Unlimited Vertical
Small Groups
Single Room Possible
1 tree per heliski-day planted
Unlimited Vertical
Small Groups
Single Room Possible
1 tree per heliski-day planted
Snow Forecast
White Wilderness Heliskiing
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Safety Standards.
Safety at White Wilderness
Our Safety Program
Delivering a safety-focused heliskiing experience in British Columbia
White Wilderness Heliskiing maintains high operational standards and a strong team-based approach to deliver a safety-focused program for our guests, in alignment with industry requirements and Helicat Canada accreditation.
Section 1
Guest Safety Program Overview
Our guest safety program is built around six structured steps, beginning at booking and continuing through every day of the heliski experience.
Each step is designed to ensure guests are informed, equipped, and prepared to ski with confidence in the mountain environment.
Step 1
Booking Stage
- Explanation of the risks associated with heliskiing are outlined on the website, including a link to the waiver.
- Guests must read and sign the waiver before the booking confirmation is valid.
Step 3
First Day - Indoor Safety Briefing
On the first morning right after breakfast there is a power point presentation mandatory for all guests. A lead guide explains in detail the risks involved in heliskiing and mountain travel. This presentation is about 45min long (on request, we can translate into German or French) and contains the following points that are in detail explained. This is also a primer and part of learning for the following outdoor exercise.
After the presentation the Guests will be handed the waivers in their language and have time to read and ask questions before they sign them. A guide will witness and is available for questions.
Skiing with a guide: do's and don'tsDo's and don'ts in the mountain environment
The fundamentals of how to ski with a guide: following instructions, maintaining spacing and tracks, regrouping above the guide.
No drugs and alcohol policyMandatory throughout the program
Strict no drugs and alcohol policy in effect throughout the program. Guests under the influence will not be permitted to participate in heliskiing operations.
Mountain hazardsRecognising the natural hazards of the terrain
- Tree wells
- Creeks/logs/stumps/rocks
- Crevasses
- Cornices
- Avalanches
Guest Safety Equipment (demonstration)Hands-on demonstration of every item
- The Avalanche Transceiver – functions and how to wear
- The Avalanche Shovel – assembly
- The Avalanche Probe – assembly
- The Guest Radio – functions and use
- The Avalanche Airbag System – how to wear, trigger storage, function
- The Companion Rescue Card – where to find and contents
Detailed Hazard Education:Deeper context on the most consequential hazards
- Tree Skiing
- Tree Wells
- Cornices
- Crevasses
- Avalanches
- Types of Avalanches
- What to do if an avalanche occurs
Detailed Avalanche Rescue:The rescue process from search to person care
- Systematic Search
- Primary Search Patterns, Course Search, Fine Search, Marking
- Probing techniques
- Shovel techniques
- Person Care
- Question and answers
Step 4
Outdoor Safety Training
Guests will be divided into small groups for a mandatory hands-on outdoor safety training in a group exercise on the first day.
Guests will receive their individual safety equipment.
All safety equipment is tested for proper functionality and completeness the day prior to guest arrival, with results documented.
Each guest receives the following for use during their stay:
Safety Equipment ReceivedWhat each guest receives for use during their stay
- 1 Mammut Barryvox transceiver
- 1 Radio programmed with all WWH frequencies
- 1 Mammut SnowPulse avalanche airbag system
- 1 Avalanche Shovel
- 1 Avalanche Probe
- 1 Guest safety card
Guests receive an introduction to the equipment and will learn how to use each of the items within the outdoor training session. Training includes:
Transceiver, Pack and Radio FunctionsIntroduction to each piece of equipment
- Transceiver functions: send/search/off and limitations including electronic interference.
- Pack Contents: assemble and disassemble probe and shovel, rescue card.
- Radio: review and learn how and when to use, where to carry.
Avalanche Scenario Training - If caughtWhat to do if you are caught in an avalanche
- Call out AVALANCHE!
- Ride out if possible
- Pull snow pulse trigger
- Swim! Kick! Fight!
