Our operators

Bella Coola Heli Skiing

Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada

Bella Coola Heli Sports operates heliskiing and heliboarding programs across 3.55 million acres of coastal and interior wilderness in British Columbia, with more than 1,100 runs spread across the Coast Mountains, the Great Bear Rainforest, and the Cariboo Chilcotin's Waddington Range. They're based primarily in the Bella Coola Valley, where the mountains meet the Pacific directly, with a further outpost deep in the Waddington Range near Mount Waddington, the highest peak entirely within British Columbia. Terrain ranges from wide-open alpine bowls, couloirs, and spines to sheltered sub-alpine tree skiing, and some of it — particularly around the Waddington Range — is still being skied for the first time. Trips run from January through April and are built around four basecamps — two wilderness lodges, a private ranch, and a 138-foot catamaran — each with helicopter access directly from the property. Packages run 4, 5, or 7 nights, with groups typically capped at four guests per helicopter (five at Sand Creek Ranch, which flies the larger Koala AW119) and CSGA- and ACMG-certified guides leading every group. Guests can choose a small-group or expert-group vertical program, an unlimited vertical option, a fully private helicopter charter — with a shared lodge, or as a full buyout of a lodge, ranch, or the catamaran — or, for a lighter, more affordable introduction to the terrain, a heli-assisted touring package that pairs a helicopter lift with backcountry ski touring. Every package includes a guaranteed minimum of vertical footage or helicopter flight hours, with a credit or refund available for any shortfall caused by weather or mechanical delays, and Bella Coola Heli Sports has been named a five-time winner of the "World's Best Heli-Skiing" award. Guides, safety gear (avalanche airbag packs, transceivers, probes, and radios), and skis or a snowboard are included in every package; guests bring their own boots, outerwear, and helmet. The operator also puts 2% of every booking toward its Legacy Fund, supporting community, conservation, and climate initiatives in the region, including the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project. Guests fly into Vancouver, and a return flight from there — to Bella Coola or Anahim Lake, depending on the destination — is included in every package. Bella Coola Heli Sports handles the rest.