JOEL o’ROURKE
HELI-SKI GUIDE
Joel O’Rourke is an AMGA certified ski guide with more than fifteen years of heli-skiing and backcountry experience across Alaska, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, and the U.S. He’s guided with operations including Points North Heli-Adventures, Harris Mountain Heliski, and Park City Powdercats, bringing a calm, professional presence and a sharp eye for terrain management to every day in the mountains.
Joel works to create unforgettable, confidence-building experiences for his guests. When he’s not leading powder laps, he’s behind the lens—capturing striking photos and videos that showcase the adventure, the camaraderie, and the sheer joy of heli-skiing in wild terrain.
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AMGA Ski Guide
NZMGA Ski Guide
AIARE Course Leader
Canadian Avalanche Association - Operations Level 3 (highest professional avalanche certification in North America)
Basic EMT
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Ski Patrol - 9 seasons of Professional Ski Patrol across Australlia, Utah, British Columbia and snow safety manager for Roundhill ski field in New Zealand
Heliski Guiding - 5 seasons as Snow Safety Manager for Harris Mountain Heliski in Queenstown, New Zealand. 2 seasons at Points North Heliski, Alaska
Cat Ski Guiding- 7 seasons as a ski guide for Park City Powdercats
Ski Touring Guide - 5 seasons guiding in Japan, 3 seasons guiding in New Zealand and 7 seasons in Utah.
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Joel has skied extensively throughout the world both on a professional and personal capacity. Some select highlights are skiing down Mount Fuji and Mount Oku-Hotaka, Japan's first and third tallest mountains, Big Mountain descents in BC and Alberta and obscure mountains throughout the American west and New Zealand.
Joel relishes in the adventure of exploration but also can embody the larrikin nature of his Australian upbringing including being a pond skim costume prize award winner and slush cup apres ski participant every spring.
