 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
Thought i'd introduce myself as i've just signed up and new here, done a couple of seasons in canada on a working holiday visa and was abit of a ski bum, but sadly due to finanical reasons im back in the uk and working full time and not getting much time to hit the slopes and search for pow.
I was wondering if anyone has ever gone to Chile and when is a good time to visit, i was thinking of going early september.
Thanks
Tom
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tom, I went skiing in Vallee Nevado (an hour's drive from Santiago) couples of years ago.
Snow in early September should be OK, although I went in mid July.
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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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Hi Tom, I was there last year for the first two weeks of September and it was great. Visited Tres-Valles near Santiago, Chillan and Corralco. Thinking of going again this year but slightly earlier.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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sounds good!
Im not sure if i should go with a pre arranged package tour or if i should travel by myself and try and chase the storms if i can.. It would be my first skiing trip by myself but im in search of powder.. any chances for heavy dumps in first 2 weeks of september?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ExSkiBum, Have been to Chile many times - wonderful country - airfare expensive but once you are there much cheaper than Europe. Check out the weather -can be heavy dumps in early September - August great time as resorts very quiet except for international teams training. Off piste does not get skied out quickly and no restrictions. If you go to La Parva, part of the 3 resorts in the Three Valleys, try the couloir, La Chiminera! Cheap accommodation in Farellones but you can also catch the bus daily - 1.5 hours - from Santiago - 40 hairpin bends on the steep road up - light breakfast recommended! Personally I prefer making my own plans - useful to speak Spanish but more people speak English now.
Don't forget to enjoy a pisco sour or 2!
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ExSkiBum, http://amity-tours.com/tours-2012/skiing/
these do some fab packages , i am looking at one for eight days in august, late august seemed to be the best time to visit , but not easily done on the cheap tho 
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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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Tip
Personally, I would not book anything until the first dumps arrive. South America is notorious for its reliable snow record. The rocky terrain in Portillo,Valle Nevado & Las Lenas in Argentina need good cover ( a bit like French resorts) otherwise you will need to take your rock skis . They do not have the degree of sophisticated snow making but this may off changed .
When I been I made sure there was 1 Metre on the hill before booking an flights.
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I instruct in Portillo, was my first year last year and heading back in a few weeks. The best time of season last year was definitely August, and from what I heard that's pretty normal. I'd say if you're going for 2 weeks, the second half of August is the time when you're most likely to have coverage and some fresh snow. September was warm after the first week. But as stanton said, it is rocky, even when there's coverage the rocks are still razor sharp, but hell, skis are for skiing on, not looking pretty.
They've had a great start already though, so fingers crossed for a bumper season.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Be great if you can post regular updates please jimmer, for those of us who can drop everything if it's going off.
Thanks.
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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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Thanks for the advice guys, will certainly keep an eye on the base layer depth before booking anything. I've already got some core shots on my skiis so razor sharp rocks don't put me off. More battle scars to add to the collection from off piste adventures.
Am i right in thinking that most the resorts are high and little tree skiing? But some awesome steeps and chutes etc? I've never had any formal avalanche training, is it easy to get a quick course for a day at the main resorts?
These days i don't do any exercise, had shine splints which sometimes flare up, my knees are buggered and i've put on a stone and a half since my back to back season days. Therefore im abit of a burn out on the hill, atleast i felt like i was when i went for a week trip in spring conditions in spain this season, this is making me think playing it by ear would be best rather than doing a package so if im spent after a day i can take it at my own pace.
I really wanna find some pow and seems like late august is best for that? Im going on a business trip to the US and was planning on flying from Boston to Chile, hoping that it would make my flight cheaper, that trip is the last week of august so only really can go the first week of September.
What sort of prices would i be looking at all in for a week or 2 week trip do you think?
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Packages are not cheap.The market is focussed on rich Americans (your meet plenty of them).Everything
Is priced Around the US $. Hotels are not as cheap as you may expect.I reckon your be looking
At $5000 for two weeks (inc flight) in just one area. Moving around expect more$$.
The last time I went I did an open jaw ticket with Swiss. To Buenos Aires return from Santiago.
I went to a backstreet travel agent in BA & they fixed everything. Discount lift tickets,internal flights,car hit.
Took them allay why I sightsee BA. I saved a fortune
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You know it makes sense.
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Sure Mike, I'll try and throw some photos and videos on here as the season progresses.
The cheapest rooms in Portillo (dorm) cost $800 a week for full board and lift pass, which I think is not bad value really. As for avvy danger, the inbounds off piste (still very steep and challenging) is relatively safe, if it's open, it's unlikely to slide, though I do sometimes ski with a transceiver inbounds anyway. Don't know about anywhere else, but at Portillo we don't offer anything beyond an avvy beacon briefing for those going heliskiing, I'd be surprised if anywhere else had courses in English.
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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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We are headed to Portillo the last week in August. My travel companions are getting nervous. If anyone could post some shots of the snow cover, it might ease (or heighten, depending on the outcome) everyone's worries about enough snow. I would really appreciate any real time info on snow cover. We are so looking forward to our summer ski adventure.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Season opening delayed until 30 June.
67" of snowfall so far. 37" settled.
From the web site.
Plenty of time between now and when you're going.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thank you for the update! The anticipation is fun, but you can go crazy watching the weather forecasts!
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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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Actually, after a big snowfall a few days ago, Portillo is opening today! Looks great too, would post pics but am struggling to do it on mobile, for good updates like their Facebook page. I get down there later in the week so I will try and post something then.
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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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Great.
Enjoy.
Keep us posted please.
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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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From a friends Facebook this morning, It's looking good!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Superb
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jimmer, nice!
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That is much better. So beautiful. Now we can daydream properly. Thank you for the update.
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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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Is the lake frozen yet? I am hoping it will be frozen before we arrive, just in case I wind up on it!
Last year, Ski Portillo had one of its employees writing a blog. That made it easier to find out about the snowfalls. It has been hard to find any real time snow depths.
Counting the days...
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The lake isn't frozen yet. It wasn't at this time of year last year though, still time. The skiing here is great at the moment though, lots of runs open that we didn't ski until August last year.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I just made a new thread for updates on conditions, 'TR Portillo 2012'.
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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
I found a report here on the base levels of some of the Chilean resorts. http://www.j2ski.com/snow_forecast/Chile/
Says that Valle Nevado has received the most so far?
Still haven't booked anything, may fly from london and not from my business trip in Boston as barely anything in the cost of the flights, both are similar.
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FAQ
