Industry News
Cerro Catedral has announced that they will open next week, on Monday, July 21st, becoming the first resort in South America to start their lifts turning. With no domestic nor international flights in or out of Argentina, locals will have their own private powder playground.
The opening of Cerro Catedral will take place next week after a request from the municipality and the agreement reached with the concessionaire. The chosen date is July 21 and thus continue with the relaxation of the quarantine in front of one of the activities that can be practiced outdoors.
– translation of local media statement
The resort had originally scheduled a 15th July opening date, but the Mayor postponed that after viral pictures of skiers poaching uphill lines and people partying, ignoring social distancing measures.
The ski resort has for some time been preparing the slopes ready for an opening. However, one issue that does need resolving, is the payment the ski resort will make to the Municipal Autonomous Entity of Cerro Catedral (EAMCEC). In a normal year, the 12,500 season pass sales help them contribute around 50-million pesos, but obviously this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the year is slightly different, and the amount to be disbursed has yet to be agreed.
In this way, the total value of the contribution that the company will make remains to be defined, considering that the skier public will be entirely local, also counting the expenses assumed by the firm for the maintenance of the lifting means and the recent salary agreement reached with the Commerce Employees Association (AEC) for 60 “season” days for operators.
– translation of local media statement
Earlier this week Cerro Castor, Argentina became the first South American resort to announce they will open, although they named 1st August as their opening day.
As mountain resorts in the Andes sit empty, Ullr is punishing locals further by dumping record-breaking early season snowfall totals. Over 14-feet of snow has fallen on some areas, never-before-seen early season totals.
SnowBrains has spent our past 11 summers skiing at Cerro Catedral in Argentina and we are currently not planning on making the journey this season due to coronavirus.
