SAM Magazine—Denver, Colo., Oct. 11, 2023—Alterra Mountain Company has initiated the purchaseof Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing (MWHS) in Blue River, BC, Canada. Officials at Alterra said the addition will complement the company’s BC-based CMH Heli-Skiing and Summer Adventures operation, and is expected to be completed late this year, pending closing conditions that include regulatory approvals. 

“The choice of Alterra to continue building on the Wiegele legacy was guided by the Wiegele family’s immense respect for the wilderness and mountain environment,” said Jared Smith, president and CEO of Alterra. “Together, the entities share a commitment to environmental sustainability, capital improvement, and making mountain sports more accessible.”

Wiegele, who died in 2021 at the age of 82, founded the operation in 1970. MWHS operates in the Cariboo, Monashee, and Rocky Mountains ranges with access to 1.5 million acres of ski terrain and 1,000 peaks, catering to a variety of ability levels. 

Included in the operation are 22 handcrafted log chalets, a 20,000-square-foot main lodge, the operation’s Albreda Lodge, and a full-service sports shop. 

MWHS operates within the territory of the Simpcw First Nation, and officials at Alterra said the company intends to consult and work with the Nation throughout the ownership process. 

“Alterra is the ideal partner to celebrate and preserve the legacy that Mike Wiegele left behind,” said Elias Ortner, general manager of MWHS. “This will propel this operation to new heights, allowing us to enhance the guest experience further and deepen our existing community and loyal guest partnerships.”

“Mike and I were always committed to an enduring future for the business,” added Bonnie Wiegele, owner of MWHS. “A future that would honor our commitments to mountain safety and stewardship, to an exceptional powder skiing experience, to our committed guides and staff, and to the relationships we have formed with partners and guests from around the world—this ensures MWHS will continue to be one of the world's most unique powder skiing experiences for the next 50 years.”