Bear Claw Lodge

When skiing with Skeena, you’ll be put up in the Bear Claw Lodge, privately owned by the Allen Family. This high-end mountain lodge is one of the most luxuriously decorated accommodations one can find amongst heli skiing operators. Situated alongside the Kispiox River, this lodge features eight distinct rooms and can only accommodate up to 12 guests at a time, ensuring your experience here is friendly, and casual. 

Bear Claw has just eight guest rooms and a maximum capacity of approximately 12 guests, creating a noticeably different atmosphere from a large commercial ski lodge. You're spending the week with essentially the same small group of skiers, guides and staff.

The lodge itself manages to be upscale without losing the character of a northern BC wilderness lodge. It's comfortable, distinctive and has the kind of family atmosphere that works particularly well after a full day in the mountains.

Amenities include:

• Gourmet meals
• Whirlpool
• Outdoor sauna
• Games room and bar
• Cross-country skiing
• Starlink Wi-Fi

It's a simple formula we like: ski hard all day, come back to a comfortable lodge, hit the sauna or whirlpool, have a proper meal and get ready to do it again tomorrow.

This is where Skeena really starts to stand out.

Skeena Heliskiing’s tenure size is hard to believe. With over 2.3 million acres, it’s undoubtedly one of the largest heli skiing areas in the world. Skeena operates three A-Star helicopters and has over 280 different summits that they can land on, allowing for over 860 runs to be explored.

The Skeena Mountains are located far enough North that temperatures are cold, but close enough to the coast that lots of precipitation is created. This creates impeccable snow quality that’s light and fluffy and falls in copious amounts. Most of their skiing terrain can be found within 15 minutes from the lodge, and the closest run is just six. Combined with unlimited vertical, you’ll be skiing more than you would even at a ski resort. Features range from steep vertical descents to powdery bowls and expansive trees. Before every trip, skiers are broken into groups based on ability level. If you can ski at a strong intermediate level, there will be a spot for you.

Terrain ranges from large alpine zones and powder bowls to steep descents and extensive tree skiing. That variety gives guides options as visibility, snow stability and weather change throughout the week.

Skeena divides guests into groups based on ability, with four skiers or snowboarders per group plus a guide. You don't need to be an extreme skier to come here. A strong intermediate who is comfortable skiing off-piste should be able to find an appropriate group, while advanced and expert skiers have more than enough terrain to keep things interesting.

The small groups are especially valuable for stronger skiers. Four guests can move efficiently, and when everyone is well matched, you can cover a lot of terrain.

All of Skeena Heliskiing’s packages feature 7 nights of accommodations with 6 days of skiing. If you’re looking for a relaxing week-long adventure, this operator is for you. Daily heli skiing is not available, meaning everyone that’s at the lodge for the week is dedicated to creating a meaningful experience. Four distinct packages are available:

• Classic Unlimited Vertical: Considered the “value option”, this package pairs you with other guests according to ability level. Three groups of four share one helicopter.
• Guaranteed 2 Group Unlimited Vertical: If you want a little more access to the helicopter, this package limits skiing to two groups of four per helicopter. 
• Private Helicopter: This package entails exclusive access. You and up to three other people get private access to one chopper.
• Private Lodge Buyout: For those seeking ultimate privacy, this package allows you to buyout the entire lodge and receive access to up to three helicopters. You do not need all 12 people to completely book the lodge.

Because of their unlimited vertical and the consistency of weather, down day cat skiing is not offered. If you’re unable to ski much on one day, you can easily make up for it on the next. Overall, Skeena Heliskiing is ideal for those that don’t want to be limited by a certain number of runs or vertical and appreciate high-end accommodations. Classic Unlimited Vertical is the standard program and arguably the value play. Three groups of four ski with their own guides and rotate through the helicopter program. A B2/B3 A-Star is used during the ski day, while additional helicopter capacity helps move groups into and out of the mountains. Most importantly, there's no predetermined vertical cap. Two-Group Unlimited Vertical / Semi-Private reduces the program to two groups of four. Fewer groups sharing the helicopter means more direct access and can create a faster rhythm throughout the day. For strong skiers who want to maximize their skiing without moving to a fully private program, we think this is a particularly interesting option. Private Helicopter gives up to four guests exclusive access to their own helicopter program. Approximately 11 helicopter hours are included, allowing the trip to be shaped much more closely around the group's pace, ability and terrain preferences. Private Lodge Buyout takes things another step, giving your party exclusive use of the lodge and operation. You don't necessarily need 12 guests to reserve the entire lodge, making this an intriguing option for families or groups looking for a genuinely private heli-ski week. Unlimited Vertical & Down Days One important thing to understand before booking is that Skeena does not offer dedicated snowcat backup for its heli-ski program. Instead, the model relies partly on the length of the trip and unlimited vertical. A weather-affected day doesn't necessarily destroy your week's skiing because, when conditions improve, there's no standard vertical allowance preventing the operation from skiing more. NOTE: The ownership group of Skeena Heli Skiing and Skeena Cat Skiing  are the same Company. The cat skiing base camp is close to the Bear Claw lodge. That said, given a down day of heli skiing, if there is room, you would think that Skeena heli-skiers would get first priority on an empty seats.