Andes Snow Report: June 16-24, 2007

SkiOrganizers strives to provide you with first hand knowledge of each of our ski vacation destinations. With the South American ski season just underway, we needed to sample the snow. The week of June 16-24, two members of the Ski Organizers team headed to Argentina and Chile to see how the season is shaping up. This is their account.

After one of the most comfortable international flights on Lan Airlines, we touched down in darkness unable to see what we knew was there: the striking Andes mountain range blending seamlessly with the pristine unadulterated beauty of the Nahel Huapi lake and national park.

Arriving at the base village of Catedral Alta Patagonia resort, we were quickly jolted out of our travel day stupor with the delightfully strong Pisco Sour welcome drink and were and shown to our handsome rooms at the Hotel Pire Hue, a boutique style ski-in/ski-out hotel with dark wood tones, antique furniture and historical pictures of Catedral, the oldest ski resort in South America, originating in 1939. We celebrated our arrival with a delicious gourmet meal and although exhausted took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the charming bar and the cozy living room accompanied by a large crackling fire and a bottle of fine Argentine vino tinto (red wine). Sitting there that night, taking it all in, we knew we were the lucky ones!

Nobody bothered to tell us that the sun didn’t rise until almost 9 a.m., so that combined with the fact that there were no alarms, or clocks in general in the rooms, it made for a rushed morning. Rummaging through the tightly stuffed bags for all our ski gear and rushing down into the breakfast room, we realized we had not yet feasted our eyes on the unbelievable views we’d traveled this far to see. The fog lifted to reveal the lake in the distance with numerous forested islands and contrasting snowcapped peaks. We had visited this paradise six years ago and there were not much had change in the base village which was a nice surprise as it is still a quaint ski village with unique European charm. However, the mountain had almost doubled in size since our last visit, with new high-speed lifts and modern terrain parks. Now one ticket gives access to the whole mountain. This is by far one of the most modernized ski resort in South America in terms of lifts. We didn’t ride a surface/poma lift the entire day (a rarity in South America). Finally after years of waiting we saw the view from the top again, there are very few in the world that capture this kind of beauty (somebody please pinch us!).

After taking it in fully we were ready to make some turns. Here at Catedral they ski fast so we made large GS style turns as we carved through the early season, but quality, snow and even found a bit of powder on some north facing slopes. We skied a full day stopping for lunch at one of the on mountain restaurants finally feasting on the so eagerly awaited Lomito sandwich, which is a fatty cut of meat, steak in this case, with tomatoes, eggs and mayo all on a toasted baguette. Surely you have heard about the legendary meat in Argentina? This is no joke and well worth a trip down here to experience it for your self. A Lomito wouldn’t be complete with out a Quilmes beer, the local favorite and obvious sponsor of the Catedral resort… the Quilmes flags are the same size, if not bigger, than the Argentine flag.

The next day we spent touring the properties at the base village as well as the area attractions. Lunch at the Llao Llao - what a treat! This hotel is a member of the leading hotels of the world for a reason and here you can feel the history and the grandeur inside and outside on the courtyard be offered an amazing vantage point of both Lake Nahuel Huapi and Lake Moreno. Simply breathtaking!

What? The party doesn’t get started until 12:00 a.m.!! Being American, it is tough waiting around for the nightlife to start in South America. After trying in vain to get the crowd motivated to start the dancing early we were not only unsuccessful, but were greeted with some pretty strange looks and undeniably a few laughs. And as promised, at 12:00 a.m. sharp the crowd started dancing to the live talent mixing local favorites and American cover songs ranging from Credence Clearwater to Guns and Roses – when the American songs came on it was like we were all old friends as all the locals knew every word. If and when you’re down here, make sure to wait up for the Argentines to get their groove on, the party is well worth it! What? The bars stay open until 5:00 a.m.!! As you can guess, morning came way too soon.

The next adventure was to La Angostura, a charming upscale village situated on the northern banks of lake Nahuel Huapi, about an hour’s drive from Bariloche, and a brief stop in town to do some shopping we took a 20 minute transfer to Cerro Bayo ski resort, a small mountain with big plans of expansion and an upgraded lift system. The resort was not open to the public yet, but they were kind enough to open it for our group and the resort employees. Hooray!! The slow rides on the double chairs and the stillness of the forests draped in Spanish moss made for a tranquil and relaxing afternoon, not to mention the foot of fresh powder all to ourselves – unbelievable! The snow is generally plentiful in this area and the view from the top is well worth a day trip to Cerro Bayo!

From the small mountain village to the bustling mega metropolis of Buenos Aires, we pass the Rio de la Plata River which looks like an ocean but is actually one of the widest rivers in the world. We happily arrive at the contemporary Hilton Buenos Aires which is located in the old port area, Puerto Madero, just a short walk away from the famous Women’s Bridge. This area was the old harbor district and since 1991 has been restored and has a lot of charm. We get dressed up and attend the quintessential tango show. The culture in Buenos Aires is draped with the sultry and powerful tango music and dance and when in BA this is a must. The next morning we set out to see the city on a tour of the neighborhoods. Some of the highlights of the tours were the Recoleta neighborhood with its fashionable boutiques and Parisian influence and the Boca neighborhood where we toured the Boca Junior football stadium where tourists/fans were shouting chants for fun and the energy is evident even without the team in the building.

On to Santiago! After landing in Santiago, Chile we planed to travel up to Valle Nevado, but unfortunately there was too much snow and the road was closed. Making the best of the situation, we stayed in Santiago that night dancing to Brazilian beats and enjoying Santiago’s small city feel. Although we were disappointed that we wouldn’t get another ski day in, we took advantage of Ski Organizers' Chilean Excursions. Enjoying Chile’s amazing geographic diversity, we traveled west toward the Pacific on a scenic route through vineyards and small picturesque villages to the cities of Vina Del Mar and Valparaiso. The most interesting thing about the two cities standing proudly side-by-side is the stark contrast between the two, each with its own identity which makes the cultural experience that much greater. The best part is they are only located 75 miles from Santiago making this a perfect day trip before that overnight flight back to the States.

Vina Del Mar is a posh upscale beach community with high-end boutiques, art galleries, and cutting edge condominiums. Valparaiso is art and architechure blended beautifully and from the vivid colored homes and buildings to the graphic and dramatic graphite art that cover its walls, it has a character of its own. We dine at a seafood restaurant with wide windows facing the enigmatic ocean and finished the trip off standing in the sand with our face toward the ocean taking in the past week’s travels with a dose of salty air and Chilean sunshine. This was a true unexpected treat and was the best way to end an amazing trip.

As you can see, when you plan a trip with Ski Oraganizers, you are traveling with experts. We bring our first hand knowledge to every trip we plan, ensuring that you receive true value and an incredible ski vacation experience. When you are ready to plan your next ski vacation, we are waiting. Give us a call at 800-283-2754.