It Won't Stop Snowing in Chile as Resorts Tally Feet of Snow
How do the last few days of the ski season usually go for you?
If you answered sunburns, slushy turns, and skiing in a T-shirt, you’re in good company. Those answers also highlight the somewhat bizarre and exciting end to South America’s winter, which started with a bang and hasn’t really let up.
Rather than toasty temperatures and blue skies, several resorts already on bonus time got slammed with snow in the last few days.
Ski Portillo, Chile, one of the biggest winners of the 2026 season, tallied a monstrous five feet (60 inches/152cm) over the past week. Valle Nevado, another Chilean resort, picked up nearly four feet (48 inches/121cm) while its neighbor, La Parva, saw about three feet (36 inches/91cm).
PowderQuest, a guiding group, shared some stunning recent scenes from Ski Portillo.
See the post below or click here to watch.
The late-season refresh was largely concentrated in the north end of South America’s ski country near Santiago. Further south, resorts saw mixed precipitation.
The powder arrives at the tail end of a South American ski season you’ve surely heard about. In July, more than 16 feet of snow fell on Ski Portillo in a single storm cycle, transforming the slopes and leading to a prolonged road closure. After the most recent storm, the resort is sitting at 475 inches, nearly 300 inches above average.
All the snow has allowed some resorts to keep spinning their lifts a little (or a lot) longer. Valle Nevado just pushed its season until November 8, calling the extension in a post “historic.”
Ski Portillo hasn’t opted to stay open quite as late, at least for now. Still, it moved its closing to October 11. Already, skiers are asking beneath Ski Portillo’s social media posts to make the season last even longer.
Whether or not their prayers get answered won’t change just how memorable this ski season for South America has been. In the meantime, alongside Valle Nevado and Ski Portillo, a few other Chilean resorts remain open, including El Colorado, Pillan, La Parva, and Corralco.
Related: Giveaway: Win a Pair of Ellis Kanso 106 Skis and a Copy of POWDER Magazine
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