Chile Beta? (Portillo / Valle Nevado)

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Through a mixup with Delta, I might be finding myself with an extra day or two to spare in Santiago, Chile before heading off to Las Lenas.

I've never been there before, so to those who have been, if you only had let's say a day and half of free time (arrive on a Wednesday morning 7:30 AM and need to be back to catch flight to Medoza on Friday @ 9 AM-ish) where would you go?

1) Portillo?





About 2 hours north of Santiago correct? Very tempting...always heard great things about the terrain. And wouldn't it be cool if the Super C just so happened to be in good conditions for my little arrival window?

Unfortunately, I'm hearing that Portillo runs shuttles to the resort from the airport, but that they only run on Saturday's. And I'd rather not have to rent a car for such a short stay (especially when you're already getting bent over for $100 just to set foot out of the airport). Private cars for 1-3 people seem to be running around $260 USD...that's a big 'ouch' for essentially one day of skiing.


2) Valle Nevado?
I really don't know anothing about VN, except that it located a little closer to the airport than Portillo (approx 60 km and seems like an easy drive if I decide to rent a car).

Damn look at the couloir behind the hotels......





3) Hold off on skiing until I arrive in Lenas and explore Santiago.





Deeeescusss.....

[Arty50]

Fuck skiiiiineg. GEt resally realsy dunks lik si am right now. ?illl befunls. !!!!!!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Fuck skiiiiineg. GEt resally realsy dunks lik si am right now. ?illl befunls. !!!!!!

DPPS.

Arty's new job has already driven him to the bottle!

[xyz]

i'll be facing the same (ish) dilema in a few weeks time...lets hear it, help a couple of brothers out.

[GearQueer]

Ditto what CJ said, don't waste your time in Santiago. Pinochet squelched pretty much all the culture out of Chile, with the exception of Valpo.

Portillo is probably the best mountain in the area, truly one of the unique ski experiences in the world, IMO, but its a three hour drive and they frown pretty strongly on day skiers. It would really suck to drive up there only to have them not want to sell you a pass.

Of the resorts closer to Santiago ~1-1.5 hrs (Valle Nevado, Colorado & La Parva), La Parva was my favorite. Smaller, more local vibe. Valle Nevado was cool too, definitely more resorty. I felt like the hikes to interesting terrain were shorter at La Parva. (Didn't ski at Colorado).

[Woodsy]

there is snow there now
fuck you
[/jelousy]

[Snow Dog]

In Santiago we used a ski rental place that ran shuttles to the surrounding resorts.

It was a low snow year when I was there. I found Valle Nevado kinda flat (but close to Santiago). Portillo is a longer drive and of course they sell day passes.

The airport is outside of the city and (I think) a 45 minute drive.

Santiago has excellent public transit and worth a look since it is 500 years old. It's a mix of very old and very modern buildings.

Chilian food is bland.

"Gui" is Guinea pig. It's on all the menus.

[enlosandes]

Portillo is your best option. The Santiago based areas are low angle and I am sure you are radder than that!

[snowballing100]

Santiago sucks (compared to other parts of Chile). If you explore it, check out the Pre-Columbian art museum, the Cathedral, la chascona (neruda's Santiago home) and take the funicular to the top of San Cristobal and look at the smog (and cristo redentor). Isn't more than a 1/2 day. The metro is a clean, efficent way to get around, but closes early.

Much cooler than Santiago is Valparaiso which is a cheap 2 hr bus ride to the west(buses leave at least every hour). Palm trees, ascensors (over a dozen funiculars running up and down the hills, less than a quarter aride - you could spend all day on them alone), relaxed vibe, amazing seafood - check out the markets for Giant Squid , steep winding pedestrian only streets, back alleys, lots of public art (on the Cerros), very cool place.

keep your shitty opinion to yourself.

[hoarhey]

I am going to Chile Aug 10-21, join the wife and visit with the in-laws. I am really surprised that Portillo seems to have had recockulous amounts of snow (300-350 inches already) compared to the Santiago areas.

