Valle Nevado's "I'm in a meeting"

The next time your boss calls to ask about your whereabouts, you can easily reply ‘I’m in a meeting’…that’s of course if you happen to be skiing down Chile’s Valle Nevado.

Continue reading ‘When in Valle Nevado, tell your boss ‘I’m in a meeting’’

Valle Nevado ski resort was far enough to not be seriously damaged by the earthquake.

Last Saturday a massive earthquake struck just off the Chilean coast near Concepcion which is south of Santiago.

Santiago, located 310 miles north of the epicenter, suffered damage to some buildings, many of which were older structures located principally in the city’s downtown.

Fortunately, Valle Nevado ski area and the road that connects the resort to Santiago were not affected. Following an exhaustive inspection engineers found only a few minor cosmetic damages at Valle’s hotels and buildings.

Continue reading ‘Valle Nevado ski area not harmed by Chilean earthquake’

Most of South America’s 30 or so ski areas opened this past week after a receiving a healthy snowfall measuring over 5 feet in some places.

Argentina’s Las Leñas ski area in particular reported having over seven feet of snow, while Chile’s Portillo resort reported just under five feet.
Las Leñas is one of the largest ski resorts in the Andes, located in Central Argentina near the Chilean border. Portillo is a popular destination for ski racers looking to train during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer season.

• South America: Read related more news from southern hemisphere ski resorts by clicking here

• Argentina Ski Resorts: Click here for Argentina’s ski resorts

• Chile Ski Resorts: Click here for Chile’s top ski resorts

After completing the 2008 season with above average snowfall and all rooms booked to capacity, Ski Portillo, Chile, has announced that their 2009 ski season will run from June 20th to October 3rd this year.
Portillo is the oldest and remains the most exclusive resort in South America combining old-world elegance, breathtaking scenery and epic skiing. Portillo accommodates only 450 guests per week, so there are never lift queues or crowded slopes. Vast stretches of untouched terrain and freshly groomed runs beckon skiers of all abilities.
Portillo offers many special weeks during the season, including Chilean Wine Week from August 1st to 8th which features daily wine tastings, wine knowledge courses, a guest ski/snowboard race and après ski wine party, Portillo’s eighth annual Wine Week showcases top traditional and up-and-coming Chilean wineries. Ski with the Superstars Week from August 15th to 22nd give participants the opportunity to spend the week mastering the steeps and deeps of the Chilean Andes with Chris Davenport and other top free skiing champions.
Other special weeks include discounted family trips, discounted women-only trips and family-themed weeks. www.skiportillo.com

Llaima ski area in Chile’s Conguillio National Park was evacuated last week as the Llaima Volcano on which the ski area is located spewed out lava flows up to two kilometers long above the ski runs and lifts.

Continue reading ‘Flowing lava disrupts season start at Chillean ski resort’

Chile’s ski areas are hoping to that a record 800,000 visitors by the time the season ends in October and according to reports from the Santiago Times they are off to a good start with around a metre of snow (40 inches) on the slopes.
Termas de Chillán, the most southerly of the country’s major areas, along with Valle Nevado, one of the closest to capital Santiago, both opened last weekend.
Termas de Chillan has several new lifts and new mountain restaurants this winter as part of an investment program aiming to boost skier numbers to an average of 4,000 a day. The resort’s main 400-bed Gran hotel was fully booked for opening weekend.
The picture is currently less inspiring for Australia and New Zealand. Australian resorts opened on time but have been struggling with limited snow to open runs, although there have been recent accumulations of the natural stuff and temperatures low enough to top up with snow making. More snow is forecast for the end of the week. In New Zealand good snowfall at the start of the season has been lost in some cases due to unseasonably warm weather, also too warm for snow making, and several areas have postponed opening. But it’s a mixed picture with Mounts Hutt and Ruapehu opening and reporting good early season conditions, the latter saying their opening is the earliest for 15 years.
Dave Wilson, Mt Hutt Ski Area Manager said the ski area has had a great run up to the start of the season.

Early snowfalls and ideal temperatures for snowmaking means we now have a 50cm snow base which is very good cover for this early in the season,”

he said.

Great news coming from South America. Awesome ski conditions are kickstarting the ski season in Chile by a week with Portillo’s officially cranking up the ski lifts on June 14.

Portillo combines old-world elegance, breathtaking scenery and epic skiing, all in an intimate resort that accommodates only 450 guests a week, offering an exclusive and hassle-free winter vacation.
New this season are weeks when one or two children (depending on the week) ski, eat and stay free. There are also girlfriends weeks when four women ski and stay for the price of three.
www.skiportillo.com.