Heli-Skiing & Cat-Skiing

Snow and Terrain

Heli-skiing tenures are spread across the Coast and Cariboo mountains, whose towering peaks include the highest mountain in BC – Mount Waddington. More than 7.6m/25ft of high density snow falls annually onto steep vertical descents with challenging ice fields, trees, glacier bowls, chutes and couloirs.

Heli-Skiing Operator Areas

Bella Coola, home to Bella Coola Heli-Sports is sandwiched between the fjord-cut coastline and the Coast Mountains, so guests are treated to fantastic heli-skiing in isolated wilderness. TLH Heli-Skiing’s base lodge overlooks scenic Tyaughton Lake and is only a short flight from Whistler.

Heli-Ski Tours

At Bella Coola Heli-Sports, the easy part is heli-skiing. The hard part? Choosing which of the three mountain ranges to ski and which of the eight tours to book. Choices include “Rod & Ski,” where guests can glide down corn snow-covered slopes in the morning and cast a line for salmon in the afternoon. Lodges range from an authentic western-style ranch to private chalets in the wilderness.

TLH Heli-Skiing's standard heli-ski packages feature unlimited vertical, small groups, and virtually no wait times. With a tenure bordering Whistler, they offer combo tours that include downhill skiing at Whistler Blackcomb.

Practical Points

• Heli-skiing season in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region is from December to April.
• All of BC’s heli-skiing operators follow strict safety guidelines, and certified guides accompany skiers to help ensure a safe experience.
• Heli-skiing is typically for intermediate to advanced skiers with good physical fitness. Each operator has different guidelines, but clients should be able to comfortably ski blue and black diamond runs.
• Most operators supply clients with powder skis and poles, but a few rent them for an extra price; it’s best to check in advance. Clients must bring their own boots and clothing.
• Departures may be delayed due to inclement weather.

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