Category: Aconcagua

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The Must-Read Guide to Valle Nevado

Valle Nevado at dusk. Photo Courtesy Valle Nevado.

Valle Nevado is one of those ski resorts that you should go and visit. That is why I have put together this must-read guide to Valle Nevado. Located high in the Chilean Andes, to the west of Santiago, this is the centre of the Tres Valles de Chile (the 3 Valleys of Chile). Here you feel that you are definitely skiing in high mountain.

The ski season runs from late June till early October, but it can be movable depending on snowing conditions.

The Andes are majestic, from whichever side you see them. Valle Nevado counts with the best sunsets you will ever see on the mountains. The pinks, oranges and yellows of the sky are jaw-dropping. This is caused by the smog in Santiago (believe it or not!), but even if smog is awful, up in Valle Nevado you have a spectacle of light. Plus the smog gets stuck down in the valley!

Endless possibilities in Valle Nevado. Photo courtesy of Valle Nevado.
Endless possibilities in Valle Nevado. Photo courtesy of Valle Nevado.

Location – The Must Read Guide to Valle Nevado

Valle Nevado is located 46 km west of Santiago. You need to take the road out of Santiago and the paved road to Farellones for 32 km until the diversion the last portion to  Valle Nevado.

How to Get There – The Must Read Guide to Valle Nevado

You do have to be careful driving up (and down!)- the 59 hairpin turns to get to the resort. Read beforehand the timing of going up and down the road, as depending on the time of the year, and during all weekends during the ski season, there are early hours to go up and hours in the day to go down. The road is a bit thin, and when there is heavy traffic, when people finish their ski week, it could be too tricky to have traffic both ways.

As you will not be driving while in Valle Nevado, you might be better off taking a shared or private transfer to get up the mountain and back.

Aiguilles des Drus et Aiguille Verte. Soft Pastels, pan pastels and charcoal on La Carte Pastel. 65x50 cm (20"x26") in my shop here.
Aiguilles des Drus et Aiguille Verte. Soft Pastels, pan pastels and charcoal on La Carte Pastel. 65×50 cm (20″x26″) in my shop here.

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The Must-Read Guide to Portillo, Chile

Portillo Ridge Hike Upper. Photo Frank Shine.

Portillo is one of those ski resorts that should be in your bucket list. That is why I am putting together this Must-Read Guide to Portillo, Chile. Nested in the High Andes of Chile, in the border with Argentina, this boutique-ski resort is a little jewel. With a maximum 450 guests, and a 1-2-1 ratio of personnel, you will feel super pampered.

The perfect groomed slopes of Portillo. Skier: Chris Davenport. Photo: Tamara Susa Photo. Courtesy Ski Portillo.
The perfect groomed slopes of Portillo. Skier: Chris Davenport. Photo: Tamara Susa Photo. Courtesy Ski Portillo.

Located at 2,880 m (9,450 ft) over see level and extending to 3,322 m altitude (10,900 ft), Portillo offers 762 m of vertical drop (2,500 ft) lift served and1,235 acres. You have 35 runs including wide bowls and endless off-piste terrain accessible by traverses and short hikes. There is also heli-skiing, which is pretty affordable, comparing to prices abroad, giving you endless options.

Auberge de la Maison, one of my paintings of the Monte Bianco at dusk from the hamlet of Entrèves in Courmayeur. In my shop in this link.
Auberge de la Maison, one of my paintings of the Monte Bianco at dusk from the hamlet of Entrèves in Courmayeur. In my shop in this link.

The land of sun and snow, Portillo gets 80% sunny days, and usually storms last many days but are not that many in the season. Each storm can bring a big snowfall, which usually remains very dry and crisp thanks to Portillo’s altitude.

Ski season goes from late June to early October (check each year as opening and closing is mainly depending on snow conditions). They do have snowmaking to help with natural snow conditions if needed!

Ann Schorling and her students having a ball in Portillo, Chile. Photo courtesy Ski Portillo.
Ann Schorling and her students having a ball in Portillo, Chile. Photo courtesy Ski Portillo.

Not sure if folklore or not, but something I did for many years- the best time to go skiing is in August, (July is the school holidays), but if not, in September, as at the end of August, there is always a big snowstorm called Santa Rosa (Santa Rosa is on 31st August), that brings lots of fluffy snow. In September rates decrease as it is a lower season than August… But beware, as Portillo gets reserved from year -on-year for the 7th September is the Brazilian independence day, so Brazilians fill up the hotel, and on 18th September is the Chilean Independence…so those two weeks is difficult to get lodging! If you want to get a spot, reserve a year earlier!

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A group of Bolivian ‘Cholitas’ women to climb Aconcagua

A group of Bolivian ‘Cholitas’ women to climb Aconcagua. Photo Marzena Wystrach Marchowska. Posted on their Facebook page.

A group of Bolivian “Cholitas” – (Aymara indigenous) women to climb the Aconcagua, the Highest Peak of the Americas (6,962 m/22,840 feet). Aconcagua is located in the province of Mendoza, in Argentina and towers the other mountains of the Andes by more than 1,000 meters.

These ‘Cholitas’ have been working cooking for tourist expeditions in the mountains of Bolivia. They got caught with curiosity on why people were coming back, year after year, and started climbing themselves. The feeling of freedom got them hooked and they’ve started doing it more and more.

Aconcagua is a magnet for all climbers. Being the highest peak of the Americas, where the treeline is low, makes it a very tough mountain. It has three climbing routes – the normal route, the Polish Glacier and Traverse route and the third route known as the Direct Route or the Polish Glacier Route. You can read a good article on these routes here.

Aconcagua routes. A group of Bolivian ‘Cholitas’ women to climb Aconcagua.
Aconcagua routes. A group of Bolivian ‘Cholitas’ women to climb Aconcagua.

Aconcagua is also known as the world’s highest ‘trekking peak’ and thousands of hikers attempt to climb it each year. However, it is one of the most underestimated mountains in the world and has one of the lowest summit success rates. Extreme altitude and temperatures going up to -30C, plus having a low treeline, that makes you feel the lack of oxygen sooner, makes Aconcagua a difficult mountain to climb.

These ‘Cholitas’ have left La Paz in Bolivia to get to Mendoza and start their ascent. They are between 24 and 50 years old.

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