Portillo 2014
I spent my fourth season ski instructing, coaching, and freeskiing in the legendary Ski Portillo, Chile. It sits along the edge of La Lugana del Inca surrounded by jagged and awe inspiring 13,000 foot peaks. ย The views are amazing and the skiing is even better.ย Portillo offers some of the best off-piste skiing in the world. There is everything from steep technical chutes to wide open bowls.ย With a little bit of hiking the possibilities are endless. Along with the world class off-piste skiing Portillo also has groomed runs from beginner up to advanced.ย There is something for everyone here.
The season started off with a bang with close to record snow in June and early July.ย Then the snow faucet shut off for around five weeks.ย We still had a nice base so the steeps were skiable during the drought but the conditions were challenging to say the least.ย I still had a great time exploring some chutes I hadn’t skied before and had a great time pushing myself in bullet proof snow.
In late August and early September, we had some big storms and some unreal powder days!ย Imagine a wide open steep slope with a few of your friends and a high speed, five person tow rope to whip you up the mountain as many times as your legs will let you! ย Skiing powder in Portillo is one of lifes best pleasures. ย After the storms in early September it was warm and sunny for the last few weeks of the season.ย We ended the season skiing five star corn and had a blast.ย I’m already day dreaming about this coming winter in Portillo.ย Look me up if you are lucky enough to make a trip to magical Portillo.
I skied there one day in September, 2009 and last (early) September I spent about 5 days waiting in Los Andes to get there by car but the road was still closed. Finally I decixded to change my plans and skip Portillo during my skiing trip to Chili and Argentina this time. In 2009 I succeeded in getting though Paso Libertadores after skiing in Portillo few hours before the border crossing was closed due to snow storm. Last year I spent a few nights at Ivan Callizarioหs house in Los Andes. He is a member of Portillo ski patrol crew. Do you know him?
Jan Sternal, Czech Republic