The two Swiss behind White Wilderness Heliskiing are Marcel Schneider and Martin Jäger. The two already knew each other in Switzerland. They only became business partners in Canada. But they don't make a big fuss about themselves. And with this Swiss reserve, they fit in perfectly with their Canadian team in Terrace.

Canadians, and especially the outdoor people of this huge and sparsely populated country, don't make big speeches. They tend to be quiet doers. Calm, even when others get hectic. And above all reliable when it counts. Such people are good to work with - and even better to have a good time with.

But the truth is that the almost proverbial calmness and friendliness of Canadians also means that some things take a little longer. Without the tenacity and consistency with which the two Swiss founders pursued their dream in northwest Canada, White Wilderness Heliskiing would never have risen so quickly to become one of the most attractive boutique heliski providers in Canada.

As is so often the case, this success story began by chance. Or rather with an opportunity that had to be recognized and seized. As a passionate fly fisherman, Marcel Schneider was a guest at the Skeena Salmon Lodge of a German couple near Terrace a few times. The Skeena River, right on the doorstep of the large log cabin, is a mecca for fly fishing in summer. The guest became a friend. And when the operators of the Fishing Lodge were looking for an investor, Schneider stepped in. Eventually, the German couple wanted to hand over the lodge for reasons of age. Schneider took over completely.

A little later, Martin Jäger came on board as a partner and, as a passionate heliskier, he immediately recognized the potential of the Fishing Lodge for winter. "These endless forests and gigantic mountain peaks around the lodge make for fantastic terrain, and the amount of snow in the Skeena Mountains makes for perfect skiing conditions," enthuses Jäger.

As a first step, White Wilderness Heliskiing secured a 1,500 square kilometer area of the Skeena Mountains exclusively for itself. 2015 marked the start of the newcomer's first season. Lead guide Ken Bibby and his team continued to explore and develop the terrain. New runs were added almost daily. The skiing experience got better day by day.

Another 1,000 square kilometers were added for the 2019/2020 season, which also improved the quality of the terrain. Covering a total of 2,500 square kilometers, White Wilderness Heliskiing offers a perfect mix of wide open glacier slopes and breathtaking forest runs with plenty of options near the lodge for bad weather days.

With the beautiful log cabin-style lodge, White Wilderness Heliskiing set an exclamation mark from day one. Even well-traveled and discerning guests were impressed. And from day one, the Swiss owners attached great importance to the ambience, cuisine and service at the lodge. "Our customers also live and eat at the highest level in the Alps during their normal ski vacations. That's what they're used to and that's what they should also find here," emphasizes Jäger. This attention to detail, which is a matter of course in the top hotel industry but still an exception in heliski lodges, is what makes the difference at White Wilderness Heliskiing.

In winter, Jäger lives in the lodge and personally looks after the heliskiing guests. His favorite thing to do, of course, is heliskiing on the mountain. In the mornings, he almost always flies out with the guests to ski and snowboard in the white wilderness of British Columbia. "It's always fascinating," says the businessman, who has a background in finance and real estate. These huge dimensions in Canada are simply overwhelming - and the snow is a dream. "When we have a deep snow day in the ski resorts in the Alps, everything is covered in snow after just a few minutes. Here, our guests ski every run, every day and every week on untracked slopes," enthuses Jäger.

This is made possible by the excellently trained guides and pilots. "Their professionalism and coolness always impresses me," says Jäger. He and Schneider value their people and only hire the best: from the chef to the new General Manager Ryan Merrill. Merrill is a very experienced heliskiing guide who lives in Terrace and was Operations Manager at another heliskiing company there for many years.

The two Swiss also tirelessly optimize their fly-fishing and heliskiing lodge. In recent years, they have built new single rooms in the main building, a fourth sauna and, most recently, a separate "staff house" for the team. The owners know that only satisfied employees make good hosts.

The Swiss and their Canadian team have worked hard and invested a lot of time and money to ensure that White Wilderness Heliskiing has risen to the top league of heliski lodges after such a short time. "But a bit of luck was also part of it, of course," admits Jäger. Just like when the still completely unknown heliski company found a major partner from the ski business right at the start with Elan.

Back then, the Swiss went to the ISPO sporting goods trade fair in Munich to talk about cooperations with ski companies. However, none of the big brands were interested in the nobodies. "It was more by chance that we ended up at the Elan stand, where freeride legend Glen Plake was present," says Jäger. There they got talking to Plake and the Elan managers, who were curious about the new heliski lodge. This led to a partnership with Elan that continues to this day. In the meantime, White Wilderness Heliskiing has also gained a premium partner from the snowboard scene in Burton.

Glen Plake has of course already been a guest at White Wilderness Heliskiing. And the American ski star was enthusiastic: "When you think of heliskiing, the images in your head are always the same: helicopters flying you to endless powder snow areas in the mountains, delicious food and great accommodation in the mountains - and of course memories of this experience that will stay with you forever. That's exactly what you get with White Wilderness Heliski! I love skiing up there," enthuses Glen Plake.

Plake is not the only ski celebrity who is enthusiastic about White Wilderness Heliskiing. Former Swiss ski racing star Dani Mahrer also appreciates the heliski provider in Terrace. "White Wilderness Heliskiing is a great experience! The luxurious lodge with its beautiful rooms and excellent service leaves nothing to be desired," says the seven-time World Cup winner. "I'm already looking forward to the next great powder experience on January 29, 2021," says the downhill winner from Kitzbühel. In addition to the group trip at the end of January 2021, TRAVELZONE already has a second group trip with Dani Mahrer to White Wilderness Heliskiing at the beginning of 2022 in its program. Two top trips to the "Swiss-Canadian Heliski Lodge", which not only Dani Mahrer is really looking forward to.

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