Mon 14th Aug – Resort Powder Day
What an awesome powder day! We had Eric, an American guide (from MT) with us to show us around the resort. Eric is looking at guiding with me in the future and I wanted to see him in action, so he had agreed to show us around for 2 days. It was also Gordon’s first day and I was keen to show him the resort, but unfortunately he didn’t have much of a view as it was snowing hard and visibility wasn’t great. It was also slow going up the access road due to heavy traffic (still the high season and public holiday), so we didn’t get on mountain till after 10am. We started on the Enlace t-bar (the Nono wasn’t open yet) and then skied the steep face next to it. The snow was deep but heavy. That was definitely a decent warm-up for Gordon. We took the t-bar again skied and traversed all the way across to a ridgeline right at the bottom of the freeride zone. It was really nice, with much drier and deeper snow. We ended up hitting the same line again. We were setting quite a fast line. Gordon was already getting tired (and he had new ski boots that were killing his feet) so decided to take it easy and have a rest.
The Nono t-bar was running so we went up and did the traverse out to the mid-station of the Otto and had a couple of bowls to ourselves, untracked. Then the Otto chair opened and Eric and I jumped on that and headed to the top. This time we went and scoped a lot in the sidecountry area, outside of the ski area, next to the Freeride Zone/Otto chair. Eric took me to a steep chute that he calls “Supertubes.” I had skied it with Paul my guest from last year, a couple of times, but never gotten first tracks. It looked great. Eric also told me that Patrol will actually put a shot in it, as it can go big. There was an old bomb hole at the top (from before the current storm) and then Eric did a ski cut across the top of the roll over and then he dropped. He made fast, GS turns all the way down. Once he was at his safe spot, I dropped in next. It was absolute bliss. The snow was soft and consistent, with ok light I was able to let the skis run a little. I took it all the way down and then crossed over the river at the bottom to the other side of the valley. It was my first time crossing over the valley and much easier than traversing on the same side the whole time as I had done with Paul the previous year. We came out near the old bottling plant and then crossed the bridge back into the resort. It was great to see that little corner of the valley.
We went and grabbed Gordon to take him on the same run; he couldn’t miss out on this! We skied the same line again, staying slightly right for more fresh lines. It was awesome! Gordon had a blast, making some huge fast GS turns, skiing all the way down to the valley and across to the other side. We went back to the same area for a 3rd run, watching a group of about 8 Chilean riders ski an untouched bowl at the same time. Crazy stuff, they definitely didn’t have much caution. We went back to Supertubes again, this time to push further to the skier’s right, but just as I dropped in, the cloud came back in and I couldn't see a thing. It was pea soup. I had to pull up and feel my way down with the guys below calling out to guide me to them. That was a little disappointing but I laughed as I’d already skied some amazing lines and it was still early.
Next up on the hit list was an area called the Elephant Rock. This is a little bit of a contentious line, in an area that normally you don’t want to go into, but on its day (and today the conditions were good to ski it), it looked great. Only a few people had skied the face and we got to it, right on the edge of the cloud layer, we were keen to hit it. Another group approached and we made ready to go. Eric jumped in first, taking a nice air over the lip and onto the face slashing big fast turns. I did the same thing too, giving him some room and then going for it. The snow was the best of the day; I sprayed up a couple of nice plumes as I made fast turns, before having to slow down as I entered the cloud layer again. We took the tight funnel down before crossing over and into the trees above the bottom of the Wenche chair. We took that up and went up right to the top to the Buena Vista restaurant for some late lunch. That would be the end of the day pretty much and after that, we skied the groomers to get back in time for our 4pm shuttle bus. What a first day for Gordon and maybe my best day in Nevados. Eric had done a great job of showing us to new places. Cheers Eric!
Unfortunately, with the poor lighting, I didn't take any photos, so let's move on to the next day when I did take a lot of photos and the lighting was better......
Tue 15th Aug – Valle Hermosa/Tres Marias Day
Eric was leading us again this day and the plan was to head to the Valle Hermosa. This is the next valley over to the looker’s right of the mountain. It’s behind the big peak directly to the right of the ski area and was a new area for me. It would be about an hour’s skin from the top of the Otto chair. It was pretty easy to find it with plenty of obvious landmarks, but there were definitely some technical spots. There were a couple of steeper downhill sections which can make for some sporty skiing with skins on and the bindings in climbing mode. I didn’t face plant but came close once. It was a pretty easy skin at the start, with a mellow gradual climb. The final pitch is the hardest; it gets a lot steeper on a couple of faces.
There was a lot of volcanic ash from a recent eruption on one of the faces and it actually gave a lot of extra grip, so you could set a really steep skin track, it was quite surprising how direct you could be. There were a couple of dicey sidehills before we reached the top. It was definitely a challenge in places and could be tough for a newer backcountry traveler. We all made it in one piece and had a well-earned rest at the top. Gordon had dropped his brand new Oakley goggles off his helmet and didn’t realize it until we reached the top (he was last in the group). Thankfully another group was behind us and about 10 minutes later, they summited too. One of their guys had the goggles so Gordon was stoked (and very lucky!).
