Arpa Custom

Posted on August 8th, 2007 by gomez.
Categories: Recent Posts.

By Aaron Bilotta

Just dropped my group off at the airport last night. Gomez designed a trip for a hard-charging group of Denverites celebrating a 40th birthday and called it the Arpa Custom. Five ski days, three separate areas. The group flew into Santiago a day early and we hit the city, walking around the bustle, sounds and smells that are Santiago de Chile. Breakfast at Melba’s, metros, the fish market and the Bohemian district- time for piscos and a parilla. A darkish, wet day in Santiago likely means snow in the Andes above.
-Ski day one: We awake to city fog… Mucha neblina. As we drive the forty curves up to Farellones we break above the cloud line at curva 5 and we’re greeted with huge, glistening peaks, freshly coated from the night before- Andes candy. Access from two separate ski areas allows us to cut lines in the backcountry bliss of the Santa Teresa. Huge couloirs and cliffed shoulders drop 2000 ft. below to Valle Nevado’s access road. Line of the day is our first Santa T. A hidden couloir that is not easily found proves fresh and deep. The birthday boy drops into the dog-legged chute and the rest of us hear a loud cheer of elation. Pure virgin powder. We all grab tracks through the chute and slice big signature lines on the carpet-smooth apron below. Our driver Marco, awaits with a grin that seems to say, “Gringos locos.” Crazy indeed. We skied laps on the Santa Teresita for two days and could’ve skied fresh for two more.
Back in Santiago we sit down for sushi and pisco sours. The goggle tans are filling in nicely. Tomorrow, Portillo.
-Ski day three: Driving to Portillo on a blue-bird morning-tweet-tweet. The drive to Portillo is a winding snake of trucks up and down the mountain pass that cuts through the Andes and into Argentina. A view of the Super-C couloir and a chairlift above the vehicle- we’re close. One of my favorite experiences year after year are the looks on my client’s faces as they approach the Roca. A five-person poma lift, the Roca Jack accesses the steeps which make Portillo an international destination for skiers worldwide. Tired legs get warmed up early as four of us jump into the S-chute. A mandatory rock hop in the center leads to a curving exit with high rock walls defining the chute. When you tell people that you skied in Chile you are invariably asked, “Well, did you ski Portillo?” Yeah- we skied it and poached its hot tubs too.
-Ski days four and five: Ski Arpa is something that just has to be experienced. Words will never come close. Over 5000 acres of pristine ski terrain with 22,841 ft. Mount Aconcagua looming above the Andes and Arpa- inspiring. Snowcats are fired up and so are we. For two days we carve up Arpa. Another group has been farming the snow- skiing tightly together in order to preserve the powder. We let loose on Arpa like a pack of wild dogs and put tracks on every shoulder and chute that we can. Bad, bad guide-oops.
I’ve led many ski trips throughout Chile and I have to say that this might have been my favorite. Great group, great weather and great itinerary. Call Gomez and have him book you an Arpa Custom.

Aaron Bilotta
Lead Guide
CasaTours

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