Partners Friends of Wiegele
With over four decades in the business, we’ve made lasting connections with more than just our guests. This page features all of the great businesses who support Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing and help bring our vision for skiing to life.
Our Sponsored Athletic Ambassadors
Mike Wiegele has always had a history of supporting young athletes. Before he founded MWHS, he operated a ski school in Lake Louise in 1965 where he coached and produced six National Team athletes. Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing is proud to offer his continued support of young champions on their athletic journey to the podium. We are proud to welcome the following sponsored ambassadors as part of our extended family.
Sponsored Athlete Erik Read
Top Canadian Alpine talent and son of legendary Crazy Canuck Ken Read. Both Erik and his dad started their ski racing careers with the Banff Alpine Racers (founded by Mike and Bonnie Wiegele). Read claimed the overall NorAm title in 2015-16, which secured him a spot on the World Cup start list for the 2016-17 season. In the 2016-17 season, Read hit the top 10 on the World Cup circuit in slalom, giant slalom and alpine combined. In 2018 Read took a year off his post-secondary education at Denver University (Business Major) to focus on the 2018 Olympics in Pyeong Chang – where he finished 11th and claimed the top Canadian finish in the GS. Read more about the Alpine Canada Ski Member here.
sponsored athlete Jeff Read
One of Canada’s brightest rising stars and brother to Erik Read – Jeffrey made his World Cup debut in Wengen, SUI, on the same track where his father, “Crazy Canuck” Ken Read, won in 1980. In the 2017-18 season, Jeffrey claimed two NorAm podiums, 8 top-10 NorAm finishes, a 9th in the Europa Cup Kitzbuhel Downhill and finished within the top 30 on the world stage in Alpine Combined at the World Championships in Are, Sweden. In the 2018/2019 season, Jeffrey claimed gold (slalom) and silver (giant slalom) in the 2019 Canadian Alpine Championships in Mont-Édouard and in 2019/2020, he is one of 26 athletes nominated to Canadian Alpine Ski Team. Read more about the Alpine Canada Ski Member here.
Sponsored Athlete Thomas Manktelow
Alberta Ski Team member and Canadian cross country Olympic hopeful, from Canmore. Manktelow is a product of the Banff Alpine Racers and skied with the club for 10 years. In 2016, he claimed 1st in the prologue at the Eastern Canadian Championships. In 2014, he was 1st at the Western Canadian Sprint Championships and 3rd overall at the Canadian Nationals. Manktelow, is currently training at the National Training Centre of the Alpine Insurance Alberta World Cup Academy and has his goals set on earning a coveted invitation to compete at the next winter Olympics. Read more about the Alberta World Cup Team Member here.
Our Valued Partnerships
Gold Level
Silver Level
Ski Industry
International Travel Partners
Retail Partners
The Bruderschaft Friends Blue River Society
In March 1996, six friends sat together talking about the Brüderschaft in St. Christoph, Austria, and its history of helping people since the 14th century. These friends decided to start a similar organization with those who come to Blue River to heli-ski, hike, and live. Monies are collected through membership are used to assist those in need or to fund worthy projects in the community of Blue River.
