Mandi Blewett had been operating an angling lodge on British Columbias Dean River for a decade when the flood came. In 2010, record rains deluged the region, and the river spilled over its banks. The torrent was so violent that it altered the course of the river, which slithered toward their home and business.

　　It was running right in front of our lodge. And it just ate away, Blewett told GearJunkie. We knew we had to move.

　　When the water had receded, Blewett, her then-husband, and their two girls, Dylan and Zoe, relocated their lives and livelihood a kilometer downstream. It was a tremendous effort, she said, but it opened up a world of possibilities for her business and family. Chief among them was the potential to become a heli-skiing operation.

　　So when construction finally came to an end, the family applied for a heli tenure — essentially a permit to operate a heli-skiing business in an exclusive area of Canadas Crown land (i.e., public land).

　　The rebuilt lodge at Great Bear Heli Skiing; (photo/Great Bear Heli Skiing) We asked for the world and expected wed get some tiny little piece, Mandi said. And instead, we kind of got a huge tenure.

　　They got 6,250 square kilometers, to be exact (3,883 square miles). Suddenly, the once-small, three-season angling lodge had become a full-scale four-season heli-skiing operation. The family named it Great Bear Heli Skiing and opened its doors in 2022.

　　Then, in 2023, Mandi and her husband separated. Her two now-grown daughters, Mandi and Zoe, became her business partners, and in doing so, Great Bear Heli Skiing became the only heli-skiing operation in North America owned and operated by women.

　　(Photo/Zoe Blewett) It might also be the most boutique, all-inclusive heli-skiing experience money can buy —for those who can afford the five- and six-figure price tags.

　　Great Bear Heli Skiing: A Family Operation The Blewett family loved skiing, long before owning a heli-ski operation was even a dream.

　　Mom and Dad were skiing in and around Bella Coola when we were really young. And I remember wed go to a tiny little toe hill there that we learned on, Mandi recalled. I just remember being like two or three and trying to ski and just getting stuck in powder all the time.

　　Mandi, Dylan, and Zoe on a family hike in British Columbia with their cousin Sarah; (photo/Great Bear Heli Skiing) As the years went on, their love for skiing and connection to the sport grew exponentially. Zoe has become a sponsored athlete with K2 and Dakine and has appeared in several ski films, including K2s Rikka and Laura Obermeyers film Jyosi.

　　Today, Mandi is the CEO of Great Bear Heli Skiing. Dylan, the eldest daughter, serves as the general manager. Zoe, the youngest, is on the businesss marketing team and also works as a pastry chef. All three Blewetts co-own the business together.

　　Its all a blur, man, Dylan said. Weve been working our butts off. And every time you turn around, somethings happening.

　　Asked what it meant to be the only female-owned and -operated heli skiing operation in North America, they shrugged nonchalantly.

　　Dylan Blewett stands in the workshop at Great Bear; (photo/Great Bear Heli Skiing) Gender-specific roles have just never been a thing here, Mandi said. To be honest, we hadnt really even thought about it until it started getting pointed out to us.

　　They didnt plan to make Great Bear a women-owned and operated business —it just happened that way, they said. Still, its a badge they seem honored to wear.

　　If we can empower other women to pursue their dreams and not be restrained by being female in a lot of these really male-dominated worlds thats pretty cool, Mandi said.

　　All Inclusive, Unlimited Vertical, All to Yourself Surrounded by much larger heli skiing operations like Bella Coola Heli Skiing and Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH), Great Bear Heli Skiing is unique among its neighboring competition. This is about as far from a generic heli-skiing experience as you can get, the Blewetts said.

　　For one, its so remote that guests actually take a helicopter shuttle straight from the Vancouver Airport to the Great Bear Lodge. There are no buses, Ubers, or van rides to reach them.

　　Getting deep in that B.C. white gold; (photo/Great Bear Heli Skiing) Once there, its totally hands-free. Gourmet meals are home-prepared for guests, using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Theres a wood-fired sauna, a cold plunge shower, and a cocktail bar. The guest lodges all have their own fireplaces, cast iron stoves, and bathrooms with heated floors. Ski equipment and avalanche safety gear are provided. Theres even massage therapy available.

　　Of course, the skiing is the main attraction. According to the Blewetts, its downright world-class. Their 6,250-square-kilometer tenure is a quarter of the size of the European Alps.

　　Great Bear guides and their clients stand above an untouched slope; (photo/Great Bear Heli Skiing) The terrain is situated between the Central Coast and the eastern edge of the Great Bear Rainforest. Average snowfall in the alpine areas of this region often exceeds 120 inches a year.

　　For the price (well get there in a minute), your trip includes unlimited vertical. So you can heli ski until your legs give out. And because its exclusive to Great Bear, youll only ever have to share that terrain with — at most — 12 other people. Sometimes less.

　　Their operation is also highly reliable. Thanks to a smooth local climate, Great Bear reports seeing less than one day per week when the helicopters cant fly.

　　(Photo/Great Bear Heli Skiing) Most of Great Bears runs are within a short helicopter ride from the lodge. And Zoe pointed out that they cater to every type of skier — not just experts. While they recommend that clients have at least some intermediate skiing experience, the lodge also offers suitable terrain for beginners.

　　Anyone can heli ski, and thats something that a lot of people just dont realize, Zoe said.

　　What It Will Cost You If an all-inclusive, unlimited vertical heli skiing experience sounds like an expensive vacation, thats because it is. Great Bears cheapest option is the 4-Day Premium Package, which is only offered in April and costs $20,000 CAD ($14,531) per person. The Standard Program, which runs all season, is $25,720 CAD ($18,688) per head.

　　(Photo/Great Bear Heli Skiing) Then, you have the private program for one group of up to four, which costs $158,650 CAD ($115,273), and the Semi Private Program, for two groups of up to eight, which is $239,920 CAD ($174,322).

　　The final price tier is the Exclusive Booking, which reserves use of the entire Great Bear Heli Skiing lodge for a single group for $308,604 CAD ($224,227).

　　(Photo/Great Bear Heli Skiing) Even compared to some of Bella Coolas most expensive trips, those are impressive price tags. However, Zoe emphasized that what they offer is more than just simple heli laps. Its a personalized experience that no other operation duplicates, they said. The Blewetts cater to their guests, make sure everyone is having a good time, and add that special touch, they told GearJunkie.

　　There are other reasons for the high prices as well, according to the businesss fine print. Examples include the preparatory costs involved with running a remote operation and employment commitments made to the staff.

　　The operation may be new, but its got plenty of return customers who have experienced Great Bear — and already want to relive it.

　　If you want to learn more about Great Bears operation or book your trip, visit the Great Bear Heli Skiing website. For videos and more photos of the skiing, visit the operations Instagram.

　　Meet the First 2 Heli-Skiing Operators in the World to Go Carbon-NeutralLast year, a small company in British Columbia was the first heli-skiing operator to go carbon-neutral. Now, there's a second carbon-neutral heli-skiing team on the scene. Read more