Ski Chile 2024 sputter sputter

[Casey E]

I haven't done a budget for a ski trip in a long time.

A quick look at lift tickets, for "mid/low season", excluding weekends and holidays and sometimes more, we have US$ 60 for La Parva ($82 high), $51 for Portillo ($68 high), Corralco ditto, and Antillanca $33 ($39 high). Discounts can be had for "cuponeras of 5 or 10 tickets, or often for weekday specials with certain credit cards, Telco promos, or "2 for 1" specials. Pricing at the moment seems to be unstable, some don´t have prices published, nobody has promos. I figure I get an average of 30% discount skiing weekdays, but I have the bank cards, Telco plans, and intel.

I bought a seasons pass for La Parva last week, first time ever, understanding it would be for La Parva, with perhaps some deal for a Valle Nevado ticket, given the fusion news. Yesterday they confirmed it was good for both ski areas, same price. Yeah! opening day Friday.

As for lodging, Portillo is prohibitive unless you stay in the Gallinero, or chicken coup, also known as The Inca Lodge, which is about US$1,500 for 3 nights, all inclusive, for 2 beds in a shared 2 bunkbed room and common bathroom. Or the classy lake view double costs $4,800 for the same.

The 3 Valleys have a multitude of lodging possibilities from cheapo Farellones airbnb nowhere near a lift to upper scale La Parva with only one "hotel", just apartments, and rarely more than a block to walk to ski. Look on google, booking.com and airbnb. A fun place in Farellones, which has a special place in my heart (met the mrs there) is the El Alemán De Farellones, now renovated. From there you can walk to the Embudo lift (when there is snow) to connect to the rest of El Colorado.

Whenever you are away from a ski area, lodging is very cheap, and eating can be as well. This applies to backcountry destinations (like Maule, Paso Vergara, Antuco, Lonquimay, etc).
Las Trancas (Chillan), and Malalcahuello (Corralco) are other ski towns with multiple lodging opportunities, but there you definitely need a car.

[Casey E]

How easy is it to get from Santiago to the mountains? What about other parts of the country? Wondering if renting a vehicle is worth the cost over using public transport.

I just put my two weeks in a work yesterday so I HAVE to go now.

Well you don´t want to ski staying in Santiago, the road can be a major issue. Sure, it is just an hour from where I live, but only about 10% is moderately straight, and the rest is one big narrow winding curve, so you don´t average more than 40km/hr going up 2,000 vertical meters. Newbies get stuck, get sick, hog the road at 20km/hr, and so on. Very easy to get transport up and down, tho, and some people actually work up there commuting.

Public transport is pretty good in Chile, as are the toll roads, most with 120km/hr speed limits. Easy to buy both bus and air tickets online, not expensive if you plan. Trains are making a much overdue comeback. But getting to the base of a ski area when you want to be there is another issue.

[Casey E]

And as for Portillo, from the nearest settlement, the road is longer and more of a highway, winding up one watershed to the Caracoles switchbacks. You can go fairly fast on many stretches, but it also goes up over 2,000m, and is rough in places from rockfall, has avalanche tunnels, and MANY big trucks on occasion. It is by far the most transited highway between Argentina and Chile. Basically, plan ahead (I think there are no trucks allowed at certain times on weekends or something). So commuting isn´t so easy. But you could do Portillo out of Los Andes town and Ski Arpa too, which is nearby (worse road). Lots of cool places to stay around Los Andes (vineyards, hot springs, estancias).

[Casey E]

Weather wise, June is looking to start mostly dry and warmish

[Casey E]

For the locals, Mall Sport has an expo ski, with ski area and equipment sales and talks

??Viernes 31 de mayo al domingo 02 de junio:
??RANDO DAYS ???????Por Andes Touring @andestouring con la expo y feria de ski ?????? de randonne y freeride 2024! ??

Encuentras:
- Equipos 2024??: Las marcas más importantes de la industria estarán presentando todo lo nuevo en innovación y tecnología en el deporte.
- Equipos usados ??????:Una amplia variedad de equipo de segunda mano ??????
- Vende tu equipo ??Trae el equipo que quieres vender para que quede en vitrina durante el evento
- Charla de expertos ??????: Conversaremos con expertos en la disciplina
- Actividades ???????Relacionadas a la disciplina
- Premios y concursos ??????

??Viernes 31 de mayo:
??????Charla técnica en tienda Volkánica @volkanicaoutdoors Mall Sport
Charla de especialistas sobre el equipamiento de ski ?????? y Randonnée con descuentos especiales en la tienda válido para asistentes

PRONTO HORARIO

??SÓLO Jueves 06 de junio:
Venta especial Andacor @elcoloradofare @farellonescentrodemontana en el área central ??????Mall Sport de 12:30 ?????? a 18:00 hrs con promociones especiales en tickets de temporada ??????????????

??Viernes 07, sábado 08 y domingo 09 de junio:

????????????Reparación de ropa (de cualquier marca) en ??????el área central de 10:00 a 20:00 hrs por @mallsport

?????? Encerado de tablas de snowboard y afilado de cantos de ski + personalización de cascos ?????? en el área central de 10:00 a 20:00 hrs por @7veinte y @mallsport ??????????????????????

Atent@s a la programación vía stories que estaremos publicando estos días ????????

¡Nos vemos! ??????
3h

[Casey E]

Crepuscular rays to kick off the first May opening day in decades

[Buster Highmen]

Geez, I'd love to, but I shouldn't spend that much. Portillo 1964, Nancy Greene crash, but I don't speak Spanish. C-couloir but $500/night for the cheap room/dorm? Marte pow but will it be open, snowed in or snowed out? Lots of flights but $1300 for single stop? Sin Salida but closed Corralco? Going solo, but going solo?

