2017/18 Revelstoke,REVELSTOKE, British BRITISH Columbia COLUMBIA COMBINED YEARS OF 1978 GUIDING EXPERIENCE 2 GUIDES 287 2017 1,100,000+ 35 GUIDES RUNS SKIED WITH OUR GUESTS COUNTRIES SMALLER THAN OUR 11LANGUAGES 26 TENURE SPOKEN our story Celebrating 40 years For the last four decades, Selkirk operation grew. The company added more PETER SCHLUNEGGER FOUNDS SELKIRK TANGIERS HELI SKIING Tangiers Heli Skiing has been guiding guides, more helicopters and in 1999, it 1978 and skiing amongst the Selkirk and moved into its current location at the Coast ERIKS SUCHOVS JOINS THE TEAM OF GUIDES AT SELKIRK TANGIERS Monashee Mountains. In 1978, Peter Hillcrest Hotel. 1983 Schlunegger introduced helicopter skiing Fast forward to the present, and business THE FIRST A-STAR TAKES FLIGHT WITH SELKIRK TANGIERS to the Revelstoke area and founded Selkirk 1990 is thriving. The company has grown and Tangiers. Drawn by the area’s deep snow matured to be recognized as one of the OpERATIONS MOVE TO A NEW LODGE, THE HILLCREST HOTEL accumulation and iconic terrain, Peter 1999 premier heli ski destinations in the world. quickly realized the potential for Revelstoke Peter has since retired, but his passion SELKIRK TANGIERS JOINS REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT to become a heli skiing mecca. 2007 for the mountains remains. Our staff The early heydays were a time of discovery: are fueled by this passion. A passion for 2008 DAY HELI OPERATIONS COMMENCE charting new terrain, managing risk and snow, mountains and a desire to deliver an navigating helicopters in the high alpine. unforgettable experience. We invite you to 2011 FEATURED IN MAJOR FILMS INCLUDING THE ART OF FLIGHT Each year marked new runs, new friends join us this winter as we commemorate and countless stories. Over time, the 40 years of heli skiing in Revelstoke. 2018 CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF HELI SKIING 1 2 The Founding Father Guiding Peter Schlunegger organized the details while Peter focused on Us Forward Schlunegger comes from a long line of delivering the best heli skiing experience Eriks Suchovs, General Manager/Lead Guide for their guests. Slowly and steadily, the guides: his father, grandfather and great- I consider myself a very lucky person to During my tenure at STHS, I’ve witnessed business grew. grandfather were all mountain guides from be able to do what I do. Ever since my first the evolution of a small operation with Switzerland. Peter’s great-grandfather, Karl, In the early stages, Peter didn’t just help time sliding down a Toronto neighbourhood only a handful of guides into what we are guided for the Canadian Pacific Railway out grow STHS, he helped grow the heli skiing ravine with my dad, I wanted to be a skier. today: a heli skiing world leader in safety, of Rogers Pass in 1899. industry as a whole. He was an examiner I distinctly remember standing on the precision and efficiency. We have flown back of my dad’s skis, arms locked around thousands of guests around the Columbia Shortly after coming to Canada in his for the Association of Canadian Mountain his knees, looking forward in utter awe. Valley and matured into a slick outfit with early twenties, Peter was offered a guiding Guides (ACMG) for many years and co- Growing up, I knew skiing would eventually an unwavering commitment to offer the position with Canadian Mountain Holidays. founded the BC Heli Skiing and Snowcat become a big part of my life. In 1980, I world’s best skiing. This was the first commercial heli skiing Operators Association, which later evolved into Heli-Cat Canada. Peter also helped moved to Revelstoke to pursue a career in operation in the world and is located in the There is much to look forward to with create the current land use tenure system. the mountains and never looked back. Purcell Mountains of BC. Over the following the future of Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing: ten years Peter had the opportunity to When Revelstoke Mountain Resort acquired In 1983, I started my ACMG certification and welcoming back return guests, entertaining explore and guide in the Purcell, Cariboo Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing in 2007, joined Peter Schlunegger’s team of guides new clients and hitting some bucket list and Monashee Mountain Ranges. Schlunegger decided it was time to hang up at Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing. Over the goals for a number of newbies. Personally, past 34 years, I’ve been fortunate enough I am excited to continue working with our In February of 1978, Peter and nine guests his red guiding jacket and enjoy retirement to ski the world’s best terrain here at home talented team and