
johnnash wrote:Yes, thanks, Tony. I had reached pretty much the same conclusion that Las Lenas wasn't the best option, for the reasons you mentioned. When I started looking at air schedules, I also discovered that the schedules are better a(nd cheaper) to Santiago than to the Argentince resorts, so I may also look at the resorts close to Santiago.
Tony Crocker wrote: If you go to Chillan independently, the acclaimed Colchagua Valley wineries are about halfway between. We're probably spending the last 2 days of our trip there.
johnnash wrote: Another nice advantage is that I could apparently ski each day at a different one of the 3 closest resorts (Parva, Colorado, or Nevado), although it's hard for me to tell from the info on the websites what are realistic transport times from Santiago. Geoff, what would you estimate to be the "normal" transport times for each of these 3 from downtown?
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But definitely try lots of carmenere as well. Since it was re-discovered a few years ago (for decades, everyone thought it was merlot!), it's rapidly becoming Chile's signature grape.
Tony Crocker wrote:I'm making an exception for Portillo because I don't want to spend a whole week there on my first Chile trip, and because I want to try El Arpa while I'm in that area.
ChrisC wrote:So is skiing Portillo for 1-2 days from Santigo, 4 at Valle Nevado complex seem reasonable?
I asked a year ago or so -- Tony seems to think Las Lenas is for a week....go with the flight schedule.
johnnash wrote:Transportation to Portillo from Santiago is considerably more expensive (US$50 per person, 4-person minimum with KL Adventures) than to the 3 closer resorts ($15), from which I infer it must be a much longer trip.
Tony Crocker wrote:The transfers from Santiago are very expensive when quoted alone. When we were going to be arriving a day late for the NASJA trip, I was quoted $110pp from Santiago airport to Valle Nevado, and you had to pay that round trip price even if you were only going one way.
Tony Crocker wrote:I'll respond to Chris C.'s questions because I'm also a "hyper traveler" and his proposed itinerary is essentially a combination of my 2005 and 2007 trips.
Tony Crocker wrote:If you go to Chillan, you can chew up 2 days getting there and back to Santiago, which NASJA was going to do by train to minimize cost. I'd recommend flying or spending some of that transit time in the Colchagua Valley wine district. It's also possible to cross the border farther south from Chillan (maybe skiing Pucon also) and go to Bariloche.
Tony Crocker wrote:My two trips are a combined 5 weeks. If you want to go everywhere ChrisC mentions, I think you need at least 4 weeks.
Tony Crocker wrote:
Chile: I'll know more once I've been there, but since Santiago Adventures runs the El Arpa snowcat skiing, they have package deals where you stay in Los Andes and ski both there and at Portillo for as many days as you choose.
I think 3 days is about right for the lift-served Valle Nevado group. The guy at Powderquest says La Parva's terrain is more challenging, but Valle Nevado gets more snow. They have an 8-day package which also includes El Arpa/Portillo, but like Extremely Canadian is not flexible for dates.
One of the guides from CPG in Alyeska works at Valle Nevado's heliskiing in the summer. Terrain and prices are customized to the interests of each group. For a strong group in exciting terrain plan on about $950 for 25,000+ vertical.
If you go to Chillan, you can chew up 2 days getting there and back to Santiago, which NASJA was going to do by train to minimize cost. I'd recommend flying or spending some of that transit time in the Colchagua Valley wine district. It's also possible to cross the border farther south from Chillan (maybe skiing Pucon also) and go to Bariloche.
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