The Haines Chamber of Commerce Saturday gave its “Business of the Year” award to heli-ski firm Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures, a company that’s been battling more than a year with critics and the Haines Borough over imposed limits on its operations. The award is one of four presented annually by the business group, and the only one […]
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Posted inNews
SEABA must seek new heli-ski permit: Assembly won’t levy fines, will rewrite regulatory ordinance
Following more than an hour of closed-door assembly discussion Tuesday, Haines Borough Mayor Jan Hill said the municipality won’t fine local helicopter-skiing firm SEABA for violations of the local laws regulating the industry, but will require the company to apply for a new permit to operate in 2011. Borough manager Mark Earnest at the same time will work with its attorney to draft […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
SEABA couldn’t turn customers away
Concerning the “infractions” committed by Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures, and certain Haines citizens’ efforts to penalize them: What was SEABA supposed to do when these “extra heli-skiers” showed up, putting them over their quota? Send them back home? How much money did those people pay to come to Haines, Alaska, to ski the most awesome extreme skiing […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
SEABA gives case against heli-ski regs
A Haines Borough committee meeting to discuss possible penalties for heli-ski firm Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures Tuesday became a closed meeting with an attorney when the firm delivered a letter challenging the borough’s right to regulate the industry. The letter, from company owners Scott Sundberg and Nick Trimble, says the borough did not have a vote required […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Replace SEABA with responsible firm?
Let me begin by stating that I am a skier, and not antagonistic to heli-skiing, provided that it is done in a responsible manner. Nevertheless, I am very disturbed by the statements made by spokespersons for Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures regarding their deliberate and flagrant disregard for local regulations. In the latest issue of the […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Heli-ski firm exceeds increased flight limit Borough may penalize SEABA
Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures exceeded its allowable skier days this year by 22 percent, despite a 29 percent increase provided by the Haines Borough. The Haines-based helicopter-skiing company also used more than twice its allowable photo days and is the subject of a resident’s complaint of flying outside management plan boundaries April 4. “The administration […]
Chilkat Valley Newsletter Saturday April 25
Twenty years ago Alaska voters created the Ocean Ranger program which put state environmental observers on large cruise ships and created a $4 per-passenger tax to fund the program. But Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration axed the program, telling the legislature in 2020 that it was “costly for its outcomes,” and subjected the cruise industry to […]
Posted inLocal News
Assembly rejects controversial heli-ski regulations
With allegations of “eco-terrorism” raising the tenor of the conversation, the assembly Tuesday voted unanimously to hold heli-ski regulations largely static, and deny legislation to collect daily GPS data from heli-ski companies. As it stands, the companies provide a mix of location data to the borough government. Some of it is self-reported, including general lists […]
Posted inLocal News
Assembly Briefs: Heli-ski data, lawsuits, and dock updates
Heli-ski data debate A debate has been brewing, and will stretch at least into next month, over GPS data collected by heli-ski companies. The GPS data in question is logged by heli-ski helicopters, tracking where heli-ski tours fly and land. In July, the Commercial Heli-ski Map Committee voted to recommend the borough assembly request the […]
Posted inLocal News, Photos of the Week
Photos of the Week: A flash mob, heliskiing, and the Blessing of the Fleet
Luke Marquardt and a friend dive for and then examine Dungeness crabs near the cruise ship dock on Friday, March 29, 2024 in Haines. Dungeness must be male and at least 6.5 inches across to keep for personal use. (Lex Treinen/Chilkat Valley News) Top: Juniper Brownell hits a jump at Powdah Mountain at 35 Mile […]