watching them grow in conducted the first exploratory heli skiing with Penny. in the Selkirk Mountains. And while the the years to come. trip in the Revelstoke area. Based out of skiing is amazing, the best part of my job Albert Canyon and sleeping in motorhomes, I knew Revelstoke had dependable snow, and from looking at the maps, the terrain was is working with clients, employees and the group of heli skiers descended upon Heli skiing is a life changing experience great. I saw the potential for heli skiing; it contractors alike. From the guides to the for most people. It is an incredible privilege the slopes above the Tangiers River in the was just a matter of coming here and giving agents, administrators, retail staff, ski techs, to have shared that with so many over the Selkirk Mountain Range – hence the origin it a go! and everyone in between, it’s what my team of the company’s name Selkirk Tangiers. years. Peter Schlunegger brings to the table that gets me excited to work Eriks Suchovs The following winter, base operations were here at STHS. I am humbled to have such a established in Revelstoke. His partner, hard-working and dedicated team. Penny Pasnak, managed the bookings and 3 4 Powder Performers Our Powder Performers program rewards those guests who have accumulated specific Robin “Bob” Matalon Stefan Menzl vertical metre achievements. For each reward, a special gift is presented to the recipient 618,300 vertical metres 1.2 million vertical metres during their trip. Erik, Bob and Stefan are a few of our top Powder Performers. since 1992 since 1996 A Tribute to Erik Giese I’ve been skiing with STHS for the last We have now been heli skiing with Selkirk 2 million+ vertical metres He also loved doing laps on the runs named 25 years. Before that, we were coming to Tangiers for over 20 years. In that time a since 1979 Chivas and Goldmine. Revelstoke to go skiing with Clyde & Keith lot has changed, but the skiing has always at Cat Powder Skiing on Mt. Mackenzie been great, especially when the snow is Erik Giese began skiing with STHS at the One time, during a six-day trip, Erik injured – where Revelstoke Mountain Resort is deep and the sun is out. We’ve been lucky to age of 39 and logged 400 days plus with his ankle on day one which was strange now. At the time, our group was mostly on get a few of those weeks on the glaciers. our company. Over the years, he brought because you could count the number of tele-gear and the skis were pretty skinny. What makes STHS special is the variety many friends from all over North America, times he fell on one hand. However, he did When we expressed an interest in going heli of terrain. The reality is that conditions including his favourite ski partner, his not let an injury stop him. For the next five skiing, Clyde told us about Peter and STHS. change, but we have learned to trust that daughter Noel. Noel began skiing with days, Erik skied with one ski. What was So in 1992, we signed up for a day of heli. I STHS is going to make the most of what STHS in 1983 and dutifully followed next to even more amazing was that it looked like distinctly remember that first day, it was Mother Nature puts in front of us. her father’s tracks for 28 years. According he was skiing on two skis because he was very special – we skied Park Glacier, one to Noel, these heli ski trips were some of such a strong and graceful skier. On Erik’s of my favourite runs of all time. It is safe to One trip stands out from a couple years the most memorable experiences in Erik’s last heli ski trip in 2011, the conditions were say, we left that snow cat in the dust – we back. Upon arrival, we noticed that there life. The magical conditions, outstanding exceptionally stable and he was able to ski were hooked on heli. hadn’t been any new snow for the previous terrain, exceptional guides and excellent some of the steepest runs of his life. It was a three weeks. Depressing to say the least. Since that first day, we just kept coming après kept the Giese groups coming back great last trip at the age of 71. However, our guide Alex Nadeau came to back for more days each time. It has been year after year. our table at breakfast the first day with a Many years before, Peter Schlunegger had amazing to see the progression of heli big smile on his face. We quickly learned Erik was also an amazing athlete. During a run named Noel in honour of Erik. Now, skiing, particularly since those early days that he was eager to go out with us because his youth, he was a competitive skier the run serves as a tribute to his life and when we first started locking down our the snow conditions were so stable.
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