our executive

Formed in 1978, HeliCat Canada is a not-for-profit association registered under the BC Societies Act. 

The Association is governed by an elected, volunteer Board of Directors. The Executive Director administers the day-to-day functions of the organization and manages its various initiatives, staff and contractors.

Chief EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Ross Cloutier

Ross brings over 40 years of adventure industry experience to his role of CEO. He has worked in over 30 countries developing adventure tourism businesses and adventure-economy strategies, and developing adventure tourism product with First Nations communities, governments, and businesses in Canada’s north, British Columbia, Greenland, Iceland, Labrador, and Chilean Patagonia.

Ross is the founder of the Adventure Studies Department at Thompson Rivers University and was the BC Provincial Search and Rescue Coordinator. Ross was the President and Board Chair of Avalanche Canada and the Climbing Leader of the Everest Canada 1991 expedition.

President

Beat Steiner
Bella Coola Heli Sports

“The best three things about heli-skiing are the powder, the helicopter ride, and, most important, the privilege of being in those environments.” – Beat Steiner

Beat's passion has been skiing and mountains for as long as he can remember. It started
as a toddler with a small hill behind the family house, to working as a lifty for a winter in
Zermatt Switzerland after highschool, to ski bumming in Whistler, to traveling the world directing ski films, to being co-founder and current CEO of Bella Coola Heli Sports. 

Steiner remains at the forefront of the Heli-Ski industry, constantly looking for new and unique skiing opportunities. When he’s not sliding down the most scenic slopes in Canada, he enjoys spending time with his family and sharing his passion with his children.

Vice-President

Dave Morrison
Mica Heliskiing

Dave is the Chief Executive Officer at Mica Heliskiing in Revelstoke, B.C., and has a career spanning over 30 years in the ski industry. Dave’s expertise spans operations, business and strategic roles.  His CEO and GM tenures in the ski, resort, hospitality, mechanized ski, and club industries have helped him to develop and lead teams with strong focuses on performance, engagement and service excellence. Dave has served on numerous ski industry boards over the last two decades, contributing to governance, industry initiatives, and strategic planning.   When not at work, Dave is an avid fly fisherman and skier.  For more information, please refer to his LinkedIn Profile.

Secretary / Treasurer

Carl Trescher
CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures

Carl is the Vice-President, Operations for CMH Heli-Skiing and Summer Adventures. Previously, he filled the role of Area Manager at the CMH Bobbie Burns operation, where he helped create and develop the first Via Ferrata mountain experiences in Canada. Carl is an IFMGA mountain guide who has been working with CMH since 1997.

Director at Large

Mike Sadan
Contractor - Industry Specialist

Mike is currently the Research And Development Manager for HeliCat Canada as well as an industry consultant. He previously served as GM of Whistler Heli-Skiing for 15 years and has been guiding guests since 1991. Mike’s career both in the field and in adventure recreation management has spanned several sectors and over 35 years. He was owner-operator of one of British Columbia’s busiest river rafting companies for two decades and was a founding director of the British Columbia River Outfitters Association before joining our team.

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

Jeff Gostlin
Gostlin Keefer Lake Lodge

Running a cat skiing operation has been Jeff's dream to create since he was a teenager. Jeff's dad took him and his brother Catskiing at the original Catskiing operation in the Selkirk Mountains. He was hooked immediately. He continued as a guest there for 7 years, and then after taking the required courses, applied to work as a tail guide. That was in 2000. Since then, he has continued his guiding career working at several different heli and cat operations throughout BC. In 2014, Jeff and his father offered to purchase the tenure and property at Keefer Lake. Construction of the lodge started as soon as the snow melted in the summer of 2015. That winter, they opened the terrain for Catskiing, and the dream became a reality. There has been no looking back since then, as the Gostlin family continues to expand and develop what Keefer has become today, a year round 5 star resort catering to ecotourism with a touch of class.

Jeff lives at the lodge year round, and is always happy to take you on a tour of the property and tell you his story. In the winter you find Jeff with his skis on with his dog Loki ready to show you the best lines out there. In the summer, he is usually soaking up the sun on the dock with his kids having a blast enjoying the lake and the energy of Keefer Lake.

Trevor Mitchell is the President and CEO for the Helicopter Association of Canada. He brings 29 years of Aviation experience to HAC. Trevor’s career has spanned a broad cross section of the helicopter industry in Canada and also Globally. Career experience consists of piloting of VFR and IFR helicopters, planning heliport and airport infrastructure and multiple roles as mid and senior management within the fixed and rotary wing aviation segment.

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

Elias Ortner
Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing

Elias is the President & COO of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing, bringing over 25 years of experience in the ski industry. He began his career in Austria, where he developed a passion for backcountry skiing early on. After a decade working in ski schools and becoming a certified ski guide, he met Mike Wiegele in 2007—a pivotal encounter that sparked a lasting career with MWHS. Over the years, Elias has worn many hats, from guiding guests and managing the grouping office to leading as the Guiding Operations Manager, where he worked closely with Mike himself. Today, Elias divides his time between Blue River in the winter and Sun Peaks in the summer, where he lives with his wife and daughter in BC’s second-largest ski resort.

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

Dave Pehowich
Selkirk Tangiers HeliSkiing

Dave is the General Manager and Lead Ski Guide at Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing. Dave has been working in the mechanized skiing industry since 1996 and has spent most of his time based out of the Revelstoke area skiing the Monashee and Selkirk Mountains. In the summer you'll find Dave in the valley bottoms guiding remote fly fishing trips for Stonefly Guiding Co., a guiding business which him and his wife, Natalie, own. 

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

Paul Ragusa
Retallack

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

Dave Butler
Contractor - Industry Specialist

Dave Butler, from Cranbrook, BC, has been a leader in adventure tourism for more than 30 years. He recently retired from CMH Heliskiing and Summer Adventures as its Vice-President of Sustainability, and now assists HeliCat Canada as a strategic advocacy coordinator. Dave has significant experience in land use, environmental stewardship, government relations and advocacy, and in building relationships with Indigenous communities. He is also the chair of the board at St Eugene Resort LP, an Indigenous-owned resort near Cranbrook. 

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

Jennifer Loring-Zyp
Skeena Catskiing