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Posted on July 14th, 2007 by gomez.
Categories: From the Guides, The Ski Diaries.
We have never seen as much snow here at Villarica in all the years we have been coming down. Another huge Andean storm has pounded the mountains here in Chile. Our group is here in Pucon and skied Villarica yesterday. They have received over 60cm of snow in the last 2 days. We were able to ski most of the way down the road instead of riding in the van!!!!
The banks along the side of the road are about 10 feet tall.
Chile is going off!!! I love it: snow by the meter!
Termas de Chillan received at least 50cm of snow in this last storm and the areas around Santaigo: Valle Nevado, El Colorado and La Parva got hammered as well. Snow was falling far down the road.
The temperatures are also colder than average, meaning the snow that has fallen is incredibly dry and light.
We are set up for an excellent season, the coverage is amazing, as good as I’ve ever seen it.
Please check out our youtube site:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=CASATOURS
for up to date images
If you have been dreaming to ski the Andes, 2007 is shaping up to be an epic season.
Posted on July 14th, 2007 by gomez.
Categories: From the Guides, The Ski Diaries.
Saludos from Chile,
Well once again Independence Day marked my departure from the United States and summertime and my arrival to the Southern Hemisphere and winter. Each time it amazes me how I can wake up to an Andean sunrise and in 1 night travel from summer to winter.
Going from 100 degree plus temperatures in Montana to 40 degree temperatures in Santiago is a welcome change and as I fly above the Andes looking down on its snow covered mountains I become giddy with excitement and another ski season beginning.
Unlike last season the Andes have received excellent early snowfall and another storm left 6 inches of dry Andean powder at the resorts outside Santiago.
CASA picked up its first guests on the 7th of July for our first Endless Winter tour. When we arrived at La Parva on the 8th the clouds had us socked in. That afternoon though the clouds broke and the Andes unveiled themselves to us. The sight of these familiar mountains poking out of the clouds sent tingles throughout my body.
The temperatures have been consistently cold and the snow quality I would describe as velvety powder on top of a chalky, carvy base.
As the sun powered through the clouds my guests got their first glimpses of these magnificent mountains and were inspired by their beauty and grandness.
Our afternoon was glorious and a high pressure was awaiting us for the next 2 days of skiing and snowboarding.
The following day we ventured to Valle Nevado where we were treated to a powder day and bright sunshine. The early season coverage is excellent this year and we rode the Los Andes Express, Valle Olympico and had 2 runs down Santa Terasita, one of my favorite off piste areas in all of South America.
Santa Terasita is an 1800 vertical foot face with a mile long ridgeline that drops into a variety of chutes, banana couloirs, cliff drops, and natural half pipes. It is accessed from either a short hike from Valle Nevado or by ducking a rope at El Colorado and descends to the road leading to Valle Nevado. One of the great things about CASA Tours is we have a driver who shuttles us from the road back to the resort after each run. This is our version of heli-skiing and this entire face had less than a handful of tracks before our arrival. Our smiles were ear to ear as we looked down at 1800 feet of untouched powder. I would best describe the skiing as silky smooth and we were able to lay out huge turns and the snow quality was consistent throughout the entire run allowing us to open it up.
We spent the following day at El Colorado, my favorite resort in the Tres Valles.
El Colorado offers the easiest access to Santa Teracita and has some superb inbounds terrain accessed from the Conde Este and Cornisa t-bars. Steep slopes and prominent red rock features distinguish El Colorado’s backside.
After playing around at the resort it was time to return to Santa Terasita.
Even a day later there were hardly any tracks on this face other than our own from the day before. We took one of our quests who spends his winters in France snowboarding. He was thoroughly impressed and hearing the words “That was one of the best runs of my life” gave me an incredible sense of joy. Seeing my guests have an epic run in terrain that is bigger than they’ve ever ridden before makes me feel like a proud papa. Needless to say he wanted more and we were happy to oblige, 2 more times, each one better.
It is on down here and we are stoked with how everything is setting up snow-wise. From Santiago to Barilcohe the Andes are covered
Posted on April 8th, 2007 by gomez.
Categories: Recent Posts, videos, The Ski Diaries.
What a great idea, combining paragliding with skiing.
Here are a few videos I found on youtube that capture this unique sport.
Here in South West Montana there a few folks delving into speed flying and Utah is also a mecca for this activity.
In Europe paragliding is a popular sport and combining a wing with skis just seems to be a natural evolution.
Paragliding Skiing in Cooke City, Montana
Extreme Paragliding Skiing in Europe
ParaSnowKite session in France
Posted on April 7th, 2007 by gomez.
Categories: Recent Posts, The Ski Diaries.
