Heli-skiing first took flight six decades ago among the granite spires of the Bugaboos in British Columbia, Canada. It was the first successful commercial heli-skiing trip and the start of CMH Heli-Skiing.
Hans Gmoser, CMH’s founder and renowned Mountain Guide, led that inaugural trip on April 5, 1965. Its success sparked an entire industry and a new way of skiing.
So, here’s to 60 years of people joined by the thread of a snow-filled dream. Here’s to all the moments in between. The first flights and lodge nights. The mountaintops and lunch stops. The steep drops, face shots, tall tales, yard sales, first-timers and old-timers. Here’s to you, and to those yet to experience the view.
Share your favourite memories
We invite you to add to our digital memory wall by sharing yours in the comment section, below. What’s a CMH moment that you cherish? How has CMH been part of your life? We want to hear.
Note: the comment section is moderated, so your submission might not appear right away. Please be respectful when choosing what to share.
Comments
Hope i can make a trip this year!
left with tears of joy
We’ve been skiing with CMH for 28 years of pure joy and at 83 old are still at it – although not the first person to the pickup.
My first run at the Bugs in the early 70’s was on Martinsville with my buddy Butch and Leo Grillmaier was our guide. We saw an little ad in Skiing Mag. that said, CMH helicopter skiing $635. We paid our deposit and now…here we are! Leo took off and 11 of us are in tow. We stop after the first pitch and Butch and I are right behind him. Leo says, “Where are you guys from?” we told him Colorado.
He said, “Let the other guys go first sometimes.” We said we would. Off we go on the second pitch. Butch and I waited till everybody took off. We started down, passed everybody up, and again we were first behind Leo. Leo turned around and said, “What the hello did I tell you two? Let some others go first.” I said, Leo, we waited till everybody took off. Then we did and passed them all.” Leo said, “Well shit! That’s OK. At least you tried”.
That was my first run at CMH. It was the best. Leo was the best. And…CMH IS THE BEST!
I was hooked. 65 weeks later and 7,500,000 feet later I have a book full of memories at CMH but I will never forget that very first one!
Great story! I think you knew my father-in-law Marc Taggart.
Have been skiing with CMH 4 times in past years – amazing experiences- all of them !
I believe we might have been the first family to ski with CMH starting in 1967, before the Bugaboo lodge was build. We stayed in the old logging camp and shared our cabin with a family of Martins (hence the name Martinsville). Every morning Hans would come in to light the fire then we were off to the cook shack for breakfast cooked by Margaret and make our lunches (pancakes with peanut butter & Jam) for a day out. The tiny helicopter our first year and not the best weather made for interesting tree skiing, touring (on alpine skis with army surplus skins) or tow rides behind skidoo through the woods with wild and fun Kiwi. The other skiers were a bit miffed at my dad for bring his 4 “little kids” (10 – 17) until the first run when we all took off after Hans and pretty much out skied most the heavier adults in the deep & damp snow.
We returned many years after that watching CMH grow and expanding our ski horizons. Eventually we all earned our million foot suits sometime in the 1990’s (not much vertical in those early days!). Many, many unbelievable family memories and dear friends made on the mountains & in the lodges.
I have so many great memories. Great company!my boys are working me to come again.
Had knee replaced 2 years ago. Not physically fit. 82!!! But wondering.
Had over 4 million great memories with CMH. Galena my favourite!!!
This company thrives through its people and places. So proud to have played a small part in its history – and so excited to see what’s to come. Thanks you CMH!
I began skiing with CMH around 1980 with a group of doctors, dentists and attorneys that came up yearly. That journey began at the Carriboos and we gradually settled into Galena. Hans used to swing by almost every trip, Ernest was a guide and we had so many fun times at every lodge we visited that it’s hard to pick out one. I think the funniest moment was when one of our group earned his million suit we took his old ski suit, that he had worn daily for years, placed in on a cross, doused it with gas and burned it, to everyone’s delight!
For my 75th birthday I brought my family up to Revelstoke and this year for my 80th we’re returning to where it all began for me, the Cariboos, for Christmas on a family week.
The best overall memories of my life !!!!!!! despite of a couple of accidents.
Went heli-skiing in 1998 for the trip of a lifetime but got hooked and it became a priority; I kept going back for 12 seasons. My million vertical feet ski suit is precious to me !!
Thank you CMH.
Visited Galena 2012. My best skiing ever! Luckily very good weather and lots of snow. Learned what treewells was and avoided them! Fantastic lodge and wonderful food. Outside pool on which the stars looked down. Wish I could visit again before I die!
Started at CMH in the MO in March 1977 and I’m still at it 48 years later. More incredible memories to come!
I have skied with CMH for 15 years, mostly in the Bugaboos. The skiing is absolutely incredible; memories have been made with the lifelong friends that I’ve made while navigating the beautiful terrain. The experience is priceless. My million foot suit was earned on Pearl and that still is one of my favourite runs. I am already looking forward to my next trip in ‘26.
At Bobbie Burns 2 years ago, after a second bluebird day in the majesty of those peaks, I phoned my wife back home.
“How was it?” she asked.
My response: “I didn’t have one of the best ski days of my life. I just had one of the best days of my life!”
I’ve skied CMH for 49 straight years and still enjoy it as much as my first time. You just can’t get that kind of powder at ski areas, period!
I have been with my son 3 times. He has agreed to not be in the fastest group so we can ride together. Best of times.
Like so many others I was only going to heli-ski once. Nineteen trips later and nine years with my wife Eileen we were able to spent our last trip on our 50th wedding anniversary at Bobbie Burns in 2017. Thank you CMH.
First went to CMH Valemount in the early 80’s, it was a blast. 210 skis, ex Vietnam chopper pilots, motel straight out of the movie Psycho. $2500 for the week. What could go wrong, well getting an addiction to heli sking and organising an annual trip with the boys for a week of the best skiing, eating and drinking. Plus the Friday night party and trying to back up for the Saturday morning ski before flying back to Australia. Good memories
2004 our “Honey Moon” trip at Revelstoke = best memories ever 🙂 Since then 5 trips, hope to be able to join again in 2026.
I was a professional snowboarder and ranked among the top in the world for over 10 years. After retiring from competition, I started working with Atomic, the ski company, and that’s where I first came into contact with CMH.
They asked me if I’d be interested in supporting their marketing and sales efforts in Austria. To be honest, I wasn’t sure at first — I had my doubts about heliskiing. Would it really be that good? Would they take me to the kind of terrain I loved as a pro — steep and deep?
Their answer was simple: “We have a trip for you. Join us, and let us know what you think.”
That was 13 years ago, in mid-March. And guess what? I was hooked from day one. It was hands down the best trip of my life — and that’s saying something after over a decade as a pro snowboarder!
That trip sparked not only a new passion, but also a new career: becoming the CMH agent for Austria. Since then, I’ve skied close to 3 million vertical feet — and the stoke is still as strong as ever.
Big thanks to Hans, Leo, Shelley, and Marty — you changed my life.
Love it!
CRI
My first of three CMH adventures happened 40 years ago at The Bugaboos Lodge . I was so nervous on my first day out as there was a few feet of fresh snow and I had little experience at that depth. But I dived in (sometimes literally) and with wonderful and patient help from Leo, I made it through the week and won a prize – “The most improved skier” of the week 🤣. I was one of two women that week. It is so much fun that I went back for two more fabulous weeks of skiing and comraderie. Congratulations on your 60th.