Sixteen residents and two heli-ski companies have submitted proposals to the Haines Borough regarding alterations to the heli-skiing map. Residents who submitted proposals were entered into a drawing to determine which resident would represent the public on a five-member map committee. The committee will meet at noon for the next three Fridays to discuss the […]
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SEABA fined for landing at fatal accident site
The Haines Borough fined Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures (SEABA) $500 last week for operating on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property without a permit during the March 3 heli-skiing accident that killed a guide and injured two others. Manager Mark Earnest, who can fine heli-skiing companies up to $1,000 per violation, said he decided on $500 because the company […]
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Borough: 6 heli-ski violations in season
The Haines Borough recently leveled a combined $1,200 in fines against two heli-skiing companies for six permit violations in March and April. The borough fined Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures (SEABA) $400 for two out-of-bounds landings on March 19. It also fined Alaska Heliskiing $800 for three out-of-bounds landings and one incident of deviating from a flight […]
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Heli-skiing legal fees: $3,500
The Haines Borough attorney billed the borough more than $3,500 in January for issues related to heli-skiing, chief fiscal officer Jila Stuart said this week. Brooks Chandler billed the borough for 17 hours of work – $3,570 – under the “heli-skiing” category on his January invoice. The borough renewed commercial tour permits in January for three local […]
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Students make grade in avalanche class
Fourteen eighth-graders will receive “Avalanche 1” certification, following a program offered at Haines School. The students received 20 hours of classroom instruction and spent eight hours in the field, said physical education teacher Lexie DeWitt. Field training included using locator beacons, assessing snow stability and digging test pits to check ski conditions, she said. “They […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Guides made avalanche class a reality
Thanks for the generosity of Sean Gaffney and Zach Tarleton of Alaska Mountain Guides/International Wilderness Leadership School. Eighth-grade students have completed a 24-hour Avalanche Level 1 course with their guidance. Students learned to recognize the terrain features, weather patterns and snow conditions that lead to avalanches, and how to make the safest possible decisions when traveling in the mountains. They practiced […]
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Film features story of extreme skiing, risks
The March 2012 deaths of a heli-ski guide and client near Haines are profiled in a film currently making the rounds on the festival circuit in the Lower 48. From mid-February to mid-March 2012, filmmaker Ben Clark skied and interviewed staff and clients of Haines-based heli-ski operator Alaska Heliskiing. The result of Clark’s time here […]
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Operators: Heli-skiing here for the long term
Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures and Alaska Mountain Guides representatives championed the positive economic impacts of the heli-ski industry on Haines during a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Scott Sundberg and Nick Trimble, co-owners of SEABA, and AMG President Sean Gaffney spoke to the chamber Feb. 8 about their expectations for the upcoming season and the future […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Cozzi made right decision on permit
As a staunch supporter of the heli-skiing industry in Haines, I would like to applaud the borough clerk Julie Cozzi on her decision to renew the permit for Alaska Heliskiing. Kudos to Ms. Cozzi, the borough and its legal representative for making the right decision vs. caving in the face of an endless barrage of […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Tour permits are earned, not owned
Whether Alaska Heliskiing should get their borough permit renewed to operate a commercial activity on public lands may be debatable. But the most disturbing fact from last week’s heli-ski article was the borough’s statements that a tour permit is not a privilege but rather a property right, equivalent to a piece of property. Please. We all […]