The Best in the Business
Pacific Crest Heli-Guides has handpicked its staff from the ranks of veteran patrollers, backcountry guides and avalanche forecasters that call Lake Tahoe home. Relax and enjoy your day on the slopes in the hands of our professional guides all of which are EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) certified and highly trained in avalanche forecasting and control work. In fact, most of our employees work year-round as guides and many are employed in the spring as helicopter ski guides at Alaska Backcountry Adventures, our sister operation in Valdez, AK. Our guides are trained in high and low angle rescue techniques and our snowcat is outfitted with first aid and rescue gear. Our operation was created for your safety by a lifetime guide and avalanche forecaster, it was created to share the backcountry. Pacific Crest Heli-Guides has a perfect safety record; you will be in great hands. Just relax and enjoy the ride.
We strive to share our knowledge of safe backcountry protocols developed by veteran Alaskan heliguides and guests can expect to walk away from the day more knowledgable on backcountry travel techniques. Guests are trained in the use of an avalanche beacon which is provided as part of the trip cost; guests are not required to carry a pack but may feel free to do so. In addition to finding the best snow conditions, our guides are continually studying the snowpack to become intimate with its various layers and degrees of bonding. In this way we avoid the use of explosives, which tend to destroy powder skiing by exposing the bed surfaces and creating avalanche debris. When we are trying to get on steeper terrain you will see your guide doing hazard assessment tests and ski cutting to control potentially unstable snow. Your guides will tell you what they are doing and explain each run as you go. With just four guests per guide you are guaranteed personal attention. The guides also watch the group’s skiing ability to assess the terrain that they feel is best for the group; please feel free to discuss your terrain desires with your guide.
A lifetime guide and founder/head guide of Pacific Crest Snowcats, this reformed Squaw Valley ski patroller’s attitude is infectious to say the least. Happy serves as an avalanche forecaster and consultant for film and industry, and his skill set is overshadowed only by his enthusiasm for the alpine environment.
Ward Chesnut is a longtime Lake Tahoe local who has put in his tour of duty as a patroller at ski resorts on both coasts. Ward is the current Operations Manager for Pacific Crest Snowcats and it is a rare occurrence for him to not be out on our slopes in some capacity.
3B is a relaxed and humble guide who is regularly requested at PCS. His skill set has been honed with career ski patrol experience at Squaw Valley and as a lead guide at Pacific Crest Snowcats. Skiing with Paul you may come to understand why we call him 3 Ball, it ain't stock... its aftermarket.
With his roots as a ski patroller decades ago before he became a lead guide at Pacific Crest Snowcats, Ken also finds his way to Thompson Pass each season where he manages the operations of ABA. He is a skilled guide and is always there to help our guests with any problem and has helped make both operations seamless for many years now.
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