Puyehue, Chile – The eruption of Chile’s Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcanic complex vexed the best efforts of Patagonian ski resort and tour operators last year, but according to authorities with the Servicio Nacional de Geologia y Minera of Chile volcanic activity at the complex has continued to diminish and the threat level has been downgraded to yellow. As a result, ski tour operators are moving forward as normal.

Last year’s eruption caused at least 4,500 people to be evacuated from nearby areas, while the resulting ash cloud circled the globe affecting cities all around the Southern Hemisphere. Airlines were forced to cancel flights in areas stretching from San Carlos De Bariloche, a ski resort in Argentina, to Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. The eruption activity continued for the entire 2011 ski season in South America, causing facilities such as the San Carlos de Bariloche airport to remain closed to commercial air traffic through October 2011, resulting in losses in the millions of dollars for the tourism market in the region.

All airport activity in the area has since returned to normal and although the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle Volcanic complex is still being constantly monitored for increased activity, there are currently no signs pointing to a repeat of the disaster experienced by the region in 2011.

American tour operators like Virginia-based PowderQuest Tours have resumed offering all trips in Argentina. In addition the popular PowderQuest Chile Volcanoes Ski Tour of three area volcanoes is available and booking for the 2012 season.