The plan was to look at the main line, the classic route. It was one of the most impressive sights I have ever seen. I massive 2,500ft open chute, several hundred feet wide. It was hard to tell what the snow was going to be like, it wasn’t tracked but how wind-affected it was, we couldn’t tell. We had a steep face and potential avalanche starting zone to ride down first, so Eric cut it (no result obviously) and then we dropped in one at a time. I had a great safe spot up high to watch the other two ski the top of the line and then I dropped in last.
Well, unfortunately, the wind had gotten to the snow and it was pretty much hard-pack. It was icy in places and then sastrugi in other places. I had a wry smile on my face as I got down, to have worked so hard and get this, was hard to take at first, but it didn’t matter really to me. For me, it was all about skiing an amazing line and experiencing a whole new part of the area. This place has amazing potential, to ski it on a good powder day would be one of the best runs in the world. I know Eric has had some all-time runs in that zone so I am sure my time will come. Now, it all sounds a bit like doom and gloom, well that wasn’t really the case as about half-way down, the snow started to soften and we found really nice, creamy soft powder. We enjoyed some first turns together, skiing in a group, through gullies and over windlips and other really fun features. We saw a group who had placed tents in the valley and had obviously been doing a bunch of touring in the area. Quite the zone they had.
Then we came to the end and we had to take a short bootpack to get back to the ridgeline that separates the Hermosa Valley from Nevados de Chillan. We hiked past a bubbling hot springs (the smell of sulpher and rotten eggs was intense) and then we had an amazing view of the Las Trancas Valley and the ski area. We had a difficult ski down through the trees and a tight track back to the resort, ending back above the hot springs and the Hotel Alto Nevados.
We had lunch and then Eric and I headed off for one more run. Gordon was spent so he stayed behind. This time the plan was to go ski the skier’s left side of the Tres Marias area where it is zoned as “area freeride.” I had never been in there and was keen to check it out. We started off on the Otto chair and then took the cat track across to Tres Marias. About half way along that cat track, we cut left off the side of run, jumping over some old debris from the grooming machine and the cat track, landing in soft snow with some high speed turns. We followed the gully for a while before heading back to the right to regain the ridge.
Then we had some really nice low-angle turns for a while on top of the ridge before we had to cut right. Lower down we could see the towers of the new chairlift (it’s a really handy landmark right now, even though it’s broken and not running, it still serves a purpose) so we aimed for it. Now this is where it gets to be hard work. There are multiple ridges and gullies that you have to cross and some of them are full of small trees and bushes. It can make for very hard going. We had to do a lot of bushwhacking and some hiking at the end, to get out. We’d had great riding at the start, but getting out this way, was pretty tough and it was questionable if it was worth it. With clients I would have said no. I was sure there was another way with an easier out; we’d just have to try and find it tomorrow. Until then!
Start of the adventure! Getting off the Otto chair and the short walk uphill to the spot we like to put our skins on.
Looking back towards the Volcan Nevados de Chillan. You can see the formation of
sastrugi (lower right corner of the photo) showing the direction of the prevailing wind.
Gordon enjoying the view, there is great skiing in the bowl straight ahead of him over the edge (we skied that later in the week).
Winds over the top of the two volcanoes, Volcan Neuvo (left, the active volcano) and Viejo (right).
Eric (left) and Gordon (right) with the ski area behind them. You can see a small white square on the ridge directly behind the guys, that is the microwave tower right next to the top of the Otto chair. That really nice face I talked about in the previous photo of Gordon is right behind the guys.
Heading way out into the backcountry. You can see all the volcanic ash on the faces of the mountains directly to the east of the Volcan Neuvo. It actually gives a lot more grip on the uphill when skinning and you can set a surprisingly steep track.
Nearly there! The last few pitches were quite steep and technical.
The views kept getting higher and higher!
Gordon about to make his last kick turn of the day. Happy times for him!
Down in this valley there is a natural hot spring. Will have to visit that next time.
Reaching the top of our climb and all 3 volcanoes are in shot; Nevados de Chillan (left), Neuvo (middle) and Viejo (right).
Valle Hermoso! The area we skied down. Such an amzing zone with huge vertical and amazing views. Even though the snow wasn't the best at the top, the scenery and the whole adventure of it all, made it more than worthwhile. Can't wait to head out there again soon hopefully.
After a quick bootpack to regain the ridge, you get a fabulous view of the resort again. Some people had walked up there without snowshoes on, a pretty decent effort! If you look closely, you should be able to make out the Otto chairlift behind me.
The amazing view down into the Las Trancas Valley. What an awesome day!
- Matt
