Backcountry
Conditions Report
Report from September 8, 2026
We drove up the mountain without much hope.
My plan was to get up high, confirm it was shitty, and go home.
I was right – it was pretty horrid out.
Cloudy, windy, cold, yucky.
Jenga Towers Stats:
- 1,444 vertical feet
- 1.16 miles round trip
- 1 hour & 32 minutes to the top
- 2 hours and 26 minutes round trip
We saw a huge Aguilucho (Variable Hawk) flying around and a large flock of Austral Parakeets (pictured in the end of the video above).
I spent some time filming them all while Skip walked around.
I was ready to roll home when Skip started pushing to ski a chute just off the road.
It was steep and tight.
Maybe too tight.
Just skier’s right of it was some more open chutey terrain that would be plan B.
I was hesitant as I knew it was gonna be bad, but we were right there, all geared up, and it wouldn’t be a long hike.
I agreed and we started up.
Right away, Skip was over the tight chute and veered left.
I stuck with it and found out the chute was only about a half a ski length wide…
I aborted to Skip’s line and the snow was soft down low.
As we gained elevation and lost sun, the snow got stiff again and we worked through towers.
The towers looked like Jenga towers – like neatly stacked blocks of stone.
That made naming the line simple – Jenga Towers.
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A questionable stiffness that could mean the worst.
Breakable crust…
Skip put in the booter and it was a messy battle.
I graciously followed.
The summit was as uncomfortable as possible with shredding winds and cold temps.
Skip dropped first and did well with the bad snow.
I dropped second and was barely hanging on.
I took an awkward fall halfway down when I couldn’t get my skis to release from the breakable snow.
Putrid snow…
Yuck.
I was grateful to be down and have it behind us.
Regardless, it was an aesthetic line and it was cool to have checked the box.
Skip made an amazing pumpkin soup back home and Molly was a happy dogger.
Gracias, Chile!
Photos
