Go this e-mail from Portillo and figured I pass it along. South America is but a dream for me this year, but my maybe one of these years...

Portillo is thrilled to announce that the resort has received 50 centimeters of snow! This is the first snowfall of the season, and it is an exciting sign of what is shaping up to be an excellent 2002 season.
Portillo is set to open June 15.

2002 season: June 15 - Octobre 5
Call us at 1 800 829 5325
reservas@skiportillo.com
Tel: (56-2) 2630606
www.skiportillo.com

Portillo keeps getting socked and the resort hasn't even opened yet.

Snow report as of 3 June:

Total snow to date 275 cms / 108.3 inches

Base Actual
Current Base 120 cms / 47.2 inches

Snowfall in the last 7 days.
155 cms / 61.0 inches

New snow last 24 hrs.
30 cms / 11.8 inches

This is definitely the year for SOUTH AMERICA. El Nino is clobbering Portillo, Chile. The resort just received another 70 cm of snow in the past 24 hours!!!! They have 12 lifts and only 450 guests. Go figure!

What I would do to go.....

Is anyone thinking of chasing the dream endless winter and making a trip?

Nieve hasta la fecha
Total snow to date 390 cms / 153.5 inches
Base Actual
Current Base 170 cms / 66.9 inches
Nieve caída en los ltimos 7 días.
Snowfall in the last 7 days.
160 cms / 63.0 inches

Nieve caída en las ltimas 24 hrs.
New snow last 24 hrs.
70 cms / 27.6 inches

Tipo de nieve actual
Current snow conditions
Nieve polvo / Powder snow

Hoy - Today
Nieve / Snow

Temperatura Mínima - Min. Temperature
-5 C / 23.0 F

Temperatura Máxima -Max. Temperature
-2 C / 28.4 F

Mañana - Tomorrow
Nieve / Snow

Temperatura Mínima - Min. Temperature
-7 C / 19.4 F
Temperatura Máxima - Max. Temperature
-3 C / 26.6 F

Five years ago I had the opportunity to spend the winter (our summer) in Chile. While my visit to Portillo was a one-day excursion, I was able to go every weekend (Embassy celebrates both Chilean and US holidays) to Farellones, where three giant areas literally overlook the city of Santiago.

Chile is one of the most welcoming, stable, crime-free, and economically progressive countries I've ever visited. Besides, as it is long and narrow, the distance between Santiago (roughly in the center) and Viña del Mar on the coast, and between Santiago and Portillo or Farellones, is an easy drive. Besides, the area is full of wineries as the weather is more like Napa Valley. Lastly, if one gets tired with Chile, go accross the border into Argentina and do some skiing there.

The other thing is that any paradigm about Latin America is invalid when one thinks about Argentina and Chile. The Southern Cone is an extension of Western Europe in dress, customs, and attitude.

Portillo is one resort destination, sort of like Vail or Aspen, but more remote. Vertically, it is awesome. The resort has fixed-price, include-all fares.

Farellones is actually three areas joined together. La Parva is at the northern end, with two mountains. Farellones is in the middle with another three mountains, and Nevados is as extensive as St. Moritz with many of the trails carved in glaciers. The 8 thousand foot climb from Santiago has to be planned. In the AM, the road goes only up, and in the PM, only down.

Actually, I may even visit Chile this year again.

Lou

I know we have some good skiing left in the mid atlantic but the end of this season is in sight. One of the things that keeps me going during the summer is knowing some one is sliding or riding somewhere. Any interest in recycling this thread. How expensive is Portillo?

The Pentagon Ski Club went there last year. They offered a 14 day all-inclusive trip for $2600. You might e-mail that club to get some advice.

http://www.pentagonskiclub.org/

Thanks John. Cool website and it looks like they're going south again this summer. Maybe I'll be their first WV member.

Anyone can join, including people from WV. However, you'd be the first member from the mountain state.

BTW, going to Chile with a group beats going single. It's a long flight, so you'll need lots of people to talk to...

I've never been to Portillo but people who have been say it is a dry land cruise ship--completely self contained with incredible snow and skiing.

"The Pentagon Ski Club is a club dedicated to skiing and open to the entire public. A name like ours requires a short explanation: although our club was founded in 1966 at the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon (as the OSD Ski Club), today the club is open to all of you, not just the military, and it is not funded by your tax money - anyone can join! The Pentagon Ski Club has approximately 400-500 members. 85% of them live in Virginia, Maryland, or the District of Columbia, but we also have active members in: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, IL, NC, NJ, NV, MI, MS, MT, OH, OR, RI, TX, and UT."