THE FOUNDERS
Powder South Heli-Ski Guides was founded by ski and mountaineering entrepreneurs and guides, Rodrigo Mujica (IFMGA/UIAGM Guide) and Joaquin Oyarzun (Former Olympic Skier). Both Rodrigo and Joaquin were born and raised in Chile and have lived in the USA (Rodrigo lived in the USA for 20 years in Valdez, AK and Jackson, WY). They have dedicated their lives to the mountains, and to excellence in Mountain Guiding and Adventure Travel. This synergy of talents brings Powder South to the highest level of heli-ski guiding in South America.
Rodrigo Mujica owns and operates both Powder South Heli-Ski Guides and Aventuras Patagonicas, an extremely successful high altitude mountain guiding company, formerly of Jackson, Wyoming, now based in Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.
Joaquin Oyarzun owns and operates Powder South Heli-Ski Guides, KL Adventure in Chile, and Aconcagua Express of Argentina.
We proudly invite you to join us in exploring fresh adventure, powder, and vertical challenge within the unsurpassed beauty of the Chilean Andes.
Ski Chile with us!!
Rodrigo Mujica and Joaquin Oyarzun Powder South Heli-Ski Guides
OUR HELISKI GUIDES
We are a team of highly skilled professionals. Our heli-ski guides are UIAGM/IFMGA Internationally Certified Mountain Guides with years of experience in the heli-ski industry worldwide, with vast experience guiding in Alaska, Canada, India, Russia, Europe, and South America. They are leaders in their profession and possess the expertise and talent to guide your heli-ski/snowboard adventure and to find the best possible snow and terrain for your enjoyment, with the safety only a professional can provide.
Our pilots are highly trained and experienced professionals with thousands of hours of flight time in the Andes. They know the Andes Mountain Range exceedingly well. Our pilots manage landing zones at high altitude with superior expertise, and demonstrate the dedication expected of successful pilots in their profession. We are confident to say that our pilots are by far the finest helicopter pilots available in the Southern Hemisphere.
Each helicopter is equipped with a GPS, satellite phone, VHF radio to maintain contact with the lodge and our guides, first aid, oxygen, avalanche, rescue, and survival equipment. We use state of the art year 2005-2006 AS 350-B3 Helicopters, and a Lama in some occasions for small groups.
RODRIGO MUJICA, UIAGM / IFMGA Internationally Certified Ski and Mountain Guide. Director and Founder of Powder South Heli-ski Guides. Guide for 20 years. Rodrigo has guided 24 expeditions to Denali and 28 expeditions to Aconcagua. Expeditions to Xixabangma and Cho Oyu in the Himalaya. Climbs in Patagonia include North and Central Towers of Paine, Agujas Guillaumet and Poincenot, Cerro Torre attempts.Patagonian Ice Cap explorations including first east-west traverse of northern Ice Cap.First ascents in Antarctica, Andes and Alaska. Speed ascents of Denali, Aconcagua,Juncal, Guide in Ellsworth Mountains and Mt. Vinson in Antarctica. Extensive climbs and guiding in Alps, including frendo Spur and Grand Jorasses . Climbs in Yosemite.Technical Committee member for the American Mountain Guides Association. SeniorGuide at Exum Mountain Guides. Owner of Aventuras Patagonicas. Speaks English, French and Spanish.
JOAQUÍN OYARZÚN, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Powder South Heli Ski Guides. Joaquin is an ex Olympic skier, racing for 8 year at the World Cup speed skiing circuit and finish his carrier at Winter Olympic Games at Albertville France. He has become a Professional Ski Instructor at the French School, ENSA, Chamonix in 1985.His mountain experience count 5 Aconcagua successful ascent, many Central Andes peaks and several expedition at the Himalayas; Shishapangma (Central Summit), Cho Oyu (Camp 2), Manaslu (Camp 3). He speaks Spanish, German, French and English.Joaquin runs and operates successfully 2 Adventure Travel companies, Aconcagua Express and KL Adventure,this has contribute to great business managing skills toPowderSouth,contracts with the most reliable and reputable helicopter companies,plus access to the most amazing terrain the Andes has to offer.
BUCK CORRIGAN, UIAGM / IFMGA. Internationally certifed Guide 27 years of ski guiding Experience. Buck has been working for Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH)Heli-Skiing from November until May each year since 1978. He has a tremendous amount of experience in the heli-skiing industry, with over 26 years of solid experience as a heli-ski guide. He has worked on a variety of film projects with CMH Heli-Skiing,as well as numerous film commercials, also worked as a safety consultant for Discovery Channel Eco-Challenge traveling to Whistler B.C., Cairnes Australia, the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, Argentina, and Borneo. he also works as a Mountain Guide in the off season. Today we are honored to have Buck Guide for Powder South.
