Alaska Backcountry Guides

About

Alaska Backcountry Guides (ABG) is a boutique heliskiing and heliboarding Operator based in Valdez, Alaska, flying the Chugach Mountains from their own hangar at the Valdez Airport. Valdez is known for its glaciers, big peaks, and heavy snowfall, and the Chugach offers everything from intermediate cruising runs to the steep lines that made the range famous. Runs here typically measure 2,000–5,000 vertical feet. ABG's model is built around small groups: a maximum of 4 guests per group and no more than 2 groups per A-Star helicopter. That keeps the experience tailored and gives semi-private guests something close to a private-helicopter day at a per-seat price. Groups that want the helicopter entirely to themselves can book a fully private week for up to 7 guests, with terrain, food, and schedule customized to the crew. Adventures run as 7-night weeks from late February through April, and they're close to all-inclusive: helicopter time, lodging at the Chugach Naswik Suites, three meals a day from ABG's in-house chefs, all ground transportation around Valdez, avalanche safety gear, and professional ski and snowboard guides. The guiding team is made up of industry veterans — several with 15 to nearly 30 years in the Chugach — including an AMGA Certified Ski Guide, an IFMGA Certified Mountain Guide, and a dedicated Director of Snow Safety. Off the snow, ABG puts real weight on the full experience. Their kitchen is led by an executive chef with fine-dining credentials, backed by an in-house pastry chef, and the team includes a certified sommelier and a massage therapist. Because Alaska weather grounds the helicopter on some days, they also offer ski touring, massages, and boat tours of Port Valdez to fill down days. Returning guests can take part in ABG's loyalty program: complete 10 full-price weeks and the 11th week is free. For U.S. travelers, ABG is also a domestic alternative to heliskiing in Canada — big-mountain Alaska terrain without a border crossing.