- Protect airway
- Stay calm
Avalanche Scenario Training - If witnessingWhat to do if you witness an avalanche
- Ensure safety
- Head count
- Radio for help
Search procedureCoordinated transceiver search
- Everyone switch transceiver to search mode
- Last seen point
- Equipment clues
- Delegate
Search demonstration
- Signal search, Course search, fine search
- Airplane approach
- Pinpointing with probe
- Leave probe in place
- Mark function
- Have guests search for 2nd transceiver
- Mark function!
ShovellingHow to dig efficiently and safely
- Aim for the probe tip
- Strike force shovelling
- V – Conveyor Belt system
Organize a small group searchPutting it all together as a team
- Coaching
- Delegation
- Search patterns
- Group organization
- Emphasize radio
Step 5
Helicopter Safety Briefing
Before the first flight, guests are briefed on every phase of helicopter operations: from approach and loading through to unloading and emergency procedures.
Step 6
Field Briefings
Throughout the ski day, guests receive ongoing briefings in the field to reinforce safe behaviour around landings, pickups, and on-mountain hazards.
Landing ProceduresStepping out of the helicopter safely
- Use binding toe piece to clear snow of boots
- Move of landing ASAP
- Put the pack on and adjusted – all straps done up?
- Triggers out
Skiing with a GuideOrder, spacing and regrouping in the field
- Follow guide and guides instructions
- Spacing and following guides tracks
- Regrouping
- Stop above the guide
- Come in slow and controlled to the group
- Any delay or emergency call guide on radio
Tree skiingBuddy system and tree-well awareness
- Buddy system
- Tree Well explanation
- How to avoid
- Discuss rescue technique
- Demonstrate
Pick upsReturning to the helicopter for the next run
- Stop above Guide on pickup – consider walking in
- Snow Pulse trigger stowed away
- No throwing of packs or gear
- Bundle, pile ski and packs with guides
- Huddle position
- Eye contact
- Terrain considerations – uphill, tail rotor, direction of heli incoming.
On-Mountain Briefings and Hazard CommunicationContinuous communication throughout the ski day
Before the first run of the day, the guide outlines key hazard considerations, including hazard ratings, what they mean for the terrain, expected avalanche conditions, and specific terrain features or run characteristics to be aware of. Where possible, examples are pointed out directly in the terrain.
Additional hazards such as cliffs, crevasses, poor snow quality, inadequate coverage, cornices, and open creeks are also discussed.
Throughout the ski day, guests receive briefings on each run, including run name, length, general direction, and key characteristics. Guides provide clear instructions on maintaining safety distances, where to ski, and where to regroup. If conditions change during a run, guides communicate updates via radio.
Guides also maintain ongoing communication with each other throughout the day, sharing observations of hazards with other groups and helicopter teams.
Section 2
Operational Safety & Daily Hazard Management
How does the Guiding Team collect and process information and conduct a daily hazard evaluation to come up with a plan for the day?
The ski day begins with a guides meeting at 06:30, with some team members gathering information in advance to present at the start of the meeting.
The meeting follows an established protocol developed within the guiding community (ACMG, CSGA, Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA), and Helicat Canada). This framework has been in use since the 1980s and continues to be refined and updated annually.
Records from each meeting are documented and shared twice daily on the InfoEx server, maintained by the CAA. This server is maintained by the Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA) and can be reviewed from any of the accredited members of these organizations at any time. WWH is also an accredited member of CAA and can obtain information from any operation in the area or in Canada through the InfoEx database.
InfoEx contributions from operators and members are a key input in developing the CAA’s Public Avalanche Forecast. Regional forecasters rely on this shared information, alongside observations collected by their regional field teams, to produce daily forecasts from their remote offices in Revelstoke.
Daily
Morning Guides Meeting Structure (Daily)
The morning meeting is the foundation of every ski day. It brings together weather data, hazard observations, and operational planning so that the team is aligned before the first flight. The sections below outline the structured assessment that is carried out each morning.
