You are looking at posts that were written on August 8th, 2008.
Posted on August 8th, 2008 by dibble.
Categories: From the Guides.
The sun is blazing in through the windshield. We’re headed north on the Pan-American Highway on a Friday afternoon, accompanied by the constant white of snow-capped volcanoes to our right. Today is day fifteen of the longest tour CASA offers, the Endless Winter. Ski bags are packed neatly in the trailer, everyone is looking presentable for the long plane ride home.
We started the trip with three good days in the Farrellones area; there was no new snow, but good soft coverage from the last storm, and spectacular sunsets. Had a glorious handful of turns off the top of the Santa Teresa while perched above the city of Santiago, but the breakable crust on the lower bit of the run kept us from charging multiple laps there.
No one was too surprised to see rain in Pucon. But we woke on the second morning in town to bright blue skies and the promise of fresh snow up high. We all set off hiking for the summit in the midst of a building cloud layer, pleased with the changing views. Eventually we were swimming in cloud and the group split, some heading down on wind-blasted slopes. Three charged on to the summit in the gloom of an impending storm.
The rain followed us from Pucon to Curralco where we spent a day on Volcan Lonquimay. Hans at the AndenRose kept us warm and well-fed while in the area. Despite the dreary weather, no one was particularly keen to leave Curralco because of his hospitality. But we continued on our journey north with hopes of snow at the higher elevations of Nevados de Chillan (formerly Termas de Chillan).
At Chillan we found pockets of great snow with the occasional break in poor visibility. But after a couple of days the skies opened up to reveal the undulating terrain of one of the best resorts in South America, all under a blanket of fresh snow. The wind kept things interesting for a day or two, filling our tracks for us while we rode the lifts back up, and sometimes stripping slopes of everything but ice and rock.
And then yesterday it all came together. Clear skies, a mellow breeze, fresh snow smoothed over in the night. After several runs off the Don Otto we partook in Chillan’s first ever day of cat-skiing. A quick assisted trip to the summit of the volcano, and an incredible final run from the top through the early evening light. Young Willy Tipper [the Ripper] didn’t want his Chilean ski vacation to end after that experience. Who could blame him?