El Colorado, Chile Conditions Report: Fast, Rocky and Firm

Two weeks ago, El Colorado and most of Central Chile received their first significant snowfall of the season, finally allowing the resorts to open after a long wait. Nearly two weeks later though without snow and El Colorado and neighboring Valle Nevada and La Parva are in dire need of snow once more. Over the weekend El Colorado was fast and icy, half the time it was a slide for life rather than actually making turns. None the less, skiing in July in South America is pretty cool either way.

El Colorado is pretty rocky and firm at the moment. The skiing is icy and fast, and going off trail is not really an option. I blew out an edge and never once went off-piste, its not uncommon to find landsharks right in the middle of the trail. The best snow was found to the right side of the resort off the Cornisa T-Bar, with actual chalky groomers and a few soft spots here and there. While the skiing was adventurous, it was a cool experience to be that high up above Santiago and the potential terrain is amazing. With a lot of snow, El Colorado and the surrounding area could be a pretty sick place to be.