Cerro Chapelco

Argentina

Chapelco

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Ski Pucón

Villarrica-Pucón

Chile

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Local chilean kids watch as LJ Strenio enjoys one of La Parva's magical sunsets from a different perpsective.

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Chapelco sits on the slopes above San Mart&iacute;n de los Andes in Argentina&rsquo;s Lake District, framed by the snowcapped Lan&iacute;n Volcano. Spanning 346 acres (140 ha) of skiable terrain, the resort rises from a 1,250 m base to a 2,117 m summit via 17 lifts&mdash;ranging from a gondola and high-speed quad to surface tows&mdash;across 29 groomed trails. This snow-sure destination averages 43 in of natural snowfall each season, bolstered by snowmaking on key pitches. Trail breakdown caters to every appetite: 31% beginner, 17% intermediate, 41% advanced and 10% expert, with a dedicated beginner zone, on-mountain ski school and a family-friendly fun park. Beyond its statistics, Chapelco thrills with hutterlined beech forests, tree-skiing steeps and a longest run stretching 3.3 km back to the base. Visitors choose Chapelco for its blend of world-class grooming, lift-served backcountry gates and the year-round charms of a picture-perfect Patagonian village.

Fly into Chapelco Airport (CPC) just 20 km from the village, with daily Aerol&iacute;neas Argentinas connections to Buenos Aires. Alternatively, San Carlos de Bariloche Airport (BRC) lies two hours west&mdash;shuttle vans and public buses link both airports to San Mart&iacute;n de los Andes. Ride-share apps and local taxi services fill in gaps in the schedule.
By car, follow Provincial Route 19 from San Mart&iacute;n (12 km) or arrive via Ruta 237 from Bariloche. Free parking at the base lodge feeds a complimentary shuttle up to the gondola plaza. Once on site, the main gondola and high-speed quad whisk you directly to mid-mountain caf&eacute;s and briefing centers&mdash;perfect for ski-in/ski-out access at nearby lodges.

Lodging clusters around San Mart&iacute;n de los Andes, where you&rsquo;ll find cozy chalets, self-catering condos and family suites just minutes from the gondola plaza. Couples can retreat to lake-view boutiques, groups to multi-bedroom apartments with slopeside entries, and luxury seekers to eco-lodges featuring private spa treatments and direct ski-in/ski-out connections on select blue runs.

The lower mountain unfolds gentle green circles and blues served by surface lifts&mdash;ideal for beginners and families mastering wedge turns on wide, forgiving slopes.
Mid-mountain, the chapel-named Timb&oacute; Quad and the new high-speed chair open up a network of cruisers, including the sweeping red &ldquo;Mirador&rdquo; and the rolling blue &ldquo;Lomas Blancas,&rdquo; both carving sweet arcs through lenga forests.
At summit, steeper black diamonds like &ldquo;La Cascada&rdquo; and &ldquo;La Yunque&rdquo; drop into narrow chutes before spilling into natural bowls&mdash;your ticket to high-octane vertical when conditions prime.
Expert skiers can punch through side-country gates off the &ldquo;Garganta&rdquo; run to access wind-scoured ridges and untracked couloirs, staking out fresh pockets of prachov&yacute; sn&iacute;h in protected gullies.
The single terrain park, centrally located at 1,600 m, features beginner rollers, intermediate hip jumps and a collection of rails and boxes for seasoned freestylers, all shaped daily by a dedicated crew.
For scenery seekers, the 3.3 km &ldquo;Lago Run&rdquo; winds from top to bottom, offering uninterrupted lake vistas and ridgeline panoramas&mdash;an all-level descent that earns its place as Chapelco&rsquo;s signature cruise.

Snag first chair on the &ldquo;Mirador&rdquo; run at dawn: the eastern exposure catches pastel sunbeams on firm snow, and you&rsquo;ll have that prime corduroy all to yourself until mid-morning.
After a heavy dump, head to the &ldquo;Bosque Encantado&rdquo; glade off the Timb&oacute; Quad&mdash;this sheltered pocket hoards fresh powder long after open bowls blow out.
For lunch with a view, reserve a table at the Lip&aacute;n Refugio on the upper mountain; their locally foraged mushroom stew and wood-fired empanadas fuel you for afternoon laps.
Midweek visits (Tuesday&ndash;Thursday) unlock near-empty lifts and zero wait times on every chair&mdash;plan your stay around these quieter windows for maximum slope time.
Families love the base-area &ldquo;SnowFun Park,&rdquo; where kids conquer gentle rollers and mini-jibs supervised by bi-lingual instructors, while parents fine-tune technique on adjacent blues.
Book an off-piste snowcat tour to the Cerro Dutra bowls: these unvisited wetlands of deep prachov&yacute; sn&iacute;h and severe fall lines await adventurous souls seeking untouched lines.
Post-ski, sidle into Pi&ntilde;&oacute;n Bar in town for craft Patagonian ales and tapas made with local trout&mdash;nothing beats toasting your day beside a crackling fireplace.
Photographers should hike the short trail to Mirador Tres Lagos at sunset&mdash;three mountain lakes below reflect flaming skies in a single, frame-worthy moment.
When the full moon rises, join the torch-lit descent: guides lead you down a softly prepared blue trail under flickering torchlight, turning your skis into paintbrushes on a cosmic canvas.
Sneak in a late-season cat ski to the upper plateau above 2,000 m. Locals swear this remote realm delivers the deepest prachov&yacute; sn&iacute;h and silent runs of the entire resort&mdash;an insider&rsquo;s finale to any Chapelco visit.

South America

Chapelco Ski Resort

ARGENTINA / CHAPELCO

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