SAM Magazine—Denver, Colo., Aug. 30, 2021—Alterra Mountain Company has purchased Purcell Heli-Skiing in British Columbia, Canada. The business and ski tenure will be incorporated into Alterra-owned CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures. CMH president and COO Rob Rohn will oversee the transition and all operations.

“At Alterra Mountain Company we continually look for opportunities that offer guests unique mountain experiences and exceptional guest service,” said Alterra president and CEO Rusty Gregory. “We found that ideal combination in Purcell Heli-Skiing and look to preserve and continue its unique culture within the CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures operation.”

Purcell Heli-Skiing was established in 1974 by former CMH guide Rudi Gertsch. It has been a family business for nearly 50 years. The operation is the closest major heli-skiing offering to Calgary. It includes a 13-acre lot with a day lodge and heliport and a tenure license for 495,000 acres of wide-open glaciers, high alpine bowls, and gladed subalpine forest in Golden, B.C., adjacent to CMH’s current Bobbie Burns tenure. 

“Purcell Heli-Skiing is a storied and respected outfit, and we are grateful for the opportunity to continue founder Rudi Gertsch’s legacy and history of creating incredible memories,” said Rohn, who added that guests will be able to explore both the CMH and Purcell experiences under one managed umbrella. “The CMH team will observe and assess current operations to determine our long-term plans after the first winter season.”

Current Purcell trips include one-, two-, and three-day packages for up to six people with two guides, excluding lodging and transportation. All confirmed bookings will be honored and managed by CMH, and any available spaces will be incorporated into CMH’s current product offerings and sold for upcoming winter seasons.