With nearly 50 years under its belt as the inventor of heli-skiing in Western Canada, the world’s largest operator and the company that started it all, CMH Heli-Skiing, will be expanding its ski terrain in the Selkirks sub-range of the Columbia Mountains for the 2013/2014 season. They will also be making changes to their Gothics lodge which will open for the season on December 21.
The Gothics Lodge will feature new interior designs by Portland-based design firm Skylab Architecture. Pairing the look and feel of the rugged terrain outdoors and today’s contemporary alpine lodge, the public spaces will refresh the central living and communal dining areas of the lodge.
"With the redesign of the Gothics Lodge with its sleek new look, we are thrilled to usher in a brand-new era of CMH Heli-Skiing," says Joe Flannery, President of CMH. "Skylab has done a fantastic job at creating an aesthetic that retains the warm social space of an iconic CMH alpine lodge while updating it for the next generation, as we head towards our 50th-anniversary celebrations next year."
Adding more textures to the lodge's iconic native Douglas fir walls, columns and large stone fireplace, the lodge will now include digitally printed alpine views, designer wrought iron chandeliers with hand-blown glass, wool accessories, Swiss-stacked fir tables from a regional Canadian designer, and decorative antlers.
Those staying at the newly renovated lodge will also get to experience 18,000 more acres of skiable terrain, roughly the same size as three of the largest ski resorts in North America combined. "As a skier, there is no place like British Columbia's fresh powder," says Jeff Kovel, AIA, Principal of Skylab Architecture. "The CMH vision, aligning the hospitality experience with an inspired natural surrounding, is something we're proud to be a part of."
Meant for only 33 skiers at a time, Gothics offers a number of signature and specialty trips such as Powder 101: Intro Heli-Skiing & Intro Girl Powder, private trips, next generation trips and family heli-skiing. Rates vary depending on number of days (typically 4-7) and start at $4,300 at the beginning of the season.
