Southern Hemisphere?

[Sparky]

For those of you out there that have the time and money to travel to the southern hemisphere in pursuit of turns I have a question. What is it like to go from summer to winter and back again in an unnaturally short period of time? We are all accustom to the cycles of the year, but this kind of trip must really play havoc with your internal clock and I’m not talking about jet lag. So what’s it like?

 

[dmc]

For those of you out there that have the time and money to travel to the southern hemisphere in pursuit of turns I have a question. What is it like to go from summer to winter and back again in an unnaturally short period of time? We are all accustom to the cycles of the year, but this kind of trip must really play havoc with your internal clock and I’m not talking about jet lag. So what’s it like?

Did a trip to Las Lenas one summer..

It WAS AWESOME!!!

There's only an hour time change...
The cold was great!!!

No problems at all...

 

[JimG.]

Been to Las Lenas in Argentina and Portillo in Chile...adjusting to the change in season was no problem. An added bonus is that the time change is only 1 hour in Argentina and there's no time change in Chile.

Actually alot less stressful than a trip out west or to Europe where you have to deal with the time changes.

They're having banner seasons in the southern hemisphere this year...snowpack rivals what our western friends got in the Wasatch this past season. I gotta get back down there.

 

[Brettski]

What's the cost and exchange rate....

probaly cheaper to fly/ski there for a week than it is to drive/ski at kmart

EDIT: And how cool would it be for the kids?

"Joe, What did you do on your summer vacation"

"I went SKIING...BOO YAH"

 

[dmc]

What's the cost and exchange rate....

probaly cheaper to fly/ski there for a week than it is to drive/ski at kmart

EDIT: And how cool would it be for the kids?

"Joe, What did you do on your summer vacation"

"I went SKIING...BOO YAH"

I think they still sell kids to pirates down there.. Not really sure though...

 

[Brettski]

OK, so we'll stay out of the woods....

 

[dmc]

OK, so we'll stay out of the woods....

Cool thing about Las Lenas... Is there IS no woods..
All open - alpine kinda terrain...

Seriously - I saw lots of kids down there.. The pools are great! And the beginner terrain looked really nice...

But it's definately an adult vibe...
Dinner isn't served until after 8PM...
There's casinos and discos... Lots of drinking...

 

[JimG.]

What's the cost and exchange rate....

probaly cheaper to fly/ski there for a week than it is to drive/ski at kmart

EDIT: And how cool would it be for the kids?

"Joe, What did you do on your summer vacation"

"I went SKIING...BOO YAH"

I think they still sell kids to pirates down there.. Not really sure though...

Good one D :lol: !

Brett, the cost depends on where you go and what you're looking for.

Las Lenas was more of an adult oriented place. There were several choices in accomodations, and there is alot of night life with discos, bars, and casinos. Las Lenas is HUGE and has almost endless hiking options. The trip there is a bummer though, a long flight followed by another local flight followed by a bus ride to the resort. Total travel time was just shy of 24 hours both ways!

Portillo was much different. The resort is one hotel; that's it. Everyone stays there. It is VERY NICE. The hotel has 2 nightclubs and a bar, a movie theater and all other amenities. Everyone eats their 3 meals together and you get to meet and eat with alot of different folks. The food and staff were excellent.

The skiing is just as amazing, and we spent most of our trip hiking to sick terrain when we weren't using the on site helicopter service. The alpine terrain there is the most beautiful I have ever seen. The trip there is much easier, a long flight to Santiago and then a 3 hour cab ride to the resort.

The best is that Portillo is definitely a family oriented place. I went with a ski instructor buddy, at the time my wife was pregnant with my second and my son David was only 2 years old. We were among the few people there without family. The kids ski school is marvelous. I'm planning a return trip in the next year or 2 with the whole family.

That said, Portillo was not cheap. Including everything with flights it cost me about $3K for the week.

 

[Brettski]

Let me get this right.

3k for Flight, hotel, food, ski campo, lifts, helicopter service, in room girlfriend *, booze

sounds like a bargain to me


* ok, maybe not....

 

[Brettski]

WOW, This is just sick..and only 2600+

http://www.skiportillo.com/html-eng/skiing-3.html

 

[JimG.]

Let me get this right.

3k for Flight, hotel, food, ski campo, lifts, helicopter service, in room girlfriend *, booze

sounds like a bargain to me


* ok, maybe not....

My bad; the heli service was extra. 1/2 day cost $300. That would get you 4 runs at about 3K vertical each. About half of those would be first descents.

Also, we're talking about 1996 dollars, not 2005 dollars. Probably costs more now. Well worth it.

 

[Brettski]

Still, I'd rather do that the go on a cruise...

Looks like $290 + guide fee for 2 runs now

http://www.heliskichile.com/precios_he.htm

Hell I spent $250 to go tubing with the family in Jamaca, ja mon

for an hour

 

[awf170]

What's the cost and exchange rate....

probaly cheaper to fly/ski there for a week than it is to drive/ski at kmart

EDIT: And how cool would it be for the kids?

"Joe, What did you do on your summer vacation"

"I went SKIING...BOO YAH"

I think they still sell kids to pirates down there.. Not really sure though...

and this may be a good or bad thing depending on how they behaved on the trip down...

 

[riverc0il]

damn, $3k is a lot of cash for one week.