Latest List of Opening Dates

Chile
El Colorado, Chile - Thursday 21st June - Snow park is also said to be open

Valle Nevado, Chile - Friday 22nd June - back bowl may remain closed for another week

Portillo, Chile - Saturday 23rd June - Most but not all lifts running

Chillán, Chile - Saturday 23rd June - Fresh snow, waiting to hear which lifts will be open

La Parva, Chile - Saturday 23rd June

Argentina
Las Lenas, Argentina - Friday 22nd June

Cerro Castor, Argentina -  Friday 22nd June

Chile Ski Season Opening Dates 2012

There have been new snowfalls this last weekend in the Chilean Andes with 50cm reported in the mountains around Santiago.

• Portillo had put back their opening date, however after the new snow they will now open this Saturday 23rd June.
• Valle Nevado will open this Friday 22nd June although the lifts in the back bowl may remain closed for another week.
• El Colorado will open tomorrow Thursday 21st June.
• Chillan are getting snow as we speak. The hotels are already due to be open this weekend and with the new snow they are hoping to open the lifts, although we are awaiting further confirmation of this.

Snow Falls In South America

There have been several snow storms in the last couple of weeks in the Andes. Most ski resorts have great snow conditions. All the main resorts in Chile & Argentina have sufficiently good snow conditions and good snow bases.
Termas de Chillán got half a metre of fresh powder this last weekend.
Valle Nevado with it's higher altitude slopes is the main resort for skiing or snowboarding near to Santiago making up the 3 Valleys of Chile with La Parva & El Colorado. Portillo has also benefited from the recent snow storms and Snoventures still have a few spaces available.
Argentina and particularly Catedral Bariloche has had significant snow falls and is now fully stocked for the next few weeks.

Portillo and Valle Nevado Roads Now Open

The road between Santiago and Portillo Ski resort is again open to traffic heading for the resort. The road however remains shut at the border with Argentina meaning there is no road access to Mendoza.
The road between Santiago and Valle Nevado & the Three Valleys if now fully open.

Massive Storm Hits the Andes

Over the last few days the Andes of Chile & Argentina have been pounded by a huge snow storm. The roads to Portillo and Valle Nevado near to Santiago have both been closed preventing access to these key Chilean ski resorts.
The road to Portillo was shut at the normal holding point near to Los Andes where as Valle Nevado was shut a few miles short of the resort where the road forks from the main Farellones road. Access to La Parva & El Colorado has been possible.
With clearer weather forecast until at least the weekend all access are expected to be open again today.
Portillo are currently reporting on their website the road being closed.
Valle Nevado report the access road as being open.
(at 4.50 am Santiago time)