Cerro Negro in Bariloche, Argentina on July 31st, 2011. photo: miles clark
This is the question on anyone’s mind who’s planning or thinking about a trip to South America this summer. So, let’s have it. I know there are people on here from
THE BIG 5 SKI ZONES OF SOUTH AMERICA:
Bariloche, Santiago Area, Chillan, Portillo, and Las Leñas,
so let’s hear from ya. How is it down where yous is?
By the numbers, Chillan is killing it was 1.95 meters of snowpack at the base and Las Leñas is losing with only 40cm of snowpack at the base. But, the numbers don’t always tell the truth…
Conditions at THE BIG 5:
Las Leñas
– snowpack at base: 40 cm
– snowpack mid-mountain: 60 cm
– snowpack on summit: 70 cm
Las Lenas webcam from August 1st, 2011.
Portillo
– snowfall to date: 92 inches.
– snowpack at Hotel: 33 inches.
– snowpack at Junclillo: 42 inches
– 95% open
– no webcam
Catedral
– snowpack at mid-mountain: 80 cm
– excellent conditions on upper mountain = full-on winter
– very low snow on lower mountain = can’t hardly ski to the bottom/lots of dirt
Upper mountain webcam at Catedral on August 1st, 2011.
July 30th, 2011 at Catedral.
Chillan
– snowpack at base, 1500 m: 1.95 meters (note: the chillan website lists all these numbers in cms, I assume it’s a typo)
– snowpack at mid-mountain, 2100 m: 3.21 meters
– snowpack at top, 2400 m: 3.87 meters
– no webcam
Video of 10 feet in 4 days at Chillan on July 17th, 2011.
Valle Nevado (Santiago Area)
– snowpack: 45 cm
– total season snowfall: 198 cm