Poster: A snowHead
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Heading to S. America this summer including 3 weeks of skiing, will be hitting the known spots of Valle Nevado, Portillo, Las Lenas.
Please send any recommendations of places to ski tour, guides, refuges, restaurants, good value/cheap places to stay etc
If anyone will be out there in August and is up for skiing, get in touch!
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 1-05-23 14:39; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Once the north hemisphere is done (not quite there yet...) I'll be interested in what's down there too. Google's well and good, but direct experience is better.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I have only been to Chile & Argentina in February but I imagine you will have a great time. Amazing scenery and food/wine.
We were driven on a 4x4 tour by an ex Argentine team snowboarder. We had a brief stop at the Cerro Castor ski centre. Wife bought some gin at the lodge! It actually did snow and it was mid-summer.
I asked a guide about the ski fields near Santiago. He advised me that the season is getting shorter and not as reliable.
Recollect Stanton went down south last summer. He may have some information.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We went nearly 4 years ago - in the middle of the drought, which has apparently broken now. Unless you have prior knowledge, I would avoid Valle Nevado, which was very corporate and over priced for bland accommodation. On the other hand Farallones (which like La Parva) appears to be connected to VN, but there is a fence between the ski areas, was very nice. We stayed in a lovely owner managed hotel - Posada de Farallones in the village and notwithstanding the poor snow had a great time. Also stayed in Corralco, which is a bit out of the way but spectacular.
Due to flights we were “forced” to stay in Santiago, but found it to be a really nice city - we don’t usually do cities.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Been a very long time since I've been down there (2000-2005) but had a great run of great conditions
Chile
Portillo, Antillanca, Termas de Chillan
Argentina
Caviahue; Cerro Bayo; Chapelco; La Hoya; Las Lenas
Can recommend all of the above
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I did the 3 resorts above Santiago (I believe they are linked together now) though given it was 30 years ago not sure the experience would be much help. Access was easy (we hired a car). I remember huge walls of snow on the road into Valle Nevado. I also remember hard pistes but it was early season (late June). Definitely a good experience and one I unfortunately havent been able to repeat (it was part of a work trip). We liked Santiago, it felt surprisingly "European" after a long journey (8 hour stop over in Miami!)
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I was in Las Leñas few years ago and I can recommend La Rita for fill your stomach
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Great to see this thread - those are some great links @Mike Pow, thanks.
We're heading to South America in August, setting off on a little camper van adventure. We're flying into Santiago and will be based there for a few weeks getting a vehicle set up. We're definitely planning to get some skiing done during that time.
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I had a good wade through the "Teton gravity" stuff and came away... not short of data.
Anyway I booked something lazy in August, having survived Iceland in June. Chile looks like high altitude, low tree line, open slopes on pointy mountains.
If this works out I'll work out something more adventurous next season.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I did a season in Termas de Chillàn a few years ago, very little snow unfortunately…the Teton Gravity posts are very useful for the Chile side of things.
In terms of Argentina, I found Catedral to be a great resort, I spent most of last season there - most beautiful views in any resort I've been to. I'd considered going back for the season this year, but the prices have gotten too expensive…be careful to make sure you get the blue dollar rate while in Argentina, it helps out a bit, but ski resorts are very expensive there…
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Hi Lefou. I am going there next week and I nearly cried when I saw the lift prices. We've booked an airbnb for 11 days and hoped to go skiing for 7 days, but it will only be 5 as the lift prices are insane. Austria is cheaper for lift passes. The kids will have to make do with playing on the sledges the rest of the time!
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@Fish323, Not worth biting the bullet if you've gone all that way? The photos i've seen conditions look great.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Markymark29 It's part of a month long holiday in Argentina. I could really do with the £400 I will save by cutting the skiing short by 2 days. Can you link me some photos to the current ski conditions at Cathedral?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Fish323, Sorry just looked back through my Fb feed and it's disappeared - it was a random post that I saw earlier on today and it's gone now, if it comes back i'll let you know. Anyway enjoy your trip.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Here's the TGR thread (see above) for 2023, which has some updates for weather and road conditions this summer.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'm currently at Catedral, huge dump of snow expected on Thursday, will take one or two days for the resort to get back on its legs after, but it looks like you picked a good time to come!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Christopher,
I stayed at La Casa Roja hostel in Santiago. They ran trips out to Valle Nevado.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Catedral
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Thu 20-07-23 14:08; edited 1 time in total
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@LeFou @MagSeven @Christopher, planning an August/September trip to Catedral - would be great to connect. My whatsapp - 07852 197398 - email - ash@etio.co.uk
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@LeFou, Surely just after the snow stops falling will be the best time!
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The beginining of the season was Epic it was one of the best earliest starts (May) ever then there was a huge meltdown in June
Another storm in July revived/rescued the season
Snow has held up ...considering the record breking Heatwave in Argentina & Chile that is going on right now..
https://orf.at/stories/3326209/
‘Winter is disappearing’: South America hit by ‘brutal’ unseasonal heatwave
Buenos Aires records hottest start to August in 117 years, Chile sees highs towards 40C and Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil also bake
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/03/south-america-winter-heatwave
Read through paywall bypass
https://archive.ph/cfbF1
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About 30% of all skilifts in Chile are closed this week (peak-winter).
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