I enjoyed La Parva and El Colorado more than Valle Nevado. The couloir Ty mentions above Valle Nevado in heli-access only or at least a serious touring endeavour.

Gonna have to convince the wife for a stayover near Portillo. Some friends stayed at a hostal in Los Andes just below Portillo.

[Camilo]

So, snowballer, do you have a crush on cj001f? Do you throw rocks at him on the playground? You should take your own advice:

keep your shitty opinion to yourself.

[Camilo]

Oh, and Snow Dog, Chilean food rocks! I don't know what you ate when you were there, or if it's the fact that I grew up eating it, but Chilean food is sooooo tasty!

[basom]

best option = 48 hour pisco binge, in the airport preferably so you dont have to pay the 100 american charge.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

best option = 48 hour pisco binge, in the airport preferably so you dont have to pay the 100 american charge.

this is definitely under consideration as well.

thanks all for the tips. Lot's to think about. If this little Chilean stopover ends up happening it will be on 8/31 - 9/1.

snowball -- instead of slamming someone's opinion, why don't you post something useful and say why you don't agree with cj?

oh and Karl Stall rules...thanks again man.

[shamrockpow]

The couloir Ty mentions above Valle Nevado in heli-access only or at least a serious touring endeavour.

I can't imagine helis drop clients there ever, b/c there is virtually no place to exit/pick up. And it would be a hell of a mountaineering just to get there. This is what the cliffs look like under normal conditions:


Ty: both me and cj001f wrote a good deal in a thread last week about Valparaiso/Vina. Great place to spend a few days if there's no snow. One other off-kilter adventure is to tour the Fundaccion Pinochet - kinda crazy to hear how they still talk about him.

However, if there is snow: find the cheapest way possible to get up to VN/Colorado/La Parva. If you have touring partners, then buy the La Parva/VN pass (about $30) and rip the shit out of the back bowl. Lifts up thru La Parva -> traverse/hike across the ridge -> pomma out of VN -> repeat. NOBODY skis back there and you can probably get 5-6 solid laps in depending on what kind of shape you're in. If you're solo, then the best skiing is Santa Teresita - this is the part of El Colorado that can be seen from the road. Either buy the VN/Colorado dual pass or make road laps. Stay in Farellones one night, then hitch a ride down the next night.

Santiago's not all bad. Bellavista is really hopping at night and I had a good time at the AYH location on Calle Cien Fuegos. Aussie girls and pisco = good times

[shamrockpow]

PS: no such thing as an easy ride up to VN. Quicker trip than Portillo? Most definitely. But the "cuarenta curvas sin bareras" can be pretty harrowing.

[Xdog]

OK dawg, I can help. I've done Portillo/Santiago for the past 3 years in a row. 1st week of Sept, 2nd week of Sept., and last week of August.

First off, if you disembark in Santiago, you're getting banged for $100 USD. Sucks, but whatever. Hopefully your passport doesn't expire soon, as the fee covers re-entry for the life of the passport.

In your situation, don't even consider skiing. Portillo is 2 hours away under IDEAL conditions, with a driver who knows the road well. If it's snowing, you ain't going. VN is more like 1.5 hours, and the only real choice for a day trip. If it snows while you're up at either hill, you will not get down, and risk missing your next flight. Plus where would you leave all your stuff?

Plenty of cool stuff to do in Santiago. Check out Barrio de Bellavista, it's a pretty cool strip with a "bohemian" feel. Plenty of open air dining with cheap pitchers of Becker or Cristal, and awesome empanadas. All sorts of folks hanging out.

If you want to club scene, Suecia is off the hook. Just take a taxi over after 11 or 12 and you'll be off to the races.

Subway is clean and safe and will get you just about anywhere you need to be.

2 really nice hotels are the Crowne Plaza on Alameda, and the Plaza De San Francisco on Alameda as well. The girl who runs the hotel booking booth right outside of the passport control area can set you up with a room for any budget, and will not scam you.

Hope this helps, and feel free to PM me for any other Q's.