Last Frontier Heliskiing facts for kids

Last Frontier Heliskiing is a special place in Northern British Columbia where people go for heliskiing. Heliskiing means using a helicopter to reach untouched snowy mountains for skiing or snowboarding. This company started in 1996. They have two main places where they operate: Bell 2 Lodge and Ripley Creek Inn. They offer access to a huge area of mountains, about 10,100 square kilometers, which is bigger than many countries!

The History of Last Frontier Heliskiing

The story of Last Frontier Heliskiing began in 1979. A person named Ernie Kreese built a simple gas station and garage at a spot called Bell 2 Crossing. This spot is on the Stewart-Cassiar Highway, a big road connecting British Columbia and Alaska. Over time, a small restaurant and cabins were added there.

In 1994, the people who would later start Last Frontier Heliskiing found Bell 2. These founders were George Rosset, Franz Fux, Mike Watling, and Geoff Straight. They explored the Skeena Mountains nearby. They wanted to see if it was a good place for a new heliskiing adventure.

They liked what they saw! So, in 1996, they decided to try out heliskiing at Bell 2 Lodge. They started with an eight-week program using one helicopter. A film crew from Teton Gravity Research even came to film the amazing mountains. What was once a gas station slowly became a special heliskiing village. The lodge was fully rebuilt and modernized between 1998 and 2003.

Because Bell 2 Lodge was so successful, the lead guides, George Feitzinger and Andre Ike, looked for more areas. They explored the Coast Mountains to the south. Their discoveries led to a second heliskiing spot in 2005. This new place is the Ripley Creek Inn, located in the town of Stewart.

Where to Stay: The Lodges

Last Frontier Heliskiing has two main lodges where guests stay.

Bell 2 Lodge

Bell 2 Lodge is located about 340 kilometers (211 miles) northwest of Terrace. It sits right along the Stewart-Cassiar Highway. It's at the second bridge crossing over the Bell-Irving River.

Ripley Creek Inn

The Ripley Creek Inn is about 310 kilometers (193 miles) northwest of Terrace. It is in the town of Stewart, British Columbia. This lodge is also very close to Hyder, Alaska, just 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) away.

Keeping Safe in the Mountains

Safety is super important when you are heliskiing. Last Frontier Heliskiing is part of HeliCat Canada. This group works to make sure all heli and catskiing companies follow high safety rules. They also focus on managing risks and protecting the environment.

All the guides at Last Frontier Heliskiing are highly trained. They are certified by groups like the ACMG or UIAGM. This means they are experts in mountain safety.

Since 2008, it has been required for everyone to wear special safety gear. All guests and guides must wear an ABS Airbag pack in the mountains. This helps with avalanche safety. Everyone also gets Avalanche transceivers, Avalanche airbags, shovels, and probes. These tools are vital for safety in snowy mountain areas.

Protecting Wildlife and Nature

Last Frontier Heliskiing also cares about the animals and nature around them. Since 2007, they have helped with scientific studies. These studies look at how wild Mountain goats behave. They want to understand if helicopter operations affect the goats in their natural homes.

Based on these studies, they have set up special rules. There are certain areas where helicopters cannot go. This helps to avoid disturbing endangered wildlife during heliskiing activities. They work hard to make sure their activities don't harm the animals.

Famous Athletes Who Have Visited

Many well-known skiers and snowboarders have visited Last Frontier Heliskiing over the years. They come to experience the amazing mountains and deep snow.

Athletes

• Callum Pettit (2009)
• Cody Townsend (2012)
• Craig Kelly (1998)
• Christopher Rubens (2012)
• Dana Flahr (2009)
• Erik Jackson (2013)
• Jake Blauvelt (2012, 2013)
• Josh Daiek (2015)
• Kazuhiro Kokubo
• Kye Petersen (2009)
• Lynsey Dyer (2015)
• Mark McMorris (2015)
• Mikkel Bang (2015)
• Nicolas Muller (2015)
• Seth Morrison (2009, 2010, 2012)
• Tanner Hall (2002, 2009)