„It’s deeper up here!“ is the slogan of Northern Escape Heliskiing (NE). And rightly so! When it snows in the far north of British Columbia, the lodges of the heliski provider sink into the white glory.

Northern Escape Heli-Skiing in the Skeena Mountains

For 28 years, Northern Escape Heliskiing owner John Forrest had been in the heliskiing business. Then he secured a real jewel of heliski terrain in the Skeena Mountains. He went into business for himself with Yellow Cedar Lodge near Terrace and has been shaking up the industry ever since. John has since followed up with Pioneer Lodge and Northern Escape Lodge. Great are all, but each has its advantages.

Yellow Cedar Lodge is the classic of the trio. Handcrafted from Canadian cedar from the Skeena River, the domicile is home to those guests who have booked the Classic package. Right next door is the Pioneer Lodge for NE’s private program. With double rooms and private log cabins, it accommodates up to ten people. Among the perks there are gourmet dinners prepared by Red Seal chefs.

Northern Escape Heli-Skiing: For deep-snow addicts in Canada

The facilities at Yellow Cedar Lodge are then shared by winter sports enthusiasts from both camps. When the thighs are glowing after a strength-sapping day in deep powder, the outdoor whirlpool becomes the best place in the world for everyone. With a beer in hand, you sit in the hot water and look down over deep snow-covered meadows to the Skeena River. Then it’s off to the small bar and dinner at the lodge, which is just a short drive from Terrace Airport. So Northern Escape via Vancouver is much quicker to reach than many think.

It’s a bit more adventurous to get to Northern Escape Lodge, which opened for the 2019/2020 season. The new flagship for NE’s elite package is located in remote terrain and is only accessed by helicopter in winter. Surrounded by crystal clear lakes and snowy peaks, this beauty is also designed to accommodate up to ten people, making it ideal for families or small groups.

Northern Escape Heliskiing in Terrace – take to the mountains with the Koala
Whichever option you choose, heliskiing will be unforgettable. The Skeena Mountains offer huge glaciers, gigantic bowls and fantastic tree skiing runs. Flying is done in small groups and with the Koala, the most powerful helicopter in the industry. Directly from the lodge the particularly fast machine brings the winter sportsmen to the untouched deep snow slopes.

And if the outside conditions don’t allow a launch, John has a plan B. He was the first to install a real catskiing backup for bad weather days. If the helicopters can’t fly, skiers and boarders simply transfer to the two snowcats – and off they go! Downdays are thus a foreign word. But the tracked vehicles are not used too often on the 50 kilometers of trails that open up the cat-skiing area.

Unlimited fun with the Unlimited option

The cat skiing area is already considerable at just under 30 square kilometers – but the heliski terrain is gigantic. As one of the largest heliskiing areas in the world, it extends over more than 5,500 square kilometers. Even with the option of unlimited vertical, only a fraction of the area can be explored during a trip. The guides have mapped more than 250 runs there, but with the vast expanse, there’s still plenty of room for first ascents. A nice extra, but certainly not the only attraction: With runs that climb from the mountain top far down below the tree line to 2,000 meters in altitude, that lead over thick powder pillows and sometimes end at the coast, Northern Escape Heli-Skiing has something for every winter sports enthusiast.“