Sometimes getting the goods involves an exhilirating approach. Access gates open the ski resort boundaries and take powder seekers out and beyond. Many of these gates require you put your skis or board on your back, march up a snow stairway, and traverse ridgelines to access your line. Some of these hikes are pleasant strolls, 10 minutes and you are there, others are more vigorous, steep cardio workouts, and then there are some burly, sketchy, don’t fall here hikes that kick in the endorphins long before the boards are strapped on.
Resorts like Bridger Bowl, Taos, Jackson Hole, Arapahoe Basin, Big Mountain, Telluride, Brighton, Crystal, and Grand Targhee all have legendary hikes that bring snowriders to all sorts of terrain possibilities. There is a certain ski culture directly associated with the locals who rally these hikes on a daily basis. Many apres ski conversations focus on these earn your turns runs.
In my opinion there a 3 resort based hikes in the lower 48 that really tickle the jewels and get the heart pumping well before dropping in. These 3 hikes bring riders to big mountain terrain, but what makes these hikes stand out is the exposure hikers experience getting to this terrain.
Fantasy Ridge, Solitude Mountain, Utah.
From the top of the Summit chairlift, Fantasy Ridge follows a knife edge ridgeline and leads riders to a number of steep, snaking couloirs through the Honeycomb cliffs as well as open bowls like Silver and Days Fork, and tree lined spines like Murphy’s. Walking up Fantasy Ridge hikers navigate the Honeycomb cliffs, one of Solitude’s most distinguished terrain features. Along the ridgeline patrol put handrails in the most gripping locations, falling off either side would not be a pleasant experience. The hike reminds me of a snow covered, mini Angel’s Landing. Utah might be a conservative state but they certainly have some of the rowdiest trails in the US.
Headwaters (Lord of the Rings) Traverse, Moonlight Basin, Big Sky, Montana.
Ok so this is my local mountain and I am biased but this hike is hands down the most exposed trail leaving from a ski area in the lower 48. Accessed from either Moonlight Basin’s Headwaters Lift or Big Sky’s Challenger Lift this hike starts as a benign 20 minute step up. Once you reach the patrol sled you are walking along the Headwaters ridgeline that divides Big Sky’s A-Z chutes and Moonlight Basin’s Headwaters couloirs. Moonlight Basin is one of North America’s newest resorts and before it opened the Headwaters terrain was open on a very limited basis. The terrain used to be named Nashville Bowl, the Gracelands, and the ELVIS couloirs, named so because each couloir resembles its respective letter. 1800 vertical feet of continuous 40 degree plus north facing dancefloors, tight squeezes, spines and cliffs make this terrain the perfect venue for big mountain riding. The A-Z chutes and Pinnacles drop off the south side of the Lord of the Rings Traverse. This side tends to be more tempermental snow wise due to sun effect, however aesthetically the A-Z’s are dreamy. With all the liability issues these days in North America it is amazing anyone can access The Lord of the Rings traverse. There are many sections of the traverse that are especially spicey, falling would entail bouncing off sharp andesite rock. There are no handrails or ropes to assist hikers besides one section that has metal chicken wire to keep rocks from tumbling out. And it is open 95% percent of the time, Moonlight Basin’s patrol has done an exceptional job of getting this avalanche terrain open on a daily basis and letting people get er done. With Lone Peak hovering above, walking along this traverse will make you feel like you are in Narnia. A plea to Lee Poole and Moonlight Basin, change the Headwaters traverse name back to the The Lord of the Rings traverse.
Dead Goat Hike, Moonlight Basin, Montana:
OK I know what you are thinking, this guy is really stuck on his mountain, but the north side of Lone Peak is one of the steepest high alpine ski areas in the world. Lone Peak is very remininscent of the Alps or Andes;grandiose, in your face big.
The Dead Goat hike leaves from the top of Moonlight’s Lone Tree Lift. It scrambles up a steep face and leads to an even steeper slot aided with a ropeline to a crumbly rock and ice ridgeline. Riders can drop into Don’t Tell Mama or Dead Goat from this 30 minute hike. Although the exposure is not as great as Solitude’s Fantasy Ridge or the Lord of the Rings Traverse, the sheer steepness and rockiness of the Dead Goat hike ranks it right up there as one of the rowdiest hikes in the US of A.
Here are some links for more information on great ski hikes throughout North America
Bridger Bowl Ridge Hike
Cold Smoke Awards
Ryan Turner Photography Big Sky Moonlight Basin ski/ snowboard photos
Cody Peak, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Crystal Mountain, Washington Silver Queen Hike
Wolverine Cirque, Wasatch Mountains, Utah
Telluride Gold Hill into Bear Basin
A-Basin, Colorado