Valle Nevado, Sept. 11, 2007

Tony Crocker

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Staff member
I arose early in Santiago to check out the partial solar eclipse. There was a solid cloud deck over the Andes to the east, but as we were leaving the hotel the sun got above the clouds. We stopped a few minutes to view the 25% eclipsed sun through solar shades.

When we got on the hill at 10:30AM the clouds were just breaking up so the snow was hardpacked. The only direct east facing area for morning corn at Valle Nevado is the 800 vertical Las Ballicas poma lift. In spring conditions you are mostly confined to groomers, but there are many of them with decent standard of grooming. Best is probably the 2,000 vertical El Sol (misleading, mostly faces south on the west perimeter of the area) from the top of Andes Express to the Prado base. The lower portion of this had good corn midday and early afternoon. The highest Tres Puntas poma has good afternoon cruising once it softens.

Off piste skiing is limited due mostly to lift placement. There are canyons on either side of the area but no lifts to bring you back. Thus the allure of the El Colorado to VN road with shuttle pickup. I met a father and son late Sept. 11, and for our last run we skied the natural gully that twists and turns for about 1,000 vertical from the middle of Andes Express to a couple hundred feet above the Prado base. VN has a terrain park, but the long natural pipe is much better when the snow softens.

The past 3 dry weeks have not been kind to VN/LP/EC skiing. Some potential off-piste has burned off or has thin/rotten snow. The groomers are all fine now, but some spots get resurfaced every night. Continued warm weather will result in more limited skiing by the end of the month. At lower latitude the sun effect here is like Sierra or Colorado a couple of weeks later in the season. In terms of both snow and lack of crowds it has the feel of first of April up north.
 
Pictures, starting with partial eclipse:
091107_eclipseview.JPG

091107_partialeclipse.jpg


Partapente over Andes Express:
091107_parapente.JPG


Tres Puntas sector:
091107_lasballicas.JPG

091107_trespuntas.JPG

091107_trespuntas2.JPG


The lower natural gully:
091107_VNgully.JPG


Lower lifts, steep cliffs in El Colorado in background:
091107_lowerVN.JPG
 
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How well did the Valle Navado complex link together? Weak or strong?

Did most people primarily ski one area/day or was an interconnection encouraged?



Strong Interconnect = 3 Vallees, Val d'Isere/Tignes
Medium = Alta/Snowbird
Weak = Solitude/Brighton
 
ChrisC":27kgmvxt said:
How well did the Valle Navado complex link together? Weak or strong?

Did most people primarily ski one area/day or was an interconnection encourageg?

Not sure what Tony experienced, but I didn't find anything than even close to promoting the fact that you can ski from one area to the next. It's not promoted (it should be) and not facilitated in term of lift tickets. I heard that they were combo tickets, but I didn't see anything about it.

Connections:

Valle Nevado connections to La Parva and El Colorado are fairly easy. There is one link for each area, same applies for the return.

Even if El Colorado to La Parva are neighbours, the connection is weak and is off-piste and not indicated at all.

PS. I'll probably have something to say about it in the next few days once I can add to my endless TR. :oops: :roll:
 
It's not promoted, but the upgrade ticket prices are posted at the ticket windows. It's more if your Valle Nevado ticket came with your hotel package.

It is possible you would see more people doing it when conditions are better than during my trip. The logistics of La Parva/Valle Nevado are similar to the Alta/Snowbird connection: up high but very obvious.

I am more critical of lack of cooperation in lift placement. A couple of new fairly short lifts at Valle Nevado could add quite a bit of terrain.
 
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