So if ChrisC tried to do some skiing, he's probably done by now. Portillo's season snowfall remains at 256 inches, and I don't know if they measure after the ski area closes.
I really tried to see if I could get to Las Lenas, but with double overnight travel (flights/bus) and iffy bus schedules, it was too much of a journey/time suck. Another time when snow comes earlier.
However, I randomly spoke to my brother around Labor Day-- he had been watching the storms and was interested in Chile: Valle Nevado and Portillo. I told him Valle Nevado is over-rated and that Portillo should be the focus. His friend Josh (ex-Tellurider who has been on many trips with us - Japan, Alaska, BC) was game too. Therefore, we collectively booked 3-days/nights at Portillo and a single Valle Nevado ski day on departure day. (I had only spent one day at Portillo previously after a redeye flight. All the Lake Chutes terrain was open and Roca Jack/Caracara, but the traverse was closed. I came away less than impressed). Chile is a relatively easy ski trip - it's a bit set up like SLC. Local resorts are 1 hour from the airport and Portillo is like Snowbasin/Powder Mt - 2 hours away. You can ski arrival and departure days if you want.
As for scheduling, we had to avoid the mid-September storms (closed roads) and went down the weekend of September 16/17. Portillo offered to put us all in one of its Chalets right on the lake versus the hotel, and we took them up on the offer. All the ski teams had left, and the resort was not busy since the season was far below average until mid-August and it was unclear how long the snow would last. So for about $1200pp we had a chalet on Inca Lake, 4 meals a day (including beautiful lunches at Tio Bob's! on the mountain), hotel breakfast/dinner/apres, Pool, Hot Tub, gym, and lift tickets. It was old-school traditional fun with a deserted, semi-private mountain - only the lodges of Alta might compare to this experience (during a road closure). Almost like a cruise ship - which is what the Hotel Portillo gets compared to sometimes. While I had vowed not to go back to Chile, this experience was incredibly special and unique. Loved it! Fun meeting all the skiers from around the world at dinner and drinks afterward. Almost like a heli or snowcat lodge. Excellent snow. Lots of great Chilean wines - especially the Carmenere varietal which is quite rare outside of Chile.
There was still powder when we got there: the far-out Lake Chutes, Las Vizachas/Condor traverses, and Roca Jack/Caracara traverses. The snow started to transition a bit to spring conditions due to the strong sun, but temps were mostly cold. It is very easy to ski the appropriate exposures. We did not go for Couloir Super C. Day 2 would have been appropriate, but we were still having fun exploring the terrain, skiing the relatively untouched lower sections of the couloirs and eating long lunches above the lake at Tio Bob's --- a 2-hour hike did not seem all that appealing.
We stayed in Santiago one night and skied Valle Nevado - mostly backside (Tres Puntas, Valle del Inca) for a few hours before late-night flights back to the USA on Wednesday. Not as much snow and more wind-impacted, but still fun.
While not Las Lenas I had a great time in Portillo.
Portillo - I'll do a lengthier write-up when time allows.
Roca Jack and Caracara slingshots / The "Traverse" is to the looker's left or skier's right after riding lift
Plateau / Garganta Chutes
Lakeside Chutes / Inca Lake
View from Chalet to Inca Lake
Estamos en Chile: An insider’s guide to skiing in Portillo - A Guide to Portillo Skiing
Here
1. A classic: Super C Couloir
Stand on top of one of the world’s most aesthetic couloirs after a three-hour bootpack off the Roca Jack poma. The line is steep and committing, once you drop in, you’re in. Granite rock walls frame the 4,000-foot line. It’s a run you’ll never forget and you’ll brag about for the rest of your life.
2. Techy: Toilet Bowl
With a couple of mandatory airs, a frozen waterfall to navigate and a backdrop of jagged rock, the Toilet Bowl is one to lap on a powder day. While it’s easily accessed off the Roca Jack lift, the line requires some beta and technical skiing to navigate.
3. Bucket List: Lake Run
Arcing powder turns above the mirrored waters of Laguna del Inca is a must. The Lake Run is an institution in Portillo. But, if you’re like FWT Champ George Rodney, you’ll look at the lines above the Lake Run and see endless options. Rodney will always traverse and climb off the Condor poma to link powder fields, chokes and chutes with the Lake Run. This creates a 3,500-foot, leg-burning top-to-bottom that ends on the shores of the Inca Lake.
4. Claim it: La Chimenea
There’s no better après-ski spot in the entire world—arguably— than Tio Bob’s. The cobblestone refuge goes off in the afternoon. Impress everyone at Tio Bob’s by booting up La Chimenea and skiing the beautiful chute that directly faces the Tio Bob’s deck. You’ll score pow in this south-facing line even when everything else is hacked up.
5. AK in the Andes: El Estadio
The apron of powder that sits beneath the exit of the Super C looks more like Alaska than Chile. Flutes and spines that never get skied reward those who poke around, link up jump lines by boosting off rocks with pristine powder landings and tuck into hidden nooks and crannies that aren’t visible from the on-piste trails. The Estadio requires sweat equity and a traverse, but it’s worth the effort. Trust us.
6. A week after the storm: Ultima Quebrada
Have you seen those quintessential Portillo photos where
Dav or another pro skier is blasting a pow turn underneath cloudless blue skies? Odds are the photo was shot in this zone a week after a storm. No one skis it because it takes time to traverse to and patience to pass all the untouched zones you slide past en route to Ultima Quebrada. But, this spot is worth checking out during a high-pressure system. Bring your GoPro or camera, this is where you’ll nail the shot.
7. Hot laps: Gargantita Dos
Just like at your home hill, spinning hot laps on the chairlift in Ski Portillo is damn fun. The line to lap over and over if you’re looking to bang out efficient laps is Gargantita Dos. This chute sits right underneath the main chairlift, El Plateau; so, you can scope it out every time you’re heading back up. On low-tide years the exit requires an air, but you can ski it from top-to-bottom with your skis on the ground during deeper seasons. From chalk to powder, this line is highly rippable.
madpatski.wordpress.com