Morning Meeting
Weather and Hazard Assessment Procedures
The team works through a structured sequence: collecting data, reviewing the weather forecast, and establishing a hazard assessment. Each step contributes to the strategic mindset and operational plan for the day.
Data CollectionWeather stations and InfoEx submissions from neighbouring operations
Data is collected from weather stations at different elevation levels in the surrounding region, including:
- Temperatures
- Wind
- Precipitation amounts (new snow in cm or water equivalent in mm)
- Height of snow total
- Wind – direction and speed
Collecting and analyzing InfoEx submissions from neighbouring operations.
Operations include: Northern Escape Heliskiing, Last Frontier Heliskiing, Skeena Heliskiing, Skeena Cat Skiing, Shames Mountain Resort, Great Bear Heliskiing, Bella Coola Helisports, Burnie Glacier Chalet, Alpine Solutions (CN Railway Safety), Brucejack Mine, and the Northwest Avalanche crews in Terrace and Stewart.
A standardized reporting format provides a detailed overview from each operation, including:
- Weather observations: temperature, new snow, wind, and snow transport
- Field summary: observations from the previous day
- Avalanche observations: detailed records of notable events, including type, size, trigger, dimensions, slope angles, failure type and plane, often supported by photos and location data
- Avalanche summary: overall activity within the tenure
- Persistent weak layer tracking
- Hazard ratings and identified avalanche problems
- Snow profiles: collected the previous day, with graphical representation and location
- Terrain management: strategic approach, restrictions, terrain skied (elevation, aspect, slope angles, terrain type, ATES ratings, wind exposure)
- General messages: operational notes such as down days, transfers, or other relevant information
Weather Forecast ReviewCharts, satellite imagery and aviation weather
A weather forecast review & analysis is conducted:
- Weather charts and models from a contracted meteorological service, providing forecasts for precipitation, wind, cloud cover, temperature, and freezing levels
- Satellite imagery
- Aviation weather charts from NAV Canada (updated every 6 hours), including cloud type and distribution, active weather systems, wind speed and direction, icing, and turbulence
- Long-range weather models
Using this information, we update the snowpack structure summary and persistent weak layer assessment from the previous afternoon’s guides meeting, and develop a forecast of expected field conditions for the day.
Hazard RatingAvalanche problems, elevation bands, danger scale and strategic mindset
The next step is to establish a hazard assessment for the day:
Avalanche problems are identified and defined by:
- Type of problem
- Location
- Failure plane
- Typical depth
- Distribution
- Sensitivity
- Typical size
- Comments
A graphical hazard chart is produced for each identified problem.
Hazard ratings are then established for each elevation band:
- Alpine (above 1500m)
- Tree Line (1500-1200m)
- Below Tree Line (1200m to Valley Bottom)
Hazard ratings are then established according to the North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale:
- 1 – Low
- 2 – Moderate
- 3 – Considerable
- 4 – High
- 5 – Extreme
The relative importance of avalanche problems is ranked (e.g., wind slab, persistent slab, wet loose).
Forecast confidence is also assessed:
- High: based on strong data, observations, and reliable sources
- Moderate: based on credible but limited or incomplete information
- Low: based on fragmented or uncertain dats
Additional comments are recorded to capture key considerations, such as:
- Caution with daytime warming.
- Forecast precipitation amounts and wind will elevate hazards in all elevations.
