International (Europe/Japan/Southern Hemisphere) Chile/Argentina 2017

[TonyC]

Cool! Definitely check out the Santa Teresa area in between El Colorado and Valle if you like backcountry.

That's nice terrain, but it's accessed from El Colorado's Cono Este lift and comes out on Valle Nevado's access road. You need a car shuttle to handle that, and a ticket for both areas for best efficiency. With the logistics you'll be lucky to get more than a couple of runs per day out there.

Do you have a north american resort that you can use as a comparison to Valle Nevado's terrain level? How not steep are we talking?

Front side of Keystone or Northstar? Most of what's direct lift accessible at Valle Nevado has marginal pitch for skiing in powder. You can traverse into the Valle Olimpico area between VN and El Colorado and get back to VN. And La Parva has some steeper pitches.

If you're the type of skier who thinks Vail is too flat, Valle Nevado is considerably flatter. Vail may not have much in the way of Jackson/Snowbird type steeps, but its pitch is more than adequate for good powder skiing IMHO.

I know I'm coming off negative here, but I'm considering the audience. Most people posting on a ski forum in June and considering throwing down thousands of $$$ to ski in the other hemisphere during our summer are the addicts. These people tend to ski a lot and prioritize powder and steep terrain. Valle Nevado is not a good fit for these people. It's a great fit for the casual skier who skis 10 days a year mostly on the groomers.

 

[jimtransition]

That's nice terrain, but it's accessed from El Colorado's Cono Este lift and comes out on Valle Nevado's access road. You need a car shuttle to handle that, and a ticket for both areas for best efficiency. With the logistics you'll be lucky to get more than a couple of runs per day out there.

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Yeah it's definitely not the easiest to access, but I think it's the best terrain around there. I have had decent luck hitching back to El Colorado from there, obviously hit and miss though!

 

[Jully]

Front side of Keystone or Northstar? Most of what's direct lift accessible at Valle Nevado has marginal pitch for skiing in powder. You can traverse into the Valle Olimpico area between VN and El Colorado and get back to VN. And La Parva has some steeper pitches.

If you're the type of skier who thinks Vail is too flat, Valle Nevado is considerably flatter. Vail may not have much in the way of Jackson/Snowbird type steeps, but its pitch is more than adequate for good powder skiing IMHO.

I know I'm coming off negative here, but I'm considering the audience. Most people posting on a ski forum in June and considering throwing down thousands of $$$ to ski in the other hemisphere during our summer are the addicts. These people tend to ski a lot and prioritize powder and steep terrain. Valle Nevado is not a good fit for these people. It's a great fit for the casual skier who skis 10 days a year mostly on the groomers.

Yes, I appreciate that. I've heard from numerous people that Nevado is flat, but never could figure out how flat 'flat' was. Those comparisons help, especially not having great pitch for powder skiing. I take it Nevado has a lot of intermediate groomers. Thanks!

 

[coskigirl]

Yeah it's definitely not the easiest to access, but I think it's the best terrain around there. I have had decent luck hitching back to El Colorado from there, obviously hit and miss though!

Hmm, I bet I could get my local friend to pick us up. Actually, I should check to see if her husband is familiar with the terrain and if so have him guide us and have her pick us up at the end.

 

[jimtransition]

You really should, it's so good. StaTeresa is in this vid from 50secs to 1.50

 

[TonyC]

At least some of that Chile footage is from Portillo as one of their slingshot Pomas is briefly visible.

I set up a potential Sta Teresa run with our driver in 2007 but did not do it because the snow was refrozen crap that day.

No question Sta Teresa is the prime advanced terrain in the VN group of ski areas. Being prepared in advance with a car shuttle is strongly recommended to get maximum use of it.

 

[Snowflake2420]

Just saw this thread pop up. I'm going to Bariloche / Catedral in August with SASS. Never been to South America so I'm excited to see the culture, skiing, and hopefully become a better skier!

 

[Started at 53]

Just saw this thread pop up. I'm going to Bariloche / Catedral in August with SASS. Never been to South America so I'm excited to see the culture, skiing, and hopefully become a better skier!

Cerro Catedral looks really cool

What is SASS?

 

[jimtransition]

At least some of that Chile footage is from Portillo as one of their slingshot Pomas is briefly visible.

I set up a potential Sta Teresa run with our driver in 2007 but did not do it because the snow was refrozen crap that day.

No question Sta Teresa is the prime advanced terrain in the VN group of ski areas. Being prepared in advance with a car shuttle is strongly recommended to get maximum use of it.

Yep, the Sta Teresa footage was from a comp I did there, everything else is Portillo (apart from Japan .

 

[Snowflake2420]

It's an American company that organizes trips down to Argentina, Chile, Japan. They provide lodging, guiding (which sounds pretty crucial there given lack of avalance mitigation), coaching, meals, etc. It's primarily North Americans who attend. There are other companies that do this as well. I've already gotten to ski tour with some of the people heading down. http://www.sassglobaltravel.com/argentina/

 

[Snowflake2420]

Cerro Catedral looks really cool

What is SASS?

SASS is an American company that runs trips to Argentina, Chile, and Japan. It includes lodging, guiding (which sounds crucial there with lack of avalanche mitigation), coaching, meals, etc. It's mostly North Americans who attend from what I understand. I've already gotten to do some ski touring with their clients and reps in CO. http://www.sassglobaltravel.com/argentina/

 

[luliski]

Just saw this thread pop up. I'm going to Bariloche / Catedral in August with SASS. Never been to South America so I'm excited to see the culture, skiing, and hopefully become a better skier!

I've never been to Bariloche in winter, but it's a beautiful area in the fall! Have fun!

 

[newfydog]

I finally made it down there. After a life of wanting to ski in the summer, I ended up going this winter (their summer) for the fly fishing. Wonderful, easy trip, great mountains and people.. I will say, it is hell to get a rental cat across the Chile/Argentina border.

 

[newfydog]

Make that a rental car. Don't know if they rent cats. Either way, It takes three weeks of paperwork and three hours at the border to cross.

 

[Lauren]

Make that a rental car. Don't know if they rent cats. Either way, It takes three weeks of paperwork and three hours at the border to cross.

FWIW, I imagined a snow cat previously...and it was an entertaining picture.

 

[newfydog]

for what it is worth, here's some summer reading on the trip for the fishing crowd:

http://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=58666&hilit=patagonia

 

[Tricia]

@Mattadvproject has a trip planned for Chile soon!

 

[dave-o]

BUMP!

Anyone down in SA now and can give us some info on snow depths?

 

[Seve]

Portillo current snow depths:
Upper....42"
Middle....26"
Lower.....20"
25 of 35 runs open and 10 of 14 lifts running

Valle Nevado
Only reporting upper at 87"
30 of 44 runs open and 15 of 17 lifts running

 

[coskigirl]

Thanks for the update. I just saw that Santiago is expecting a major winter storm this weekend and Snow-Forecast.com is predicting 18+ inches for Valle Nevado out of this one with El Colorado getting a tiny bit more. Nevados de Chillan looks to be the real winner in this one with close to 40 inches predicted but then it will warm up near 50* for them next week.

My local friends are on holiday right now and at least one of them has been up at I think El Colorado or La Parva. Pics looked warm but lots of snow.