We all know we the reason we go on ski trips is to ski right? No arguments there. But the trip you’ve saved for months to go won’t always give you the luck of great conditions. Too many times I’ve heard the story of “Yeah the place was great but I wish we had powder”. Not that the risk of mediocre conditions will stop any of us, the chance of having an awesome ski trip is well worth chancing the weather.

But we can bring non-skiing memories back from the trip too, and I’m not talking about just getting wasted at the bars. A trip to Chile deserves some time to explore, to see the areas ‘off the map’ and appreciate what this isolated country is all about.

The capital of Chile is Santiago, a modern metropolis surrounded by the towering peaks of the Andes Mountains. While the mountains may be beautiful, they contribute to Santiago’s ever increasing pollution problem. The smog from millions of cars sits in the valley, trapped until the rain comes to wash it away. But Santiago, like most big cities, has its gems. El Barrio de Concha y Toro (the same name as the local vineyard) is a small European style neighbourhood with Parisian style buildings and cobblestone streets. Only a short walk from the palm tree lined main roads of Plaza de Brasil, one could sit for hours in the square of Concha y Toro admiring the atmosphere and listening to the jams of local musicians.

For a night out on the town in the city look no further than Bellavista. This ‘barrio’ is nocturnal by nature with many pubs, nightclubs and restaurants. Tourists are few and far between amongst the hordes of young Santiago locals drinking outside their favourite watering holes.

The grand square of Plaza de las Armas in the city center is a mix of artists, vendors and political and religious activists. The interior of the Cathedral is one of Santiagos’s proudest achievements. The square is a great spot for people watching, just make sure you hold on to your valuables with both hands. There is plenty of signage warning tourists of the rampant theft that goes on in the area.

Heading north of the capital towards the city of Valparaiso, a great place for a pit stop is Los Hornitos. This traditional Chilean restaurant seems lost in time, from the thatched roof and the swept gravel floor to the male servers all dressing as authentic Huasos (Chilean cowboys) with enormous hats. The empanadas here are as good as they get in Chile; just remember to leave the cutlery on the table. Our tour guide, Santiago local Victor Hugo (from Sanitago Adventures), informs us “Here in Chile there are two things we don’t touch with the knife and fork. One is the woman, the other is the empanada.”

The immediate visual stimulation of Valparaiso is its color. Each building has a distinct and brightly painted facade. The alleys are full of murals, each one unique and contributing to the artistic feel of the city. Dining on local seafood specialties, Victor emphasizes the creativity of Valparaiso’s community “Every street, every shop and every restaurant has the touch of an artist”.

A few minutes’ drive north of Valparaiso lies the beach town of Viña del Mar. Its winter here on the coast of Chile but diehard local surfers are still out enjoying the breaks. The land in this region rises up from steeply from the sea, with many terraced buildings needing access via funicular. A relatively new city, Viña del Mar has seen enormous growth over the last few years with many of Santiago’s elite buying holiday homes there.

So what about the skiing? The three resorts of Valle Nevado, El Colorado and La Parva are all within an hour’s drive of the Santiago city limits. While all being geographically close to the capital, the access roads are a series of complex switchbacks that take time to negotiate. The town of Farrellones (20 mins from each resort) is a cheaper and more convenient place to stay. The only drawback is when there’s a massive dump of snow the road is usually closed for up to a day, allowing everyone else to enjoy the powder while you’re stuck at the hotel.

The weather of these valleys has its pros and cons, big pros being the dryness of the snow above 3000m and the number of sunny days between huge storms. The con is the relentless South American wind, which can sweep the bowls clean of the soft stuff and leave nothing but hard pack. The powder is out there, but can be difficult to find after the wind has battered the slopes. Having a local showing you the sweet spots both in the resorts and the backcountry is the ticket.

Stay tuned for more stories from the season down south.

For more information on skiing and snowboarding in South America visit www.southamericaski.com .
For information on tours in Chile visit www.santiagoadventures.com