The team establishes a strategic mindset for the day based on current conditions, selecting from the following approaches:
- Assessment: High degree of uncertainty about conditions
- Stepping Out (cautious or confident): Conditions are improving and confidence in assessments is increasing
- Status Quo: No significant change in conditions
- Stepping Back: Weather changes or observations increase hazard or uncertainty
- Maintenance: A persistent weak layer is newly buried or about to be buried
- Entrenchment: Managing a well-established persistent instability; last step before closing operations
- Open Season: Hazard assessment suggest that only small avalanches in very isolated terrain features are possible, and there is a high degree in confidence
- Spring Diurnal: Hazard assessment suggests that the only substantial hazard is from wet avalanches during the afternoon thaw phase
The last step before submitting the Hazard Assessment is identifying operational hazards:
In the ski program
- Tree wells
- Snow immersion
- Crevasses
- Glide Cracks
- Debris
- Open creeks, holes, moats
- Poor ski quality
- Poor visibility
- Guest ability
Team member issues are also discussed – fatigue, stress, illness…
In the flight program
- Aircraft Issues
- White Landing Zones and Pickups (blowing snow or flat light)
- Landing Zone comments (uneven LZ or soft unpredictable snow)
- Potential Icing conditions
- Winds – speed, directions
- Flags – setup right for the wind direction or buried from new snow
- Staging/ Logistics
Daily Planning
Group Lists and Daily Planning
Groups are established based on guest bookings (groups wishing to ski together) or comparable skiing ability, with group weight also considered for operational planning.
Group lists are finalized and shared the evening prior, allowing guests to know their group placement and assigned guide.
The daily ski plan, including terrain selection, is developed collaboratively by the lead guides, guides, and helicopter pilot, and coordinated with the second team.
Throughout the day, both teams maintain continuous communication regarding changes in plans, weather, snowpack conditions, ski quality, and hazard assessments. This coordination is a critical component of both safety and the effective delivery of the ski program.
In the Field
Snow Safety During the Ski Program
Throughout the day, guides conduct snow profiles where possible, recording and communicating results to other guides in the field.
A designated snow safety guide is responsible for conducting snow testing, profiles, run checks, and establishing or flagging landing (LZ) and pickup (PU) zones. This guide works in close proximity to the ski teams or alongside a certified assistant guide. Their findings contribute directly to field observations and ongoing snowpack and hazard assessments.
A daily snow safety objective is established during the morning meeting, with results reviewed and recorded during the afternoon debrief.
Guides also meet during the lunch break to review conditions and adjust planning for the afternoon.
Lodge Operations
Ground Control, Flight Tracking, and Lodge Communication
During the ski day, a dedicated ground control person—typically the ski technician or a guide—monitors and records all flight movements from the lodge.
This individual is trained in emergency procedures and communications, and acts as the incident coordinator at the lodge, implementing the established rescue plan if required.
They also serve as the communication link between field teams and the lodge, coordinating guest pickups, helicopter refueling, and other operational needs.
End of Day
Afternoon Debriefing – PM Guides Meeting
At the end of the ski day, guides, pilots, and ground control gather for the PM guides meeting to debrief operations and document observations aligned with the morning briefing.
A nowcast of conditions and observations is submitted to InfoEx and contributes to the CAA’s daily reporting. This information forms the baseline for the following morning’s hazard assessment.
Key discussion and recording points include:
Operational ReviewPersonal check-in and operational debrief
- Personal check-in from each team member expressing the highs and lows of the ski day
- What went operationally well and what could be done better
- Did the proposed program match the conditions?
- How well was the program perceived by the guests?
Weather and Avalanche ObservationsField observations and notable events
- Weather field observations
- Avalanche Observations – notable events
- Avalanche Summary – activity observed
Snow Profiles and Snowpack SummaryRecording snowpack data for tomorrow's plan
- Snow profiles
- Terrain management
- Snowpack summary
- Updates on persistent weak layer management
Hazard Assessment NowcastAvalanche problems and hazard rating
- Hazard assessment nowcast
- Avalanche problem identification
- Hazzard rating
Program and Flight ReviewPilot input and daily program review
- Program review
- Flight review
- Pilots input
- Daily chore list
- General messages
Operational follow-up:Closing the day and preparing for the next
- Submission of summary to InfoEx
- Discussion and planning of groupings for the next day
- Confirmation of any grouping changes
- Recording of runs skied and daily vertical per group (published before dinner)
- Preparation and distribution of an internal daily report to management and travel agents
This process concludes a typical day of operations at White Wilderness Heliskiing.