Bella Coola Heli Sports has partnered with Maple Leaf Adventures to offer exclusive heliskiing packages based off that company’s signature 138 catamaran yacht, the MV Cascadia.
Called the “Soar and Explore” package, the price point is a cool $319,000 for up to eight people, so it could be as low as $40,000 per person, and the companies are calling it the “most exclusive and luxurious yacht-based, heli-ski experience available in North America.”
The MV Cascadia features spacious cabins, elegant lounges and dining, lodge-quality amenities and a hot tub on the top deck. The price includes access to 3.25 million acres of prime powder, private helicopter flights, fjord cruising, kayaking and paddle boarding, and seafood feasts.
“We are thrilled to connect skiers and riders with some of the best landscapes and ski experiences B.C. has to offer through our new Soar and Explore adventure,” Bella Coola Heli Sports co-owner Beat Steiner said. “This year has been a challenge for all of us, and, more than ever, I think people need an escape, something to dream about and look forward to.
“We are stoked to be able to offer the Soar and Explore program—unlimited powder, exploring remote wilderness, and contemplating the stars from the deck of a luxury catamaran. We designed this package as the ultimate ski trip, a unique opportunity for the skier that has been everywhere to take a turn out of the ordinary into the extraordinary. We trust our guests will agree.”
Flights from Vancouver to Bella Coola are also included as well eight ski days, 20 hours of flight time and private, single-occupancy cabins for seven nights. All meals and drinks, including alcohol, are offered as part of the package, as are daily massage treatments, two professional ski guides and all amenities aboard the MV Cascadia.
“There is nothing like this in the world. It’s epic,” Maple Leaf Adventures co-owner Kevin Smith said in a press release. “B.C.’s fjords are stunning from the mountain peaks and to the ocean. When we introduced Cascadia, our luxury expedition yacht, I knew this was the right ship to support an exclusive yacht-based, heli-ski trip. Bella Coola Heli Sports shares that vision and dedication to exploration, and offering the best experiences in the region.”
Steiner said that the package is aimed at Canadian and international clients but, given the current COVID-19 pandemic, welcoming international clients may not be a reality this season. It has been on the books for a long time for the company, and they plan to launch it in March 2021.
“The program is of course available to both international and Canadian clients. However, for us to make a success of it we need a minimum 3-4 weeks of operation and the only way I see that being possible is to tap into our international clients base,” Steiner explained. “If the borders remain closed this winter we will have to delay the start of the program to 2022. In the long run we think this is going to be a hit. We already have a booking for the coming winter and have a party interested in booking it for 2022.”
