No question I'll do another South America ski trip sometime too, to hit the southern areas.
Which resort in Argentina/Chile?
- Thread starter johnnash
- Start date
Sept. 18 season-to-date snowfall totals:
Portillo 287 inches
Valle Nevado 180 inches
That's zero and 3 inches of snowfall in the past 4 weeks.
Base depth range at Las Lenas is 80-250cm.
Over the past month what storms there have been have stayed south, to the benefit of areas like Chillan and Bariloche.
Portillo 287 inches
Valle Nevado 180 inches
That's zero and 3 inches of snowfall in the past 4 weeks.
Base depth range at Las Lenas is 80-250cm.
Over the past month what storms there have been have stayed south, to the benefit of areas like Chillan and Bariloche.
/ :mrgreen:
Perhaps I should follow Patrick's destination itineraries more closely in the future. His recent track record is pretty good, considering Jackson Hole in 2006 and Chillan this time.
Nonetheless this trip and the snow stats from Portillo have raised some red flags about South America's snow reliability. Before the trip I had presumed that Las Lenas and Valle Nevado had similar snowfall and that Portillo got more. I now have Portillo's stats and they are similar to Las Lenas. There is little question that Valle Nevado gets less, 72% of Portillo over the past 3 seasons.
So Portillo and Las Lenas are in the 250 inch average range and Valle Nevado less than 200. Volatility of precipitation is in fact quite similar to what we see here in L.A. at similar latitude. The snow averages are higher than Baldy/Waterman due to higher elevation in the Andes so the precipitation is all snow vs. some rain in SoCal. But the Portillo stats are in both snowfall average and volatility very similar to Arizona Snowbowl, which is at comparable elevation. As we know from recent experience there (plus the 7 seasons at Portillo under 2.5 meters) the risk of extreme drought is real.
I would like to get some stats from Chillan, but that may not happen until I actually go there (I should have assigned Patrick that task!). Bariloche by its own website claims annual snowfall of 60 inches at the base, 120 mid-mountain and 240 on top. Bariloche had an exceptionally good season in 2007, and it's quite clear to me that John Nash should have gone there instead of the VN group.
Nonetheless this trip and the snow stats from Portillo have raised some red flags about South America's snow reliability. Before the trip I had presumed that Las Lenas and Valle Nevado had similar snowfall and that Portillo got more. I now have Portillo's stats and they are similar to Las Lenas. There is little question that Valle Nevado gets less, 72% of Portillo over the past 3 seasons.
So Portillo and Las Lenas are in the 250 inch average range and Valle Nevado less than 200. Volatility of precipitation is in fact quite similar to what we see here in L.A. at similar latitude. The snow averages are higher than Baldy/Waterman due to higher elevation in the Andes so the precipitation is all snow vs. some rain in SoCal. But the Portillo stats are in both snowfall average and volatility very similar to Arizona Snowbowl, which is at comparable elevation. As we know from recent experience there (plus the 7 seasons at Portillo under 2.5 meters) the risk of extreme drought is real.
I would like to get some stats from Chillan, but that may not happen until I actually go there (I should have assigned Patrick that task!). Bariloche by its own website claims annual snowfall of 60 inches at the base, 120 mid-mountain and 240 on top. Bariloche had an exceptionally good season in 2007, and it's quite clear to me that John Nash should have gone there instead of the VN group.
skibum4ever
New member
Tony, we look forward to seeing you at Mammoth and hearing more about your South American adventures.
Sounds like way more fun than anything we did this summer. Would like to see photos if you have them. 8)
Sounds like way more fun than anything we did this summer. Would like to see photos if you have them. 8)
skibum4ever
New member
Thanks Patrick.
I am hoping that next summer will be our time to plan a trip to South America. Now we are just counting down to opening at Mammoth or in CO like everyone else.
I am hoping that next summer will be our time to plan a trip to South America. Now we are just counting down to opening at Mammoth or in CO like everyone else.
Oct. 3 season-to-date snowfall totals, unchanged from Sept. 18:
Portillo 287 inches
Valle Nevado 180 inches
That's zero and 3 inches of snowfall in the past 6 weeks.
Extremely Canadian's Las Lenas trips were similar to my Portillo experience. Some lower areas got sketchy by the end of their second week, same time I was at Portillo. The big vertical lines from Marte were nearly all skiable in corn snow when properly timed.
Portillo 287 inches
Valle Nevado 180 inches
That's zero and 3 inches of snowfall in the past 6 weeks.
Extremely Canadian's Las Lenas trips were similar to my Portillo experience. Some lower areas got sketchy by the end of their second week, same time I was at Portillo. The big vertical lines from Marte were nearly all skiable in corn snow when properly timed.