The Ski Season That Refuses To End: Unprecedented Snow Keeps Falling at Valle Nevado, Chile

Chile’s ski season is notoriously short, but a little thing called “super El Niño” brewing in the Pacific Ocean had other plans this year.

Valle Nevado, one of the most popular ski resorts in the Southern Hemisphere, has extended its season through November 8, 2026, the latest closing date in its history, and snow continues to fall despite winter transitioning into spring, a typical death knell for the southern ski season.

Five inches (13cm) of snow has fallen in the last seven days at Valle Nevado, and the seasonal total is standing at an impressive 283.5 inches (720cm).

That pales in comparison to the 493 inches (1253 cm) that have fallen at Ski Portillo, Chile, but Valle Nevado skiers certainly aren’t complaining. Portillo is closed for the season, and Valle skiers are still riding chairlifts weeks after the season normally ends. More snow is in the forecast, too, believe it or not.

OpenSnow is forecasting up to seven inches (18cm) over the next five days at Valle, and an additional 10 inches (25cm) could fall in the 11-15 day forecast.

Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, according to our friends at PowderQuest, a popular guiding service, the hype is real, and the skiing has been phenomenal.

Take a look at a selection of photos that were taken yesterday, October 21, 2026. It looks like midwinter rather than late spring.

The 2026/27 print issue of POWDER Magazine is here. Click here to have a copy shipped to your front door. Copies can also be found on newsstands at major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and more.

“This season has been one of the best we’ve experienced since we started running trips in 1998. Mind-blowing, really,” says PowderQuest.

PowderQuest posted a conditions report to its Instagram page and called it “Miracle October”. Miracle October, indeed, but should we call it the Miracle Season? Probably, considering that snow kept falling consistently from July through October.

To put this season’s snow further into perspective, PowderQuest offered the following quote, further highlighting how insane it’s been to live, ski, and breathe the historic Winter of 2026:

“While the southern volcanoes are generally the place to be in October and November, having all this snow in Valle Nevado, La Parva, and El Colorado this time of year, and the lifts still running, is truly once in a lifetime,” says PowderQuest. “Not sure we’ll ever see a season extended into November again!”

Looking to get a jump start on the North American season, but don’t feel like waiting for your home resort to open?

Ikon Pass holders get seven days of skiing at Valle Nevado. And the Power Pass, offered by Valle Nevado’s North American ski resort conglomerate owner, Mountain Capital Partners, offers 10 days of access to Valle Nevado and La Parva. Go get some, friends.

The 2026/27 print issue of POWDER Magazine is here. Click here to have a copy shipped to your front door. Copies can also be found on newsstands at major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and more.

Related: How Good Was Ski Portillo, Chile This Year? I Traveled 6,000 Miles To Find Out