We’ve got first hand reports from Las Leñas, Santiago Area, Bariloche, and Chillan. The Northern Andes (Las Leñas, Valle Nevado, La Parva, etc) just had a good dump and it stayed cold so the snow is still good. In Bariloche, we got a big dump, then it got hot and ashy and the Santa Rosa Storm is upon us now. Forecast is showing a big 4 day storm in the Southern Andes and nothing for the Northern Andes.
– Snowpack mid-mountain: 220 cms
– Snowfall mid-mountain last 12hrs: 0 cms
– Current Conditions: Windy, cloudy, and nasty as the Santa Rosa Storm rolls in. Forecast is for 35cm of snow and high winds the next 4 days. Full Ash report from yesterday here: Ash in Bariloche August 30, 2011
Snowing in the Catedral webcam from top of mountain, Sept. 1st, 2011 at 5:30pm local time.
Las Leñas
– Snowpack at base: 1 m
– Snowpack mid-mountain: 1.1 m
– Snowpack on summit: 1.5 m
– Current Conditions from Tim Konrad on August 31, 2011:
After the last weather system rolled over Las Lenas a few days ago expectations where high for another Marte powder fest but when Ts Marte opened around 1pm yesterday, August 30, 2011, the winds had all ready ravaged much of the mountain. That being said, we found some good pockets of wind deposits on the SE aspects.
Reports from today were that Torrecillas and Entre Rios were all time. We spent our day hiking out to the Labyrinth which made for one great run down the main couloir (aka Broken Shoulder). The snow had effected the sunny side of the couloir but where the snow had stayed in the shade it remained blower. All and All I give Las Lenas a B- at the moment.
Las Lenas’ webcam photo from September 1st, 2011 at 5:30pm local time.
Valle Nevado (Santiago Area)
– Snowpack: 50 cm
– Total season snowfall: 315 cm
– Snowfall in past 24 hrs: 0 cm
– Snowfall in past 48 hrs: 0 cm
– Current Conditions from Valle Nevado from Griffin Post on August 31st, 2011:
Conditions right now at the three resorts above Santiago (El Colorado, La Parva, Valle Nevado) are awesome. The question is how long will it last? Despite a low base temperature have been low and winds mild, meaning the existing snow, though somewhat lacking, has been preserved and has stayed in place.
These last couple days have been the best of the year for a lot of people. 20-30cm fell during the weekend and the week has been mostly clear so far, meaning awesome pow riding both in and out of bounds.
It’s worth noting though, before the storm the coverage wasn’t that great, thus there are still some really, really bony areas where the new snow might have covered up what was a scree field last week. The lack of wind hasn’t helped this. As the saying goes, just because it’s white, it doesn’t mean it’s right. If you’re unfamiliar with the area, let the locals lead and follow tracks. Yes, that sucks, but it’s better than dry docking on a scree field.
Claudio Vicu and August cold smoke on August 30th, 2011. Valle Nevado, Chile. photo: griffin post
– Nothing in forecast for next week.
Valle Nevado webcam September 1st, 2011 at 5:30pm local time.
Portillo
– Total snowfall this season: 481 cms
– Snowpack at hotel: 145 cms
– Snowfall last 7 days: 88 cms
– Snowfall last 24 hrs: 38 cms
– Current Conditions: Not sure, but it sounds like they just got nuked on that it’s epic…
– Nothing in Forecast for 7 days
Stock photo of Portillo, Chile. photo: onthesnow.com
Chillan
Snowpack at base: 3 meters
Snowpack at Summit: 6.2 meters
60 mph winds at summit at 5:30pm September 1, 2011.
– No Webcam
– Current Conditions & photo from Maurius on August 31st, 2011:
Great powder yesterday (August 30, 2011), but today was too windy and too warm, so everything is gone…
Powder Day. August 30th, 2011. Chillan, Chile
– 20cms forecasted in next 3 days.