Hans Gmoser "Heli-Skiing"

Born in Austria in 1932, Hans Gmoser moved to Canada in December 1951 and began his career as a mountain guide working for Lizzie Rummel at Mt. Assiniboine. He was a founding member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and during twenty years of active guiding made numerous first ascents, including the popular Direttissima on Yamnuska and the first guided climb of Mt. Alberta. Attracted to the higher peaks, in 1958 he made the first ascent of Mt. Blackburn (5030-metres) in Alaska and, the following year, led the second ascent of the East Ridge of Mt. Logan (6030-metres). With five companions, Hans spent close to a month skiing up the Kaskawalsh Glacier, ascending the peak, and finally building a raft to travel down the Donjek River. In 1963, he returned to Alaska to lead the first ascent of the Wickersham Wall of Mt. McKinley (6194-meters).

In 1957, Hans initiated what was to become the most exclusive ski business in the world. Canadian Mountain Holidays was originally conceived as a guiding business for both summer and winter climbing and ski touring. The ski touring program was based on the Stanley Mitchell Hut in Little Yoho and the Wheeler Hut in Rogers Pass, but also included tours across the Wapta, Waputik, Freshfield and Columbia Icefields. In 1965, Hans teamed up with helicopter pilot Jim Davies and set up shop in an abandoned lumber camp at the foot of the Bugaboos in southeastern British Columbia. The helicopter was to provide access to peaks and glaciers beyond the range of each day’s ski tour. Thus, helicopter skiing was born. For many years during this period, Hans would travel throughout North America and Europe, living out of the back of his Volkswagen and narrating the ten feature-length lecture films he shot and produced to promote skiing and climbing in Western Canada. At the urging of US tour operator, Arthur Tauck, heli-hiking followed in 1978 and the company now operates from world-class mountain lodges in eleven CHM heli-skiing areas in British Columbia.

Hans became an Honorary Member of The Alpine Club of Canada in 1986, a member of the Order of Canada in 1987, was inducted into the Honor Roll of Canadian Skiing in 1989, named an Honorary Member of the International Federation of Mountain Guides in 1992, and Honorary President of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides in 1997.