Ski Chile 2024 sputter sputter

[Casey E]

Some V Sollipulli fun coming up in August

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9F4z...RlODBiNWFlZA==

[Casey E]

So to corroborate their July/August/Sept forecast, meteochile first shows two alternative forecasts (USA, Korea), which show lower than normal precipitation, and some "indefinition" further south



And then lays it out by latitude, with "normal" precipitation ranges for reference



So it will precipitate, just less than normal, say 100-150mm in Santiago -Qta. Normal, which translates, all else equal, to around 100-150cm of new snow left in the season for the 4 Valleys/Portillo.

For Temuco, the same number would be 250-350mm, or 250-350cm more snow coming. It is very cold at the moment in the southern cone with lots of social media posts of snowy roads, stranded animals, forests drooping under the weight of wet snow, etc.

So the season should still be good, albeit with less frequent and intense storms. For the rest of July, in spite of a dry 10-day forecast at the moment, it should be closer to "normal", or greater:



https://climatologia.meteochile.gob....cas-202406.pdf

In NOAA words,



and "In summary, ENSO-neutral is expected to continue for the next several months, with La Niña favored to emerge during August-October (70% chance) and persist into the Northern Hemisphere winter 2024-25 (79% chance during November-January)."

[Casey E]

Some recent gleanings

Cold enough to freeze the ocean in Tierra del Fuego



Central valley freezing fog south of Stgo





South to north, select ski areas

El Fraile, Coyhaique





Osorno, for sitters





Antillanca trenching



Villarrica (¨Pillan") scenic chair



Llaima (Las Araucarias)





Antuco



Which has 500m vertical and some neat volcanic features



Chapa Verde

[kamtron]

Quite the crown in that Antuco photo. One of my favorite volcano corn skis I've had in Chile.

[Casey E]

Boom goes V Villarrrica last night

https://x.com/sernageomincl/status/1811222550455751129

The 500m no-go zone was a little short.




From a neighbor a couple days ago



Spot the Pillan ski area in there

Today

[Casey E]

Valle del Cepo, Valle Nevado, more rad than Sta Teresa

https://www.instagram.com/p/C89bt2Ou..._web_copy_link

[Casey E]

Blowing the super c



https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8sty...RlODBiNWFlZA==

[Casey E]

Getting it on Santa Teresa





https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8vHE...RlODBiNWFlZA==

[Ak_pride]

Is it worth coming in October? I've always wanted to come in august/september obviously. But working seasonally I just dont know if its ever gonna happen. This year I think I can be done by late september. I imagine volcano corn season would still be good then? Dont expect to get much lift served still at that point but catching a little bit of it if possible would be fun too.

[kamtron]

Is it worth coming in October? I've always wanted to come in august/september obviously. But working seasonally I just dont know if its ever gonna happen. This year I think I can be done by late september. I imagine volcano corn season would still be good then? Dont expect to get much lift served still at that point but catching a little bit of it if possible would be fun too.

I went expecting to ski corn in October 2019 (mostly Region de Bio Bio, Auracania) and there was a 1 m powder dump. So we skied pow off the top of Lonquimay and Llaima, then corn in Antuco and frozen corn in Chillan. I think we got pretty lucky. But there's definitely skiing to be had reliably in October, especially further South. The lifts were still turning at Lonquimay, which was great.

[Casey E]

Is it worth coming in October? I've always wanted to come in august/september obviously. But working seasonally I just dont know if its ever gonna happen. This year I think I can be done by late september. I imagine volcano corn season would still be good then? Dont expect to get much lift served still at that point but catching a little bit of it if possible would be fun too.

If you are expecting spring conditions, you will have a blast. The main gamble is rain, but you have 1,000km of latitude to choose from, and it is supposed to be dry. The ski areas that could be open in October are the 3 Valleys, Corralco, Pillan, Antillanca, and Osorno. Often weekends only. Chillan doesn’t seem interested in October and may run the lifts/cats just for racers (like the Canucks). BC could also be Maule if they permit.

[Casey E]

Groomers are as good as ever, and LP added a couple of their few black runs on Las Vegas and Alpha



Fabres was fab




Santa Teresa from VN




The cold spell has helped a lot for the piste renewal, but the heat is now on the way.

[Casey E]

So the clouds will finally get their chance tomorrow, but no precipitating, then it’s back to sunshine. Some piste pics from recent days













Tres Puntas and environs



Cerro La Parva southeast bowl


Northeast towards Bismarck peak


El Plomo to the north



El Pintor bowl


West to La Parva



The hotel and ski area base




The south ski out from Tres Puntas to the Embalse lift



And a Sunday afternoon paseo to the La Parva southwest bowl







The main chute in the middle





And some Franciscano tracks on 3 week old snow and yet another heli prowling.

[Casey E]

Old powder hunting is a shady business.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9ci8..._web_copy_link

A quick trip north and then east from La Parva, past the Las Bronces and Andina mines, to Portillo

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9fZA..._web_copy_link

[Casey E]

Los Arenales, Araucanía. It took a long time to get here, from summer pastures to ski area, abandoned, and now a backcountry alternative to Corralco, with "identidad cultural"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9V8u..._web_copy_link

You do have to pay to get in now though. Several minor peaks stretch north at 1,900- 2,000m, with lovely forests up to about 1,700m.

