Read the online version here or download the pdf

http://www.skeenaheliskiing.com/photos/2012-03/

http://www.skeenaheliskiing.com/weather/

Your Skeena Heliskiing Team.

Read the online version here or download the pdf.

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Run Choice

It’s that time before the start of the season where I am looking at the run list like a kid standing in front of a candy store. What runs would be my first pick if the candy store door opened and I was let free? That providing the weather and snow conditions also played game and were not an issue.

Run selection in combination with the current snow stability and weather conditions is the most discussed topic at our guides meetings since essentially skiing and ensuring your safety is our main concern and that is why you come to us. We are continually committing more effort to this topic by increasing the guides knowledge of the area and snowpack, keeping track of what you skied on your last trip, what you liked best and least, what combinations work well. All in all to provide you with the best heliskiing experience possible.

Thinking about that, here are some short facts about our area and some top run picks from our guests perspective from last winter.

Kind regards

Giacum Frei
Skeena Heliskiing

Short facts About Skeena Heliskiing

- Distance from the coast (open water): 190km (73km to a channel)
- Total area size: 9525 km2     
- Number of drop of points: 207
- Number of registered runs: 610
- Highest drop of regularly landed: 2380m. 
- Highest Peak: Shedin Peak 2588m
- Longest run skied regularly: 1460 vertical meters 
- Bear Claw Lodge elevation: 380m.
- Average run length in the trees: 620 v.meters 
- Average run length in alpine: 840 v.meters

#1 Most Skied Run - Yogi Bear

Probably everyone that has been here has skied Yogi Bear or one of the 28 variations of surrounding runs. The reason is simple; the Yogi Bear bowl just collects POWDER and is also the most wind sheltered zone from the winds due to the fact that the surrounding peaks are ridges are higher.

Max run length: 720m.  
Best Time: All winter to mid April

#1 Most wanted Run - Awakening AKA MW. - (Skier Left line, not face)

The lookers left steep face was first skied during a filming session in 2010. The main run (main mid section) was on the most wanted list for the whole season after pictures went out last year. However it had to wait until late March to receive its virgin descent. It has a steep pitch at the beginning needing very stable snowpack conditions. This run is not just a classic cruiser, it has more contoured terrain near the bottom allowing for more variations and play making this run a top repeater.

Max Run Length: 1020m.
Best Time: Late February to mid April

#1 Most Feared Leg Burner - Super Bowl

First skied in 2006 with a group of our best repeat guest. Yes, was skied on Super Bowl Sunday, it had to wait until 2008 for a repeat and once again by the same group. It is located quite far away needing the best of weather and snow stability to make it happen. When it is on, then it is truly worth the trip, the continuous 30-32 degrees of pitch over 1360 vm will put your legs to the test.

Max run length: 1360m.
Best Time: Early March to late April

#1 Guides Choice - Pure Gold

Looking for a lot of variation? Pure Gold has the largest amount of variations to cater to most skiers and to almost all snow stability and weather conditions. From open chutes to gentle trees to steeper glades. Hence this was the guides choice since run selection in combination with snow stability and weather is one of the hardest choices of the day and with Pure Gold there is almost always an option. Pure Gold only has one draw back: a large portion is South facing, which means by early March the South faces get hit by the sun and the powder turns into crust or crud.

Max Run Length: 980m.
Best Time: January to late February.

#1 Jakes Choice - Tree Run - Holy Swiss Cow

Not every run needs to be long, high, impressive and straight forward. This was my run choice for last winters selection. It is rather short in vertical but challenging enough to make the vertical seem long enough. It has super fun trees with pillow and steep sections. A good challenge for every skier/boarder to ski top to bottom with out taking a tumble. This run does need a good amount of fluff to ski well and for that reason skiers have first to get a 101 in sluff management. I am expecting that this run will ski super good this winter, so if you are in my group and it is tree skiing weather, get ready!

Max Run Length: 520m.
Best Time: January to late February.
(Red lines on left, only 4 lines are drawn in but you can go down basically anywhere, google map image does not do it justice)

http://bcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca/data/asp/realtime/asp_pages/asp_4b16p.html

http://bcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca/data/asp/realtime/asp_pages/asp_4b16p.html