Ski Trip to South America Summer 2022

[djd66]

This is a trip that has been on my bucket list for a long time. We are planning on going next summer and starting to research now. I'd love to hear from anyone that has gone. What areas? What time of year? Any recommendations? I will be traveling with my wife and 2 teen age kids. Our initial thought is to do a 12 day trip, 5 days of skiing and 5 days of touring.

 

[2Planker]

1. Valle Nevado - Went in 2003, Fantastic !! 3,800 Vertical, only 22Km from the small city of Bariloche​

2 Las Lenas - 2005, 3,900 Vert. ,Nicer town/resort. More to do...
3 Portillo - Intense terrain, conditions can be more variable

 

[jaytrem]

A friend of mine went to this place in Argentine, scored some major powder days...

Catedral Alta Patagonia - Catedral Alta Patagonia

Sitio oficial de Catedral Alta Patagonia. Esquí y snowboard para todos los niveles, ascensos y actividades para no esquiadores

www.catedralaltapatagonia.com

 

[Bosco DaSkia]

let someone else worry about the planning.

https://onondagaskiclub.org/Valle-Nevado-2022

 

[Boxtop Willie]

Skied Valle Nevado a bunch of years ago. Still the best ski trip ever. Incredible terrain, fantastic food and surprisingly easy to get to. Fly to Miami, overnight to Santiago. 1:15 shuttle drive to resort. Drive is a little adventurous. Extra bonus, Santiago is in the Eastern time zone, no jet lag. We went 3rd week in August, great conditions. Planning is easy through the resort. A variety of lodging options depending on your need for luxury. Flights are plentiful. I can't wait to go back.
Can ski over to La Parva and El Colorado, both great add-on areas to explore. Be in shape for the trip, the altitude is significant. Lodges are at 10,000 ft, lifts go from around 8500 to over 12,000. I had a nose bleed for days.

 

[kingslug]

What he said above. I found the skiing to be pretty easy..maybe we just couldn't find the hard stuff. Conditions are variable..we had 1 powder day. Food is good and you might meet some famous skiers up there..we met Reggie Christ. The altitude will get you but it keeps your bar tab down.

 

[180]

let someone else worry about the planning.

https://onondagaskiclub.org/Valle-Nevado-2022

thats a pretty good trip plan

 

[Hawk]

There seems to be a connection between Sugarbush Ski School and Portillo Chile. I would ask John Egan or someone from the blazers/Bush Pilots crew maybe if you are interested in that place.

 

[kingslug]

On the way to Valle Nevado I ran into John Egan in the airport..going to Portillo.

 

[urungus]

let someone else worry about the planning.

https://onondagaskiclub.org/Valle-Nevado-2022

Don’t you have to be a member of the ski club to participate in a trip like this ?

 

[djd66]

Thanks for all the info!

Valle Nevado seems to be the top destination. I like the fact that it is less than 2 hrs from Santiago. After a 12 hr flight, I would not want to trek another 7 hours to the resort,... my wife would kill me. I like the size of the resort and the fact that you can ski to 2 other resorts will be cool. It also on the Ikon Pass - so we ski for free. The only issue I can see is the hotel being at 10,000 feet. I like to enjoy my brown water after a day of skiing,... I guess I may need to limit that or endure a pounding head ache.

 

[kingslug]

The ride up to the resort..is sporty..take a bus.

 

[Boxtop Willie]

Most definitely take the available shuttle up to the resort and back down...the trip up is sporty, the trip down is SPORTY

 

[Bosco DaSkia]

Don’t you have to be a member of the ski club to participate in a trip like this ?

Yes. All trip participants must be members of the club for insurance purposes.

Membership cost $30 a year. To help offset the cost, New members are given one free night at the club lodge in Vermont.

 

[catskillman]

The ride up to the resort..is sporty..take a bus.

I would call it scary not sporty I have done it twice. The road is so sporty that it is ow one way only. If you are not on it in time to go up you have to wait till the next day as it is only for down traffic at the end of the day.

Great place - we were there for a snowboard comp at el colorado. the flying tomato killed it. had to hurry back because you do not need to miss the lift on the way back to Valle Nevado.

Keep in mind most of Santiago is closed on Sunday.

 

[NYDB]

They won’t reverse traffic on the road if you show your ikon pass?

 

[Funky_Catskills]

I spent a week in Las Lenas - and it was amazing!!!! Wide open terrain..

 

[Geoff]

My information is a bit dated. I skied Chile 4 times in the 00’s. My last trip was the summer of 2008. I always went on Aadvantage points. They used to have a reduced fare option that kicked in mid-August so you could get a round trip ticket for 45,000 points. Valle Nevado lowered their prices around Labor Day. I recall Termas de Chillan was similar. I never made it to Portillo because their booking policy is too rigid. You’re stuck with their arrival/departure dates and you have to be there for a week. I don’t know if that changed.

I like Chillan way better than Valle Nevado. The terrain off the rickety Otto double chair is way better than anything at Valle Nevado-el Colorado-La Parva. It’s a long train ride from Santiago so it gets way less traffic. The lower mountain is also below the tree line so you can at least go out and ski on the whiteout days. The Gran Hotel is also much nicer than the Valle Nevado complex.

My last trip, I spent a week in Chillan and then day skied Valle Nevado from Santiago taking the bus. My previous trips, I always stayed at the resort at the Tres Puntas.

 

[WinS]

There seems to be a connection between Sugarbush Ski School and Portillo Chile. I would ask John Egan or someone from the blazers/Bush Pilots crew maybe if you are interested in that place.

Sugarbush had a long history with Portillo. Sigi Grottendorfer was Ski School Director at both Sugarbush and Portillo for many years. And many Sugarbush coaches joined Sigi at Portillo in the summer. Portillo is still owned by the Purcell family. It is a different type of operation. Like a cruise ship you book for a week and price includes lodging, 4 meals each day and ski tickets. There is a also a heli operation which gets you to the best terrain. They also have a few uniques lifts called a “va et vient“ or slingshot lift. Think of it as a high speed poma or T-bar surface lift. it is designed so as not to be damaged by an avalanche and to access steep terrain where a tower pole could not be installed. The skiing is OK but the camaraderie is terrific. There are only 450 people in residence so you get to meet a lot of them. Since it is a high dessert there can be periods of time when there is no new Snowbsll but then it can dump. I went there a few years ago with my son and had a great time. The staff is terrific.

 

[thebigo]

Has anyone booked a package trip out of boston or aware of a new england club planning a trip next summer?

I am basically looking for something similar to the ski club trip linked above without having to drive to Syracuse. It will be my nine year old daughter and myself, once in a lifetime trip.