" has 3,800 vertical feet, giving you plenty of opportunity to test out your needle-threading skills. Here's there video. Wide open, LONG tree run!
If that doesn’t suit you, there’s still a wide selection of alpine and glacier skiing available. Their treeline ends at 5,000 feet, but the helicopter can take you up to 9,675 feet.
Bear Paw welcomes first time heliskiers, but they recommend that all guests have a good level of fitness and are comfortably able to ski any run at a major ski resort.
Your package choice is simple with this operator. As they don’t accommodate more than 8-10 skiers at a time, you’ll always have the place to yourself with other visiting skiers. Their Semi-Private Package provides everything you’ll need for a legendary experience, with the following expectations included:
- 6 Nights of Single Occupancy Accommodation
- 5 Days of Skiing
- All Meals, Snacks, and Non-Alcoholic Beverages
- Powder Skis or Powder Snowboard
- 1 Guide per 4 Guests
- 80,000 Vertical Feet Guarantee
- Bell 407 Chopper or A-Star
While Bear Paw Heliskiing does not offer down-day activities like cat skiing, they do offer refunds on any vertical feet that are not met during your time there.
Book a Trip to Bear Paw Heliskiing Today!
If the small group, semi-private, somewhat remote, toned-down, rural experience is not what you had in mind, we suggest you continue to browse all that B.C. heli skiing has to offer on our British Columbia Heliskiing Operator Directory.
We at Heli-Skier.com are very excited to go skiing with Bear Paw in Feb '24. Amber has been a wonderful owner / booking agent. Yeah, you get to book with the owner - uncommon in this world of corporations and tech.
The big attraction for us was the intimate environment, the tree-skiing and their "skiing system." Amber says they typically fly two A-Stars and 8 skiers out to the tenure each morning. Then they shuttle the two groups with one A-Star until it runs low on fuel. At that point they summon the second heli, which has been parked. It sounded almost like a "private" booking, but with the semi-private laps in the heli.
We're really looking forward to our visit Amber!
Reviews & Comments
Please share a comment or review, if you have skied here! This REALLY helps the heliskiing community! Thank You!
BRADY
5/9/23
Brady is an avid skiing & backcountry enthusiast, aging "big wave" surfer and is totally addicted to heli skiing!
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