Backcountry Ski Chile August 2023
5200
Location - Chile
Dates
August 1, 2023 - August 8, 2023
Backcountry Skiing and riding in Chile
Always dreamed of skiing and riding the in Chile? Join us for 7 days guided skiing and riding! We’ll start in the Northern Andes near Santiago make our way to different ski destinations as we travel south. We know how to make the best of angles, aspects, and secret stashes not matter what the weather offers to give us the best days possible in the mountains.
Our adventure will be curated to our small group. Like all our trips, our guides will adjust our plan according to daily weather and conditions. We’ll base out of two different lodges and ski and splitboard a combination of terrain. Explore ridge lines, open bowls, or maybe even couloirs if conditions allow. At night, we’ll enjoy hand crafted meals at our lodges and the amazing wines of Chile.
Duration: 7 Days
Activity Level: Moderate/High
Required Skill Level: You must be comfortable descending ungroomed black terrain at the resort. Your skiing doesn’t have to look pretty, but you need to be able to ski and ride in control and avoiding obstacles on the descent. You must also be able to hike several miles, at elevations above 9000ft, and can spend time outside in inclement weather. If you are newer to uphill travel, that is okay! We can teach you a lot about uphill travel under the mentorship of our guides. If you are brand new to the uphill component of backcountry skiing, we recommending taking a Beginner Backcountry Tours and several more tours before heading to South America.
Chile Trip Details
On Day 1, meet at the airport in Santiago (SCL) at the Holiday Inn – Santiago Terminal Hotel Lounge at 9am. Our adventure starts with a shuttle to Farellones. This afternoon we’ll settle into our lodge, do a beacon refresher outside, and enjoy an apres and casual dinner and take in the beautiful mountain views near the lodge.
Ski and ride at one of the amazing resorts near Farellones, including Valle Nevado and La Parva. We’ll spend a day skiing in and around the ski area! We’ll breathe cold mountain air and continue to acclimate to high elevation. of the resort. We’ll ski around 12,000ft and sleep around 6,000ft, a great way to help ourselves acclimatize at the beginning of our trip. If conditions allow, we’ll explore the backcountry terrain near the resort, as well. Our Chilean Ski guide was a professional ski patroller at Valle Nevado for 4 years, so she will show us the best places for our group in and around the ski area! Expect in-bounds skiing as well as near-resort backcountry options.
On day 4 after skiing we’ll drive to a new zone, Cajon del Maipo. We’ll base out of a new guest house in this area, skiing and splitboarding in the backyard of our Chilean Ski Guide! She will show the best spots for our group in Maipo and Embalse de Yeso, and we can sample the wines from this region!
Each morning our guide team will study the weather, snow reports and projections for the day and pick a backcountry zone in the area that will provide the best conditions possible. After breakfast, we’ll hop in our vans and head to our zone of choice. Much of the backcountry skiing in this area begins with a one-way lift at the resort to get us to higher elevations, pristine snow and the possibility of 2,000ft backcountry descents! After a day of fun turns, we’ll return to our lodge for apres, Chilean dinner prepared by our hosts with locally sourced ingredients and a relaxing evening.
Today we will return to Santiago in time for overnight flights back to the US. Official trip ends with our arrival back at the SCL airport at 8pm so everyone can catch a red-eye back to the US. If you prefer, you could stay the night in Santiago and fly in the morning. If you’d like to extend your trip with a flight to Concepcion and tour the southern Volcanoes, please email [email protected] so we can set this up 🙂
What to Expect
- Lodging at boutique Chilean guest houses
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Local, homemade meals and restaurants.
- 7 days guided backcountry skiing and riding
- Van transportation
- Ski with a local Chilean Ski Guide & a Backcountry Babes guide from the US
- Camaraderie and fun in a supportive environment
- Small group feel
- 1:4 guide ratio. One guide for 3 clients, or two guides for up to 8 clients.
Not Included
- Gratuities for your Guides
- Alcohol
Gear Needed for Backcountry Skiing
- Backcountry skis or splitboard, ski poles, backcountry ski boots or snowboard boots, climbing skins
- Avalanche beacon, probe, shovel
- Backcountry backpack
- Warm outerwear, ski gear, and warm layers for spending all day outdoors in various weather conditions.
Getting There
FLY: To Santiago International Airport (SCL). Meet us at 9am at the lobby of the Holiday Inn in the airport.
