Tag: ski Chile

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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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Does the snow in the Northern Hemisphere correlates with the Southern Hemisphere?

Does the snow in the Northern Hemisphere correlates with the Southern Hemisphere? Photo: Valle de Las Leñas in Mendoza, Argentina.

Does the snow in the Northern Hemisphere correlates with the Southern Hemisphere?

As the snow season is to start in South America, we who are born and bred there – (not necessarilly all living there anymore, but many of my friends are doing double seaason- in Chile or Argentina and then Aspen or Vail usually), always tend to think that the snow in the Northern Hemisphere is correlated with the snow in the Southern Hemisphere, mostly when the season is going to start down under.

Summer what Summer?

In Southamerica, specifically in Chile there is a saying: “Abril lluvias mil” that can be translated as: “in April we will have lots of rain”, but this has changed over the last 10 years or so.

There have been lots of Aprils without any rain in the cities, and no snow up in the mountains.
In the High Andes, due to the rocky formation of the mountains, you need a good month of natural snow to cover well all the mountain. Lately, all ski areas have been proactive and started installing snowmaking cannons and guns as Mother Nature is not reliable.

Valle Nevado picture on 14 June. Does the snow in the Northern Hemisphere correlates with the Southern Hemisphere?
Valle Nevado picture on 14 June. Does the snow in the Northern Hemisphere correlates with the Southern Hemisphere?

Chile had the driest start of the year from January to May so far in the last six decades. If there is no rain, there is no snow. There is a front coming now, not sure how much will leave at the high Andes and how much at the lower ones – Accuweather does not show too much in this respect.

Snow-Forecast is a bit more optimistic! I As per Snow-Forecast, Las Leñas has received 42 cm in the past week and is expecting 19 more cm in the next three days. Others that benefited are Puma Lodge with 59 cm, Nevados de Chillan with 56 cm, Corralco with 55 cm and Villarrica-Pucón with 47 cm. Antillanca also got 32 cm, Volcan Osorno 30 cm, Caviahue, in Argentina got 19 cm, Catedral 16 cm and Valle Nevado 16 cm.

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