Safety

Selkirk Wilderness Skiing is a member of the HeliCat Canada Association. The members of this association strive to achieve the high degree of professionalism and safety that is required in the helicopter and snowcat skiing industry. Selkirk Wilderness Skiing is also a member of the Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA) under which all of our guides are certified. Our guides are also trained and certified by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) or the Canadian Ski Guide Association (CSGA).

Our guides are experienced professionals with training in avalanche hazard forecasting, weather analysis, emergency first aid, mountain rescue, and ski instruction techniques. Each group of 12 guests is accompanied by two or three guides.

Most of our emergencies can be handled in the field with the extensive gear that our guides carry in their packs. The snowcat carries additional equipment including oxygen, a toboggan, spare ski equipment, and extra probes, skis and poles.

There is continuous radio communication between the guides and the snowcat driver, as well as our mountain lodge and our base station in the valley at Meadow Creek. In addition to our two operating snowcats we have a third snowcat at the lodge on standby. Weather permitting, a helicopter can be available within half an hour to evacuate an injured skier to hospital.

Each of our guests is equipped with an avalanche rescue transceiver and given instruction in search techniques.