OK, so this is isn't exactly a picture of a groomed slope, or great off-piste terrain. But soaking in a hot tub after a great day on the slopes is one of life's greatest experiences. The above picture comes from Valle Nevado, the largest resort by skiable terrain in both South America and the Southern Hemisphere. It's located at 3,025 meters (or around 10,000 feet) and is actually open year-round. The vertical drop is close to 3,000 feet, so it's pretty comparable to resorts in Colorado and other western states in that regard. It's only located 30 miles from Santiago, the capital and main air entrance to Chile, so you'd think it'd be pretty accessible. However, paved roads only cover 20 miles of that journey; the rest are on narrow, twisting mountain roads that are only allow traffic up the mountain between 8 am and 2 pm, and down the mountain between 2 pm and 8 pm, and tire chains are mandated by law. Sounds like getting there is half the fun (?)
Makes traveling I-70 up to Vail not seem so bad after all...
