Patrick
Active member
Day 9: Catedral
I guess depression set in today. It might be attributed to a few factors, not sure why? Was it fatigue? Home sick from my family? Mentally and physically dealing with this trip. My body was hurting for a hard crash the previous day. Or maybe the search for a perfect ski shop to repair that nasty core shot i had at La Hoya? Both that day's crash were rock aided. This is the Portillo of my 2008 trip. After La Hoya, welcome to the big resort with Spring time conditions.
I took the city bus to the mountain today, it's a 45 minutes ride that cost $3.50 pesos (slightly over $1). The ski area is impressive, this is the most impressive I've seen in South America (I didn't ski Las Leñas). The layout of the area might be a cross between Jackson Hole (mountain canyons across the lower face of the mtn) and the old Mammoth lifts (seen from books). Lifts everywhere, old and new. That might be one of the reasons why I was a bit blah about the day. This terrain has some of everything for everyone.
I found that topography made it difficult to move from one end to the next, especially that the connector triple wasn't when I first wanted to take it. The big snow event that happened earlier in the week and transformed itself in wet snow. Difficult to ski. I skied a beautiful run and the extremity of the resort (North-East facing) every similar in few to the Hobacks at JH. At the end (at least the line I took) you need to negotiate the bambos. :shock:
After a temporary ski repair, I managed to get 10 runs in for over 5000m, even if I started at 11am. The day included a few long lift lines, a few old lifts, many many pictures. This was blue bird number trees, beautiful views of the mountain and lakes. 8)
Snow on the bottom is similar to Quebec south side slopes in April, a few odd bare patches for the last 100m vertical. Conditions on the groomers where well packed and not really soft. Pretty much bumpy at the end of the day. Off the side of the groomer, heavy refroozen-wet powder remains. Winds was picking up, snow is apparently on it's way.
Going back tomorrow, I also need to get my ski. A patch is being done tonight.
Big commercial ski resort Argentina style. Right side of resort. Major lift in the picture is Condor.
Cerro Catedral ski map (source: nevasport.com)
Lynch lift from the near the top and view of the lake.
View toward the back of the resort.
Part of the village at the base.
Thsi place is big - View toward Princesa III lift
Looking up from approximately mid-mountain. Centro lift with Nubes chair on the left. I believe this is the area where James was asking about the terrain.
Under Nubes lift. Liftline with the Centro poma toward the left.
Slightly below treeline. Sextuple Express.
Fun stuff with trees. Porbably taken from the Sextuple.
Militares chair with Piedra del Condor peak.
Punta Nevada between the Lynch and Punta Nevada chairs.
2do-komo(?) trail - it reminded me of a Bari version of the Hobacks.
Similar slopes, terrain features, orientation and on edge of ski resort.
Bamboos
So many lifts
View from top of resort in the other direction.
Nubes chair from the summit and Piedra Del Condor far away.
Did I already mentioned that Patagonia is beautiful?
View onto the south side of the ski area from Nubes.
Del Bosque chair. Spectacular setting for a lift.
Different angle.
And another...
and another...wow.
Del Bosque chair and La Laguna pomalift. Not sure how often this is open.
Amancay Gondola.
Seis red run and lower part of the mountain.
The Resort.
I guess depression set in today. It might be attributed to a few factors, not sure why? Was it fatigue? Home sick from my family? Mentally and physically dealing with this trip. My body was hurting for a hard crash the previous day. Or maybe the search for a perfect ski shop to repair that nasty core shot i had at La Hoya? Both that day's crash were rock aided. This is the Portillo of my 2008 trip. After La Hoya, welcome to the big resort with Spring time conditions.
I took the city bus to the mountain today, it's a 45 minutes ride that cost $3.50 pesos (slightly over $1). The ski area is impressive, this is the most impressive I've seen in South America (I didn't ski Las Leñas). The layout of the area might be a cross between Jackson Hole (mountain canyons across the lower face of the mtn) and the old Mammoth lifts (seen from books). Lifts everywhere, old and new. That might be one of the reasons why I was a bit blah about the day. This terrain has some of everything for everyone.
I found that topography made it difficult to move from one end to the next, especially that the connector triple wasn't when I first wanted to take it. The big snow event that happened earlier in the week and transformed itself in wet snow. Difficult to ski. I skied a beautiful run and the extremity of the resort (North-East facing) every similar in few to the Hobacks at JH. At the end (at least the line I took) you need to negotiate the bambos. :shock:
After a temporary ski repair, I managed to get 10 runs in for over 5000m, even if I started at 11am. The day included a few long lift lines, a few old lifts, many many pictures. This was blue bird number trees, beautiful views of the mountain and lakes. 8)
Snow on the bottom is similar to Quebec south side slopes in April, a few odd bare patches for the last 100m vertical. Conditions on the groomers where well packed and not really soft. Pretty much bumpy at the end of the day. Off the side of the groomer, heavy refroozen-wet powder remains. Winds was picking up, snow is apparently on it's way.
Going back tomorrow, I also need to get my ski. A patch is being done tonight.
Big commercial ski resort Argentina style. Right side of resort. Major lift in the picture is Condor.
Cerro Catedral ski map (source: nevasport.com)
Lynch lift from the near the top and view of the lake.
View toward the back of the resort.
Part of the village at the base.
Thsi place is big - View toward Princesa III lift
Looking up from approximately mid-mountain. Centro lift with Nubes chair on the left. I believe this is the area where James was asking about the terrain.
Under Nubes lift. Liftline with the Centro poma toward the left.
Slightly below treeline. Sextuple Express.
Fun stuff with trees. Porbably taken from the Sextuple.
Militares chair with Piedra del Condor peak.
Punta Nevada between the Lynch and Punta Nevada chairs.
2do-komo(?) trail - it reminded me of a Bari version of the Hobacks.
Similar slopes, terrain features, orientation and on edge of ski resort.
Bamboos
So many lifts
View from top of resort in the other direction.
Nubes chair from the summit and Piedra Del Condor far away.
Did I already mentioned that Patagonia is beautiful?
View onto the south side of the ski area from Nubes.
Del Bosque chair. Spectacular setting for a lift.
Different angle.
And another...
and another...wow.
Del Bosque chair and La Laguna pomalift. Not sure how often this is open.
Amancay Gondola.
Seis red run and lower part of the mountain.
The Resort.