Alterra Mountain Company Closes Acquisition of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing in British Columbia
Today, Alterra Mountain Company has announced the closing of the purchase of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing(MWHS) in Blue River, British Columbia, Canada, further expanding the company’s premium heli-skiing portfolio, complementing CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures.
“With the acquisition of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing, we are excited to add another premier heli-skiing operation to the Alterra family,” said Jared Smith, President & CEO of Alterra Mountain Company. “We intend to continue the legacy that Mike Wiegele and his family built that helped set the standard for the extraordinary guest and employee experiences, which directly aligns with our values at Alterra.”
Alterra and the Wiegele family share an immense respect for the wilderness and mountain environment, and will continue to prioritize environmental sustainability, capital investment, and efforts to make mountain sports more accessible. In addition, Alterra recognizes that MWHS lies within the territory of the Simpcw First Nation and has worked closely with the Nation throughout the acquisition process.
“Alterra Mountain Company is the ideal partner to celebrate and preserve the legacy that Mike Wiegele left behind,” said Elias Ortner, General Manager of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing. “Becoming a part of the Alterra family will propel this operation to new heights, allowing us to enhance the guest experience further and deepen our existing community and loyal guest partnerships.”
Established in 1970, MWHS is located in the heart of the magnificent Cariboo, Monashee, and Rocky Mountains ranges. This unique area of British Columbia is renowned as one of the world’s most productive regions for high-quality, reliable powder snow. The 1.5-million-acre ski terrain and its 1,000 peaks offer varied terrain that appeals to all levels of snow enthusiasts. The operation consists of 22 handcrafted log chalets, a 20,000-square-foot main lodge, the exclusive Albreda Lodge, and a full-service sports shop. MWHS is known for its deeply experienced and committed guides, exceptional culinary offerings, extraordinary service, and premier amenities.
About Alterra Mountain Company
Alterra Mountain Company is a family of iconic year-round mountain destinations, the world’s largest heli-skiing operation, and Ikon Pass – the premier ski and snowboard season pass offering access to more than 50 iconic mountain destinations around the world. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado and born out of a shared love of the mountains and adventure, the company has brought together some of the world’s most aspirational brands, including: Steamboat and Winter Park in Colorado; Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Big Bear Mountain Resort and Snow Valley in California; Stratton Mountain and Sugarbush Resort in Vermont; Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia; Tremblant in Quebec and Blue Mountain in Ontario, Canada; Crystal Mountain in Washington; Schweitzer in Idaho; Deer Valley Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah; CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures and Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing in British Columbia. Also included in the portfolio is Alpine Aerotech, a worldwide helicopter support and maintenance service center in British Columbia, Canada, Aspenware, the ski industry leader in technology services and e-commerce, and Ski Butlers, the global leader in ski and snowboard rental delivery. For more information, please visit https://www.alterramtn.co/.
About Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing
Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing (MWHS) was founded in 1970 by Mike Wiegele. Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing is located in Blue River, BC in the heart of the Cariboo and Monashee Mountains and is one of the world’s most productive regions for high quality, reliable powder snow. With more than 1.5 million acres and over 1,000 peaks, Mike Wiegele’s ski terrain offers world class skiing and boarding. Over its 54 years of operation, the resort has been an industry leader in safety procedures and protocol, guide training, and rescue response planning, actively participating in setting industry safety standards and continuously researching and improving accident loss prevention and safety programs. With over 50 years of knowledge and experience, Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing takes every measure possible to place safety as the #1 focus for all guests and staff. For more information, please visit www.wiegele.com.
About Ikon Pass
The Ikon Pass welcomes skiers and riders to a community of inspiring mountain destinations and the people who live and play among them across the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Brought to you by Alterra Mountain Company, the Ikon Pass unlocks adventure at iconic and unique destinations including Aspen Snowmass, Steamboat, Winter Park, Copper Mountain Resort, Arapahoe Basin, and Eldora Mountain Resort in Colorado; Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain and Big Bear Mountain Resort and Snow Valley in California; Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming; Big Sky Resort in Montana; Alyeska Resort in Alaska, Stratton, Sugarbush Resort, and Killington in Vermont; Windham Mountain in New York; Snowshoe in West Virginia; The Highlands and Boyne Mountain in Michigan; Crystal Mountain and The Summit at Snoqualmie in Washington; Mt. Bachelor in Oregon; Sun Valley and Schweitzer in Idaho; Tremblant in Quebec and Blue Mountain in Ontario, Canada; SkiBig3 in Alberta, Canada; Revelstoke Mountain Resort, RED Mountain, Cypress Mountain, Panorama Mountain Resort and Sun Peaks Resort in British Columbia, Canada; Sunday River and Sugarloaf in Maine; Loon Mountain in New Hampshire; Camelback Resort and Blue Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania, Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico; Deer Valley Resort, Solitude Mountain Resort, Brighton Resort, Alta Ski Area, Snowbird and Snowbasin in Utah; Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley in France, Dolomiti Superski in Italy, Grandvalira Resorts Andorra in Andorra, Kitzbühel in Austria, Zermatt and St. Moritz in Switzerland; Thredbo and Mt Buller in Australia; Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Mt Hutt in New Zealand; Niseko United and Lotte Arai Resort in Japan, and Valle Nevado in Chile. Special offers are available at CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures, the world’s largest heli-skiing and heli-accessed hiking operation. For more information, please visit www.ikonpass.com.