Until Tuesday evening, Haines-based Alaska Heliskiing claimed on its website to be a member of the Alaska Helicopter Skiing Association, which does not exist, according to numerous industry operators. In the safety section of the company’s website, under the heading “Our Safety Program,” Alaska Heliskiing claimed membership in an organization called the Alaska Helicopter Skiing […]
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Posted inNews
Neighbors critical of rezone plan
A potential rezone on the east side of Chilkat Lake Road wouldn’t address concerns about industrial development in the neighborhood, some residents say. Based on a recent survey sent out to 60 Chilkat Lake Road property owners, the Haines Borough Planning Commission is discussing rezoning the Eagle Vista subdivision from general use to rural residential or mixed […]
Posted inNews
Manager: Expand heli-ski map
Haines Borough administration recommendations on changes to heli-skiing management came under fire by critics of the industry during an assembly committee meeting Tuesday. Mayor Stephanie Scott said the purpose of the meeting was to get “a sense of assembly direction” before bringing the recommendations back for statute considerations by Sept. 11. Rob Goldberg reacted indignantly to a […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Will borough act on heli-ski complaints?
I submitted complaints regarding heli-skiing outside allowed boundaries for March 19 and April 5, complete with photos showing helicopters and ski tracks, and signed statements from witnesses, including myself. Have SEABA or Alaska Heliskiing provided the borough with GPS data for these dates? If not, why not? The manager’s end of season report includes a letter from […]
Posted inNews
Industy, skiers revisit safety issues
The deaths of two heli-skiers in an avalanche here has generated safety discussions among firms conducting the tours and among backcountry skiers. The March 13 avalanche buried Alaska Heliskiing guide Rob Liberman and client Nick Dodov under six to eight feet of snow. Recent autopsies determined both died of asphyxiation. The slide occurred as Dodov […]
Posted inThank You Letters
HVFD grateful for avalanche training
The Haines Volunteer Fire Department would like to thank SEABA for sending staff to train us on avalanche awareness. A special thanks goes to Matt Borish for his overview of avalanche causes and general response techniques. Thanks to Katie Miller for her demonstration and use of probes and beacons.
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Heli-ski law impedes goat research
he headline this week should have read, “Assembly enacts ordinance to block research on wildlife populations in Chilkat Valley.” After agonizing over minor details, the assembly voted to radically gut the new heli-ski GPS monitoring system. What the adopted ordinance essentially does is to block the daily GPS recordings of helicopter flight paths from being […]
Posted inNews
Assembly moves to make GPS data public for ‘spot checks’
Under a proposed ordinance up for adoption Tuesday, global positioning system data for helicopter skiing submitted to the Haines Borough is public information, but it’s unclear how often that information would be collected. The assembly last week amended the ordinance that would have made the data confidential, unless required in an official investigation or court proceeding. Members […]
Posted inNews
Assembly leans to spot check heli-ski GPS data
Mayor Stephanie Scott on Tuesday twice broke tie votes of the Haines Borough Assembly regarding global positioning system data for helicopter skiing, advancing amendments that would lead to spot checks for compliance that would be public information. The assembly delayed a vote on adopting the amended ordinance until Tuesday, Feb. 28. “What we’re really trying to do here, I […]
Posted inNews
Permit for 26 Mile heliport struck down
The Haines Borough Planning Commission last week in a 3-3 vote denied a company’s request for a permit to use a 26 Mile heliport for commercial helicopter skiing. Commissioners Andy Hedden, Roger Maynard and Donnie Turner on Jan. 19 supported the conditional use permit for Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures (SEABA). Rob Goldberg, Danny Gonce and Lee Heinmiller were opposed, […]