Safety & Risk Awareness

Heli Activities involve many risks, dangers, and hazards including but not limited to the following:

• Avalanches, landslides, and rock fall occur frequently in the terrain used for Heli Activities and may be caused by natural forces or by human activities or actions.

• Blackcomb Helicopters, AlpX Expeditions, and Tyax Adventures (the “Blackcomb Group”) may fail to predict whether the terrain is safe for Heli Activities or whether an avalanche, landslide, or rockfall may occur.

• The terrain used for Heli Activities may be uncontrolled, unmarked, or not inspected.

• Travel over extreme mountainous or alpine terrain where fallen timber, branches, rocks, roots, or other obstacles or hazards, steep slopes, or unstable or slippery ground may cause slips, trips, or falls; travel on, through, or beside snowfields, glaciers, cornices, crevasses, cliffs, trees, streams, creeks, rivers, ponds, and lakes, and holes and depressions on or below the snow surface; encounters with domestic or wild animals; encounters with dangerous or poisonous flora and fauna; miscellaneous health problems related to over-exposure to the sun, insect bites, fatigue, stress, dehydration, hypothermia, exertion, high altitude, and lack of fitness; impact or collision with person or object; loss of balance; difficulty or inability to control one’s speed or direction; infectious disease, howsoever contracted, and which may be transmitted through direct or indirect contact; lightening strike; equipment failure; becoming lost or separated from one’s guide or party; problems with radio or other communication; delayed or negligent first aid; negligence, inattention, or inexperience of other persons, including other guests.

• NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF THE BLACKCOMB GROUP, INCLUDING THE FAILURE ON THE PART OF THE BLACKCOMB GROUP AND THEIR EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS TO TAKE REASONABLE STEPS TO SAFEGUARD OR PROTECT ME FROM OR WARN ME OF THE RISKS, DANGERS, AND HAZARDS OF HELI ACTIVITIES.

• Communication in the alpine and backcountry terrain is difficult and in the event of an accident, rescue and medical treatment may not be available.

• Alpine and backcountry weather conditions may be extreme and can change rapidly and without warning.

• Aircraft malfunction and pilot error.

• Mountain biking falls frequently result in injuries.

Alpine Ski/Snowboard Boot Binding Systems – Most, if not all, modern alpine ski bindings are releasable in the event a fall, or a twisting force exceeds the DIN/release value on the binding. Lighter weight ski-touring bindings offer similar functionality however it is important to know your equipment and ensure that whatever binding you choose to use for your trip has some release capability to help reduce your vulnerability in the event of an emergency situation.

Snowboards and Telemark Skis - Unlike alpine ski boot/binding systems, snowboard and some telemark boot/binding systems are not designed or intended to release and thus users of these boot/binding systems are more vulnerable in the event of an avalanche.

Airbag Use – If you own an airbag or fanbag, then we encourage you to use this equipment for your trip. Research has shown that, in certain environments and situations, air/fanbags can reduce your vulnerability in the event of an avalanche by keeping a person positioned closer to the surface of the debris.

Helmets – The use of approved ski helmets, although not required, has become a standard part of nearly every skier’s personal protection system. Helmets reduce a person’s vulnerability in the event of fall or impact with terrain. Most helmets are lightweight and provide insulation on cold days.

Basic backcountry etiquette suggests that skiers/riders acknowledge the following when being guided:

• Listen to your guide’s instructions at all times.

• Avoid wearing devices that impair your ability to hear instructions.

• Electronic devices or metallic objects such as heated gloves, magnetic storm flaps in jackets, cell phones, chest-mounted GoPros, GPS units, and handheld radios can interfere with the electronics in your avalanche transceiver thereby reducing the avalanche transceiver’s reliability or effectiveness.

• The use of drugs or alcohol is prohibited.

Our guests receive a helicopter safety briefing prior to departure. It is important that we have your undivided attention during this briefing.

The commitment we make to our guests is that we follow industry standards and best practices for our guided programs. We take our task very seriously because you have entrusted us with your well being. Our guides have diverse and lengthy backgrounds in mountain travel and avalanche safety. We are all professionals and members of the Canadian Avalanche Association and Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. We are bound to follow the code of ethics and scopes of practice that being members in good standing of these associations demand of us.

Prior to being able to participate in any Heli Activities, participants must agree to and sign our Release of Liability, Assumption of Risks, and Indemnity Agreement, a copy of which can be found here. By signing this document, you will waive or give up certain legal rights, including the right to sue the Blackcomb Group following an accident.

Blackcomb Helicopters accepts no responsibility for the safety of persons in the backcountry and it is a condition of Blackcomb providing charter drop service that charter clients sign Blackcomb’s waiver of liability. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Blackcomb reserves the right to refuse to provide charter drop service if in Blackcomb’s opinion a charter client is not sufficiently prepared for the backcountry.

Have you considered:

1) the weather forecast, your route, and your exit plan?

2) having a form of two-way communication with the outside world?

3) making a trip plan and leaving it with a competent person? See: www.adventuresmart.ca

4) having survival equipment/supplies that will keep you warm and comfortable for a

minimum of 24 unsupported hours should you be lost, injured, or should a delay occur?

5) whether you have the appropriate avalanche safety equipment, awareness, and training,

given your objective?

6) researching the current avalanche conditions at: www.avalanche.ca?

7) who and how to call should you require a rescue?

8) hiring a guide, if you are unfamiliar with the area you intend to ski?