More views here

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9DU6...RlODBiNWFlZA==

[Casey E]

For the hard up in need of work to be able to ski

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/t7J...ibextid=WC7FNe

“[emoji3555] ¿Quieres ser parte de esta nueva temporada de invierno 2024 y trabajar en los más importantes Centros de montaña Farellones y el Colorado? [emoji3555]
En Grupo Grafton nos encontramos en búsqueda de SHAPPER SNOWPARKS turnos 5x2 con Alojamiento en cordillera, que se dedique a la mantención de equipos snowparks durante esta temporada de invierno 2024 en Centro de montaña El Colorado [emoji473]
[emoji3587]Si te apasionan las actividades en montaña y tienes conocimientos de esquí no dudes en postular con nosotros[emoji3587]
Principales funciones del cargo:
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- Vigilar para avisar en caso de accidente.
- Mantención en fierros y madera. TRABAJO 100% EN TERRENO (NIEVE) ¿Qué buscamos? -Amante de las actividades de montaña, con disponibilidad para trabajar en turnos 5x2 con alojamiento en cordillera. -Conocimiento y manejo de esquí nivel Intermedio (Excluyente)
¿Que ofrecemos?
-Turnos 5x2 CON ALOJAMIENTO EN CORDILLERA.
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-Uniforme acorde al cargo
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-Almuerzo y cena en casino EN CASINO, el desayuno corre por parte del trabajador, contamos con cocina full equipada para refrigerar y guardar alimentos.
- Traslado desde punto Omnium Esc. Militar Ida (7:10AM Partida transporte/Regreso al término de turnos)
-Beneficio ticket de temporada
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Si eres una persona entusiasta, con ganas de ser parte de esta temporada invierno 2024 y puedes subir a cordillera de manera inmediata POSTULA CON NOSOTROS enviando tu CV a egodoy@grafton.cl o +56934111998 indicando que postulas al cargo de SHAPPER- EL COLORADO
¡queremos conocerte!”

[Casey E]

Andes Touring offers interesting tours, amongst others, heli-camp near Santiago, and touring Cerro Castillo, Aysén.

https://trips.andestouring.com/

“Experiencias de rando / randonnée en la Cordillera de los Andes. Ski touring trips in the Andes Mountains.
Cordillera Metropolitana

HELI-TOURING Camp

Explora tus límites en una expedición única. Únete a nuestro viaje asistido por helicóptero, donde líneas épicas y paisajes vírgenes te esperan en el corazón de los Andes chilenos. Armaremos un camp con amantes del rando y freeride como tú.

4 días, 3 noches
Fecha: 15 - 18 de agosto

Desde $ 890000”


OR,

“Cerro Castillo

DEEP Patagonia

Explora un destino único. Terrenos vírgenes se mezclan con la adrenalina de esquíar por todo tipo de terrenos.

4 días, 3 noches
Fecha: 6 - 10 de septiembre

Desde $ 690000”

[Casey E]

Villarrica lets a black one loose





The ski area closed, but will be up and running shortly. Business as usual according to the locals. Yellow alert
maintained, no-go zone at 1.5km.

[Casey E]

Wondering about backcountry near Portillo? This just in from Sunday





"Estero Ojos del Agua", accessed from the road at the bottom of the valley, before the caracoles. Cerro Juncal in the distance.

[Casey E]

Or Cajon del Maipo, Cerro San Gabriel, from July 14





https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9tSK...RlODBiNWFlZA==

[byates1]

Sick.. getting after it

[Casey E]

Got a late full moon ski in on Monday

Skied up to the Franciscano dome at 3,620m



Where we set up shop with a view



The view east to Tortolas, Tres Puntas, and El Cepo/Klatt range



South to Cerro Peladero



El “Apu” (guardian) Plomo and its Incan Adoratorio



“El Santuario de Altura del Cerro El Plomo, hasta donde se sabe, corresponde al centro de un conjunto de santuarios que es el más austral del Imperio Incaico. Por otra parte, el cuerpo congelado que en él se cobijó y el rico ajuar asociado a él hacen de este Santuario un testimonio arqueológico excepcional de la cosmovisión andina.”

“el santuario se compone de una plataforma llamada "Adoratorio", ubicada a 5.200 metros sobre el nivel del mar. Unos 200 metros más arriba, hay tres recintos rectangulares conocidos como "Enterratorio", pues en uno de ellos se encontró al niño sacrificado.”

Quite the mountain mystique, common in the Andes,

https://www.monumentos.gob.cl/patrim...ra-cerro-plomo

[Casey E]

All fueled up, we hunkered down for the moon to come up, under a roof of stars





8 million blokes in this photo, plus Farellones to the left





The moon rose with the arrival of a groomer



Moontan time on El Franciscano beach





The ski down involved hunting recent grooming and chasing our moon shadows.

[riff]

This is simply outstanding. Thank you Casey for keeping this going- I will let you know if I get down there, hoping for September or November


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Casey E]

Looks like the boys at Dos Tiempos have been milking Valle Arenas

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C92SY...RlODBiNWFlZA==

Says 4 days ago.