[Casey E]

Andes weathering did some damage, but not too much. Flat light day

t


Got some turns in sheltered spots. Powder was a bit heavy, but was eminently skiable



Few people

[byates1]

Thx for all the deets Casey. Def always tempted. The dream of being there for 3 months in a van will happen. Insane lodging prices. Affordable day tickets.

What was the la parva season pass?

[Casey E]

US$300, “super senior” class (+66).

For such a short season (90 days at best lately), seasons passes are expensive in Chile.

Lots of buzz around the next big front bringing rain at altitude, mainly to the Maule- Araucania regions

[Casey E]

Oof

[Djongo Unchained]

We're all going to ski Chile next season. Get your shit dialed in. Staying at Casey's Casa!

Keep it coming C., yer about the only stoker around these parts lately.

Beware of jinxing the weather by predicting it. Jus' sayin'.

[Casey E]

We're all going to ski Chile next season. Get your shit dialed in. Staying at Casey's Casa!

Keep it coming C., yer about the only stoker around these parts lately.

Beware of jinxing the weather by predicting it. Jus' sayin'.

You will be welcomed con abrazos abiertos.

My selected predictions are none other than limp attempts to describe what is our planets fascinating, declining, unpredictability. So there.

[Casey E]

It is, unfortunately, a shit show coming in

[Casey E]

This is fun for a look see https://www.vista360.cl/corralco/

[Casey E]

Looks like it will be back to snow next sunday. Meantime, a few rain showers.

[Casey E]

Gonna get serious in Araucanía, probably Bariloche to Caviahue in Argentina too.



Being billed as an “ciclón extratropical”
https://www.soychile.cl/Temuco/Socie...io:Soychile.cl

[kamtron]

How easy is it to get from Santiago to the mountains? What about other parts of the country? Wondering if renting a vehicle is worth the cost over using public transport.

I just put my two weeks in a work yesterday so I HAVE to go now.

What Casey said is good.

You can get anywhere via bus or private shuttle. But then you have to stay in ski towns. That's not cheap unless you're away from the popular areas (Santiago, Chillan, or Corralco--although deals can be had). If looking to do more exploration or ski tour a variety of places, I'd get a car, especially since you only have 2 weeks. If you speak Spanish and chat up the rental people, they can often hook you up with a more capable vehicle. Lots of access roads will have some kind of chain-up checkpoint, but I've had success getting past without chains. Just be prepared for shenanigans getting up any access roads with significant snowfall.

I second the booking.com recommendation. Airbnb is more gringo targeted, booking is used more by locals.

[kamtron]

Thx for all the deets Casey. Def always tempted. The dream of being there for 3 months in a van will happen. Insane lodging prices. Affordable day tickets.

What was the la parva season pass?

If you go on a ski touring trip, you can do it cheap and still ski an occasional resort day.

[Goodabouthood]

If you go on a ski touring trip, you can do it cheap and still ski an occasional resort day.

This is the way.
I went on a ski bum budget in 2022, besides the $800 flight and a couple splurges on day tickets it was relatively inexpensive for lodging/food.

[Casey E]

This is the way.
I went on a ski bum budget in 2022, besides the $800 flight and a couple splurges on day tickets it was relatively inexpensive for lodging/food.

This is true. Best is a shared vehicle,
habitable or not, and cabin rentals. Be flexible, and avoid ski areas and other popular places on weekends/holidays.

Winter is off season everywhere in Chile but the ski areas, and all sorts of cabins can be had just about anywhere a good road gets.

For Argentina, a big shift is in process regarding prices and currencies

“Algo que no ocurría hace años: Argentinos ahora necesitan pesos y salen a vender sus dólares”

https://www.emol.com/noticias/Econom...n-dolares.html

The flow of bargain hunters has reversed, and now Argentineans are buying up electronics and other goods in Chile. Prices are high and unstable there. Lots of suffering going on, but as they say in Argentina “estamos mal, pero vamos bien”. Hope is their only hope.

[emma__watson]

amazing deal from El Colorado ending today for the Cyber Montaña oferta.

6 day andes pass (el colorado, pillan, osorno) for 121usd

https://www.elcolorado.cl/

[Casey E]

Geez, I'd love to, but I shouldn't spend that much. Portillo 1964, Nancy Greene crash, but I don't speak Spanish. C-couloir but $500/night for the cheap room/dorm? Marte pow but will it be open, snowed in or snowed out? Lots of flights but $1300 for single stop? Sin Salida but closed Corralco? Going solo, but going solo?

Speaking of 1964, Portillo celebrates 75 years this year, with some ancient clips in this link, of the bold ones of yore

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7rbN..._web_copy_link

[Casey E]

Geez, I'd love to, but I shouldn't spend that much. Portillo 1964, Nancy Greene crash, but I don't speak Spanish. C-couloir but $500/night for the cheap room/dorm? Marte pow but will it be open, snowed in or snowed out? Lots of flights but $1300 for single stop? Sin Salida but closed Corralco? Going solo, but going solo?

Speaking of 1964, Portillo celebrates 75 years this year, with some ancient clips in this link, of the bold ones of yore

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7rbN..._web_copy_link

[Buster Highmen]

Speaking of 1964, Portillo celebrates 75 years this year, with some ancient clips in this link, of the bold ones of yore

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7rbN..._web_copy_link

Always wanted to ski there, but it sure seems expensive. Is there any way around staying at the lodge there and still skiing Portillo?

I'm waffling wildly on heading down; I have a lot of family stuff going on.