ANJAN TRUFFER,UIAGM / IFMGA.Helsiki Guide, Internationally Certified Guide. Born and raised in Zermatt, Switzerland where he resides with his wife. In winters he has been guiding in Canada for CMH, for the last 8 years, and now mixing it up in summer with South American heliskiing in Chile with us. He has also Heliski guided widely in Europe, specially around Zermatt and Val d' Aosta as well in Greenland and Alaska. Has Guided in the Chilean Central Andes extensively on Tupungato, Aconcagua, Llullaillaco, Pissis, Bonete, Mercedario, Marmolejo, San Jose and Plomo. Has also guided in Alaska's Mount McKinley (Denali), Cho-Oyu, Ama Dablam, Elbrus and many peaks in Peru. speaks English, French, German, Italian and some Spanish.
JEAN PAVILLARD, UIAGM / IFMGA. Has been a professional ski and mountain guide for twenty-two years. Born and raised in Switzerland, Jean developed his mountaineering skills through the tradition of Swiss mountain guiding by apprenticing and attending national courses. Jean has been the technical director for the American Mountain Guide Association and was instrumental in helping the AMGA become a part of the international association. He is certified by the Swiss and American associations and is a member of the International Association of Mountain Guides. He has guided all over the world teaching courses on all aspects of mountaineering for several national organizations.He has worked as an examiner during the national testing for the American and British mountain guide associations. Jean has been featured in a number of industry publications:Couloir, Ski, Sports Illustrated. These articles clearly define Jean as a leader in the industry dedicated to the development of education for safe mountain travel.
DOMINIQUE FELLAY, UIAGM / IFMGA. Internationally Certified Guide. Guide for 14 years. Dominique is a Swiss guide with a tremendous amount of experience in the Alps. He works as a Mountain Guide in the summer and as a Ski Guide in the winter.He has skied and climbed in virtually every massif of the French and Swiss Alps. He has also guided extensively in Alaska, and in South America. He Has climbed patagonia’'D5s North Tower of Paine, Guillaumet, and has made an attempt to climb Fitz Roy. He lives in the Swiss Alps, outside of Sion. Speaks English, German, French, and Spanish.
JEFF HONIG, UIAGM / IFMGA. Internationally Certified Guide. Jeff has been heli-ski guiding for years as a lead guide for Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing in Revelstoke British Columbia.He has also Guided for CMH, has done Ski guding and Mountain Climbing extensively throughout the western Canadian mountains as well as in the European alps. He guides as well multi pitch rock and waterfall ice climbing, mountaineering and ski touring as a year round profession. Jeff is also as solid and complete as it gets rock climbing up to 5.12, ice climbing WI6+, and Mixed climbing to M9. He has climbedand skied all across Canada and the us as well as in Europe and Asia.
JOHN FORREST. Canadian Heliski Guide, As a young skier and climber, John had always dreamed of becoming a Heli-Ski Guide. After guiding for 20 years, 15 of which have been in the mechanized ski industry, his entrepreneurial spirit has distinguished him as a founder of a number of successful companies. His obvious love for the mountains and powder snow are a match for his contagious enthusiasm.John has a tremendous amount of experience in the heliskiing Industry, working for years for many operators all over Canada and In order to round out his industry experience, John has also worked with many of the other largest Heli- Skiing companies as a Lead Guide. John is the Co-Founder of Northern Escape Heli-Skiing, located in British Columbia's Northwest and the Vice President for the Canadian Heli-Cat Association John has always enjoyed exploring new areas and has now chosen Chile for his next adventures during the Canadian Summers and thus year round heli-skiing is born. John brings a great amount of expertise to Powder South with his vast experience, we are very happy to have him!
DIDIER EYNARD,UIAGM / IFMGA. Ski &Mountain Guide, Internationally Certified Guide. Ski Guiding for over 16 years, has done a large amount of Heli-Skiing in Switzerland, Italy, Greenland and Chile. Back country ski trips as well all over the Alps, Morocco and the Norwegian Fjords. Didier also when not pursuing skiing in the wildest places he also works as a Mountain Guide in the Vanoise Massif and all over the Alps. He has climbed all over the world as well as the Himalayas (Cho-Oyu). He speaks French and English.
LIONEL MAY, UIAGM / IFMGA. Heliski Guide, Internationally Certified Guide. Lionel is a Swiss Guide working as a Ski Guide in Winter at Verbier and in summers in the southern Hemisphere. He was born and raised in the Swiss Alps doing what he does best...climbing and skiing. Lionel passion for the mountains has taken him everywhere in the Alps, he is also a rock and Ice Climbing Guide. Speaks English and French.
STEFAN PALM, UIAGM / IFMGA. Heliski Guide, Internationally Certified Guide. Stefan is from Sweden and has been traveling all over the world in search for perfect snow, good climbing and challenging summits. After several seasons in Chamonix he traveled to different places in the world. He works as a Guides at La Chaumine, La Grave. He lives at Chantemerle, a little village in Serre Chevalier. His specialty has always been adventure travels, specializing in climbing and skiing. We feel honored to have Stefan as one of Powder South premier Heliski Guides.
