A Spring Skier’s Guide to Valle Nevado, Chile

This article is brought to you by Valle Nevado.

Ski season in the high Chilean Andes often goes long and strong into the spring. At Valle Nevado, that means lifts will be spinning until it’s bikini and swim trunks weather. The iconic resort just outside of the nation’s capital of Santiago allows skiers to make turns in steep and playful terrain off of the Andes Express chair or Tres Puntas poma for weeks consisting of warm, sunny weather, not barring the occasional late-season powder day. Spring at Valle Nevado comes in with style, and every year the resort offers special late-season experiences like none other. Along with the extended schedule this season, Valle Nevado offers two major operational highlights: the debut of the new Aconcagua Ski Residences in winter 2026, offering luxury slope-side living, and an expanded lineup of end-of-season events.

At 3,025 meters above sea level, the cold stays in the snow long after the storms pass, keeping the slopes fresh and clean. As General Manager Dominique Rudloff told SnowBrains when discussing the late-season shift, the elevation and exposure preserve the snowpack long after the lower valleys warm up. “Valle Nevado starts at 3,025 meters above sea level, so you really feel the altitude in the quality and consistency of the snow,” she said. “Our south-facing slopes also help preserve exceptional conditions on the pistes well into the season.” Beyond the snowpack, the spring weather brings a distinct change in mountain atmosphere; according to Rudloff, the days are longer, there is more sunshine and, overall, the mountain feels more relaxed and social than in the middle of winter.

• Related: A First-Timer’s Complete Playbook for Skiing Valle Nevado Chile

Travelers planning a trip into late September and October have clear lodging timelines to follow. Hotel Tres Puntas and Hotel Valle Nevado welcome guests through most of September. Both Hotel Puerta del Sol and the newly introduced Aconcagua Ski Residences accommodate stays through the Chilean spring, providing modern slope-side living late into the spring. For operational planning late in the season, Rudloff offers straightforward tips: “The advice is simple: check Valle Nevado’s mountain report before you come. It gives you an updated view of snow and piste conditions, weather, lift and slope operations, and hotel services.” Through the final operating day, the resort maintains its core operations. “Valle Nevado maintains the same high standard throughout the winter season,” Rudloff said. “So come ready to enjoy it: ski, spend time in the mountains, eat well, explore the Andes and make the most of the longer spring days.”

Off the groomed pistes, the resort continues running its specialized mountain excursions. Guided heli-skiing operations run late into the season, taking skiers directly into deep alpine terrain to ski long, ski-movie-type steep lines in powder conditions. For those looking to enjoy the beautiful evening glow of the Andes, the new Sunset Snowcat excursion carries small groups of four to 12 passengers up to the Ancla summit between 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Guests watch the brilliant nightly sunsets while enjoying a Chilean-inspired cocktail, food tasting, and drinks, returning to the hotels by snowcat between 7:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The tour requires a 24-hour advance reservation and will operate as long as snow and interest hold. These late-season excursions build on cultural traditions set earlier in the winter, including two dedicated Wine Weeks earlier in the season where guests tasted and bought wines directly from Chilean producers.

The mountain hosts its Wellness Weekend every spring, balancing physical exertion with high-altitude recovery. Mornings begin at 8:30 a.m. with Wim Hof cold-exposure training at the spa and outdoor pool, followed at noon by a guided “Mountain Mindfulness” ski tour toward El Vals and Tres Puntas. Evenings during Wellness Week feature sound healing and seminars on biohacking and high performance in the Tres Puntas Room. Immediately following Wellness Week, the energy shifts to pure competition with the Andes Cup at the Valle Nevado Snowpark. The international FIS freestyle event brings together elite riders from the United States, Canada, and South America to compete in Slopestyle and Big Air for critical international ranking points. As Rudloff explained, these events define what it’s like to stay on the mountain: “These events make the experience at Valle Nevado much more than just skiing. Wellness Week is a chance to slow down, enjoy the mountain, and experience the Andes in a different way.”

The cultural climax of the season arrives with Chile’s National Holidays, Fiestas Patrias, every September 18 and 19. The resort transforms into a mountain festival centered around Plaza La Góndola and a traditional Fonda in the gymnasium, featuring live Chilean folk music, cueca dancing, local contests, the crowning of the Guachaca King and Queen, and late-night celebrations. For international visitors, Rudloff sees the holiday as an unmatched cultural immersion. “Fiestas Patrias brings Chile to the mountain — traditional food, empanadas, asado, cueca, music and folklore,” Rudloff said. “For international visitors, that combination is really special: experiencing Chilean traditions and culture, while enjoying the snow and some of the best skiing in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s something you don’t want to miss.” At its core, the celebration is just about simple mountain living. “It’s really about enjoying the full mountain experience: skiing, eating well, celebrating, spending time with friends and family, and discovering Chilean culture — all with the Andes as a backdrop.”

With a winter’s worth of snow still underfoot and the spring sun lingering long over the high peaks, Valle Nevado is as fine a place as any to watch the seasons turn.