landing in between the guide and the skiiers (that is what this is; heliskiing) is accepted practice. the typical landings are staked on what is likely the only flat spot available. would you as a guide or pilot prefer to have a tightly bunched group of people next to the a/c where you know where they are or have them walking (have you ever tried to herd cats) towards an a/c that is sunk into the belly in snow in uneven terrain? we must keep in mind that there is little skiing in the prairies.
at the larger operators the safety briefings (both video and with the a/c by pilot and guide) in skiing are very comprehensive and the guides are not afraid to give a guest a good solid talking to if they are not behaving appropriately around the a/c. i cannot speak for the smaller but would hope they do it the same way...
as mentioned, the 212 in this case will have been empty so good power reserves, probably at low elevation due to the lack of snow and other a/c in the vicinity. i believe CMH run 4 groups in a 212 so the drivers of these machines have to maximize the production. people pay a lot of money for this and the skiing business is very competitive now in canada.
i have no problem with this.
fp