South America 2026

Not sure what is occurring in Portillo, Chile:


For more than 23 days, Route 60-CH has remained closed, preventing access to Portillo.

Safety must always come first. But today, the road to Portillo has been clear for more than a week, with both lanes open and safe for travel.

Keeping this access restricted comes at a high cost to the country and to the more than 550 workers in Portillo and their families, as well as to suppliers, entrepreneurs, and the entire tourism value chain. In an industry that lasts barely three months, we have already lost nearly a third of our operating season.

Reopening this route is not just a decision about Portillo; it is a decision that supports tourism, protects jobs, and reinforces Chile’s reputation as a world-class international destination.



 
ChrisC said:
Not sure what is occurring in Portillo, Chile:


For more than 23 days, Route 60-CH has remained closed, preventing access to Portillo.

Safety must always come first. But today, the road to Portillo has been clear for more than a week, with both lanes open and safe for travel.

Keeping this access restricted comes at a high cost to the country and to the more than 550 workers in Portillo and their families, as well as to suppliers, entrepreneurs, and the entire tourism value chain. In an industry that lasts barely three months, we have already lost nearly a third of our operating season.

Reopening this route is not just a decision about Portillo; it is a decision that supports tourism, protects jobs, and reinforces Chile’s reputation as a world-class international destination.



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So it’s helicopter or bust? What a shit show. And even once they open it, there must be a line of trucks that will prevent people from getting up there for many days still.
 
skiandgolfnut said:
So it’s helicopter or bust? What a shit show. And even once they open it, there must be a line of trucks that will prevent people from getting up there for many days still.
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I am surprised they haven’t figured a way to run a snowcat or snowmobile shuttle down to the snowline.
 
skiandgolfnut said:
So it’s helicopter or bust? What a shit show. And even once they open it, there must be a line of trucks that will prevent people from getting up there for many days still.
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They opened the road only to Portillo in September 2023 less than one week after the major blizzard. The crossing into Argentina remained closed.

I am not sure why they cannot manage the road in a similar manner now.

I am sure this impacts Ski Arpa.

Skieric said:
I am surprised they haven’t figured a way to run a snowcat or snowmobile shuttle down to the snowline.
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The 'Gate' or road closure area is much further down (miles)/ lower elevation than the snowline for obvious traffic reasons.
 
There are still some lingering operational issues occurring at some of the best ski areas:

Portillo - They are still challenged with road closures. However, 3 out of 4 slingshot lifts remain closed; they are still trying to dig out the Lake Chutes return traverse, and the Juncalillo lift is closed. Maybe 30-40% operational.

Las Lenas - Not sure when Marte will open and what the status is.

Chillan - Finally opened its upper mountain yesterday.

Bariloche/Catedral - Finally getting snow, opening upper lifts.


Maybe the Andes will get one good month? Mid August to mid-September?
 
Refugee from TGR here, with some stoke from last Thursday in La Parva

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Thanks for this stoke Casey!!! We TGR old timers are missing your posts, it's taking a while to get the forum up again since the hack. 😞
 
What happened to TGR and when? I have followed CaseyE’s annual Chile threads there for several years. We met for lunch in Santiago Dec. 3, 2021 before we left for Punta Arenas for the eclipse flight.
 
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TGR is migrating the forums for almost a week with no live date yet. Meanwhile, a lot has happened in Chile. Portillo road opened on the weekend for a couple thousand trucks and a few skiers/tourists. The alternative, Pino Hachado pass, 800km south, has now been snowed in, like much of the Araucania region, where it snowed down to 300m.

Now the attention is focused on rescuing the people/animals trapped in the southern mountains, and preparing for another onslaught of snow and rain in the desert north, in particular Atacama. Yet more roads and villages are about to be flooded out or buried in “massive movements of earth”, or rocks mud bushes and anything else that is the natures way. Welcome to El Niño, generally predictable,
locally varying greatly in its effects.

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As for July storm totals, records were set in the north, and in Valdivia in the south (but not its near neighbor, Osorno). The central zone has had rainier years. Tobalaba is probably the most representative weather station for the 3 Valleys.

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Casey E said:
Tobalaba is probably the most representative weather station for the 3 Valleys.
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I realize the station is below the ski resorts, but would you categorize this winter (or July) as a Top 5?

I see some of the snow reports (Valle Nevado, La Parva) that list Historical Year-To-Date Snowfall, and I'm not sure if this is the case. Maybe for July? But June was very dry?

Also, how accurate are the La Parva measurements?

Thanks - appreciate the local input.

Mountain Conditions – La Parva

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This winter in the central zone, in precipitation totals and snow pack, is close to “normal”, but not top 5. No snow up to mid July affects the totals. Portillo, being right up on the divide, gets more than the 3 valleys when the storms get stuck up in the high Andes, as they have in the last few weeks. It may be close to top 5 but I am not sure. As I remember, the road has closed for weeks many times over the years (I first skied Portillo in 1977, after a lengthy closure).

The south, in contrast, had mostly rain until this last cycle, and thus has a minimal base. This can be rectified quickly, and destroyed again quickly, if it rains again (which it might this week).
 
As for ski area “snow conditions” reports, only Portillo is reliable, followed by Valle Nevado, but most are inexistent, or unreliable (like La Parva).
 
westpalmerdadturns said:
Thanks as always for the stoke Casey! That's my buddy Max in photos #3&5.
I've been a long time lurker here and have always loved reading this forum. Finally making the switch from TGR.
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Max was doing laps boot packing on the upper Manantiales bowl, he made for a great show while I took a break.

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Some other folks hoofing it
 

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