PRESS RELEASE:
Stellar Heli Skiing, announces that it has taken on active investment partners to bolster its management and operational team as it continues to offer premier heli skiing to its guests.
The new partners are Bjorn Algkvist and Stefan Engstom and are dedicated skiers based in Verbier and Zermatt, Switzerland. Bjorn and Stefan each have over 30 years of business and snow sports related experience. Stellar was founded in 2005 by Kerry Luckey and Jason Remple, and currently operates out of Kaslo, in the Kootenay Region of British Columbia.
“We are so happy that Bjorn and Stefan are joining the Stellar Heli Skiing family. It has been our dream these past eight years to see Stellar continually grow and reach new levels of success,” says Jason Remple, CEO of Stellar Heli Skiing. “We know that with Stefan and Bjorn joining us we will be able to reach even higher levels of success, share our passion for skiing, as well as the ability to dream and create.”
Stellar will continue to offer day heli trips and will begin to offer 3 and 6 day packages, including accommodations in the historic Kaslo Hotel. This change in schedule is the only significant change in the short term and it is expected to bolster an already strong season which begins in January and runs until early May. Future plans include building a lodge in the Kaslo region and adding cat skiing capability.
“The opportunity for Bjorn and I to join Kerry and Jason in Stellar is a dream come true” says Stefan Engstrom. “Stefan and I met 30 years ago and grew up together with a shared dream and commitment to enjoying skiing all over the world. Stellar is the perfect place to continue to share and fulfill our dreams alongside the many guests who will join us in the future.”
Stellar offers the Kootenay’s top helicopter skiing and boarding powder adventure. With over 80,000 acres of skiable terrain over two legendary mountain ranges (the Selkirks and the Purcells), it has vast high-alpine open bowls, majestic peaks, perfectly spaced trees and 600+ inches of snow—combined with amazingly consistent cool temps which make Stellar one of the best places to enjoy powder skiing in the world. Kootenay Lake acts as the entry to our legendary BC powder and Stellar helicopters have easy access to an immense variety of breathtaking runs.
For information, please contact:
Marcus Gurske
780.699.6850/832.538.6850
marcus@stellarheliskiing.com
Stellar Heli Skiing Fact Sheet
Who is Stellar Heli Skiing?
• Established in 2005 in Kaslo British Columbia, Stellar Heliskiing Skiing offers the Kootenay’s top helicopter skiing and boarding.
• Stellar Heli Skiing was founded by Kerry Luckey and Jason Remple.
• Stellar Heli Skiing has 80,000 acres of skiable terrain over two legendary mountain ranges, the Selkirks and the Purcells.
• For the past seven years, Stellar Heli Skiing has offered an alternative to lift-serviced skiing and riding and cat skiing and riding in the area.
Terrain Information:
• Visitors to Stellar Heli Skiing can experience over 100,000 plus vertical feet of untracked bliss upon booking a six-day package.
• Stellar Heli Skiing operates in six distinct mountain zones, totaling more than 80,000 skiable acres, with runs up to 5,400 vertical feet in length.
• Stellar has mountain ranges and peaks reaching up to 10,000 feet.
• The terrain at Stellar Heli Skiing includes a wide variety of pristine wilderness runs, bowls,
chutes and well-spaced tree skiing.
• Stellar Heli Skiing receives upwards of 15 metres (50 feet) of snowfall a year. Kootenay Lake and Duncan Lake help to fuel storms that bump into the Selkirk Mountains. These storms dump snow onto an ideal Interior location for cat skiing and snowboarding and create one of the most reliably deep snow zones in the world.
The Stellar Heli Skiing Experience
• Stellar Heli Skiing can host 12 guests per visit, with over 10 staff to take care of all the details.
• Each day, a warm, comfortable A-Star helicopter transports guests to endless fields of untouched snow.
• Guests can expect to ski 11,000 to 20,000 vertical feet of powder every day of their holiday.
• Multi-day guests stay at the beautiful, scenic and recently remodeled Kaslo Hotel, situated on Kootenay Lake, 40 minutes north of Nelson, British Columbia. Nestled along the lake amongst towering fir trees, this special hideaway offers breathtaking views of the Purcell and Selkirk mountains with all the luxuries of home. The hotel is warm and the atmosphere is casual. Enjoy your favourite beverage around the bar or near the fireplace in the hotel lounge. The hotel rooms have queen- or king-size beds.
Safety Information:
• Each Stellar Heli Skiing guide is fully certified according to the standards set by the Helicat Canada Association (formerly BCHSSOA). Additionally, our guides are also trained and certified by the Canadian Ski Guide Association (CSGA) and the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG).
• Stellar Heli Skiing is a membre of the Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA) under which all of our guides are certified.
• Stellar Heli Skiing guides are trained in the leading industry standards in all aspects of snow science, avalanche forecasting and first-aid.
• Stellar Heli Skiing guides carry a pack containing a shovel, snow probe and additional rescue gear in case of emergency. Every guest is required to carry a guest pack that contains a shovel, probe and a radio that must be worn on each run. In addition, each guest is provided with a digital transceiver and is trained in its use.
• Before a guest begins the day on the mountain, they must take part in a helicopter orientation and mountain safety training at the staging area. During this session, the lead guide describes a typical day, gives an overview of avalanche rescue and provides beacon training.
For more information: www.stellarheliskiing.com
Mitchell Scott
Mitchell Scott is the Editor-in-Chief and co-publisher of Kootenay Mountain Culture Magazine.
Related Stories
A Stellar Day at Stellar Heliskiing
Heliskiing is one of those dream like experiences we all wish we could do at some point in our lives. It's the…
Book of the mountains – Trailer
"The Book of Mountains 3D" - a new film about skiing from Action Brothers, now in 3D! The film stars Ivan Oleynik, Ivan…
Skiing with Hassan
With rubber boots, berber tunes and an a-okay from allah, one giddy moroccan makes tracks in the atlas range. This man…
Tree Skiing, The Sweetgrass Way
So many questions...how did they do it? How long did it take? Where was it filmed? The answers will be available next…