Northern BC heliski operator logs near-record snowpack as southern BC gets rain

Last Frontier Heliskiing says its Northern British Columbia tenure held about six metres of snow this season while southern BC operators dealt with rain crust from atmospheric river storms. The company points to latitude, glacial terrain and elevation as the reasons its skiing stayed reliable near the Alaska border.

Why it matters: - Last Frontier Heliskiing’s season shows how geography can still protect some northern mountain operations from the warm storms hitting southern British Columbia. - The company says reliable snowpack matters for guest experience, terrain access and the long-term business case for heliskiing in a warming climate.

What happened: - Last Frontier Heliskiing reported that its tenure near the Alaska border held close to six metres of snow on its glaciers this season. - Guests were still skiing knee-deep powder on the final days of the operation. - The company says southern BC heliski and ski resort operators spent the past two seasons dealing with rain crust from atmospheric river storms. - Cliff Umpleby, Last Frontier’s Director of Operations and Lead Guide, has guided the tenure for 29 seasons.

The details: - Last Frontier operates the world’s largest contiguous heliski tenure, covering 10,100 square kilometres. - The company runs from Bell 2 Lodge and Ripley Creek Inn in Northern British Columbia. - Umpleby says the tenure’s consistency comes from three factors: its location at 56 degrees north, six degrees north of Revelstoke and five degrees north of Bella Coola; its position in the transition zone between coastal and continental snowpacks; and about 7,800 square kilometres of skiable terrain in or adjacent to glaciated zones. - Umpleby said warm storms from the South Pacific typically reach southern BC first, then cool enough that they fall as snow farther north. - The company says high-elevation temperatures stay lower because glaciated terrain helps preserve colder conditions even when freezing levels rise partway up a mountain. - Umpleby said glaciers in the tenure are receding, and temperatures that once ran around minus 15 now tend to be closer to minus 10 or minus 7. - Last Frontier was founded in 1996 and runs exclusively in small groups of four guests per guide. - More information is available in the company’s announcement.

Between the lines: - The report pushes back on a simple climate-change narrative that northern heliskiing is uniformly becoming less reliable. - The more immediate dividing line appears to be latitude and terrain, with northern glaciated zones still preserving snow while southern areas absorb more rain during atmospheric river events. - Umpleby’s comments suggest the business challenge is less about an abrupt shutdown risk and more about a gradual shift in operating conditions.

What's next: - Last Frontier says its snowpack reliability will continue to depend on freezing levels, storm tracks and access to glaciated terrain. - The company’s operating model suggests it will keep emphasizing small-group, remote-lodge skiing as long as snow conditions remain strong. - Continued glacial recession and warming temperatures could narrow the margin over time, even if the region remains skiable for now.

The bottom line: - Northern British Columbia still has a geography advantage, and Last Frontier’s season is a reminder that not all mountain snowpack is changing at the same pace.