Helicopter Skiing in BC Canada – A Brief History and Outlook
By: Fabiola Grosshan
Submitted: 2010-07-27 04:19:07 | Word Count: 560
In 1953, an Austrian mountain guide known by the name of Hans Gmoser was determined to transform his lifetime dream into reality and set the foundations of his own mountain skiing company. As Gmoser was not a rich man, it wasn’t at all easy for him to accomplish his enthusiastic goals, but that never stopped him from persevering in his endeavors. Without any help from the outside, it took him many years to save the money needed to move to Banff, where he would pursue a career as a professional guide in the sumptuous and striking mountain scenery surrounding Mount Assiniboine, often nicknamed "Canada's Matterhorn" by the locals.
Within a few years’ time span, Gmoser became very familiar with the mountain and adjoining areas, and one after another, he uncovered and learned all the intimate secrets of the region. As his knowledge of Mount Assiniboine was growing, so did his urge to share the natural beauty of the mountain scenery in Western Canada with other people, and as days went by, Gmoser was getting closer and closer to fulfilling his ambitions.
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The extensive backcountry experience he had accumulated as a guide over the years enabled Hans to set the grounds for a small company called Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH), a name that he would etch in the pages of history. With Hans in charge, business was going smoothly and the company was rapidly gaining in popularity, as Hans was directly involved in attracting and leading thousands of skiers and mountain climbers on fascinating, previously untouched mountain routes.
More than five decades later, the helicopters rides and the skiing equipment have changed radically, but the dream inspired by Hans Moser is as vivid and authentic as ever. Nowadays, his mission is carried on further by a new generation of dedicated guides, whose main strive is to share the thrill and excitement of heli skiing BC Canada with the many thousands of winter sports enthusiasts who come to this place every year.
The perfect mix between bountiful snowfall and permissive weather conditions render the region of British Columbia ideal for practicing heli skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports. Helicopter skiing operations are renowned for their quality and diversity of service, and with so many dedicated companies functioning in the region, it is easy to find one that suits your exact needs and requirements.
The main differences between the helicopter skiing operations of today are in areas like lodging conditions, the types and sizes of the helicopters used, the number of skiers in a group, as well as the locations of the lodges. While some lodges are more secluded and intimate, others are situated right in the heart of towns to provide access to a larger array of entertainment options and other facilities. A number of operations have become specialized in offering daily helicopter skiing services directly from a ski resort, while others only offer multi-day packages for which you need to make bookings long in advance. Overall, British Columbia has come a long way since the 50’s, nowadays offering a broad spectrum of dedicated heli skiing services to satisfy all preferences and to meet almost any budget.
