Chilean Ski Resort to Open Three Weeks Early

Valle Nevado, or "snowy valley" in Spanish, is located in the Chilean Andes and serves as the summer training ground for Olympic ski and snowboard teams from the Northern Hemisphere. This season, the resort is opening slightly earlier than normal.

Thanks to a snowstorm that blew in last week, the resort now has 4 feet of snow and will be opening on Friday, May 31st, according to a recent update posted to their Instagram. See below.

Even better, according to AccuWeather weather forecasting, more precipitation is predicted for Valle Nevado shortly after this opening, with a small chance of snow late Monday, June 3rd, and snow and ice the following two days.

Valle Nevado provides 2,400 skiable acres in-bounds, and out-of-bounds offers guided heli-skiing for a total of 7,000 skiable acres. Their heli-runs average 4,000 - 5,000 feet of vertical.

On opening weekend, Friday, May 31 to Sunday, June 2, Valle Nevado will open with the Gondola, Prado and Vaivén lifts in operation. Their single-day lift tickets go for $25,000 CLP (a little under $28 USD). Children under 12 and seniors over 75 ski free.

The resort will update skiers on June 2nd, 2024 with how the days following the preseason celebration will play out.

Valle Nevado is accessible to Ikon Pass, Power Pass and Mountain Collective season pass holders. Their typical season runs from June to October, almost exactly the opposite of our North American season. (And why North American skiers and riders often train there.)

In a press release from Valle Nevado POWDER received earlier today, General Manager, Ricardo Margulis, said, "We are thrilled to open the slopes early this season! Our team has been working hard to get ready for the upcoming season, and with 4 feet of early season snow, we are off to a great start."

Related: Chris Benchetler Honors the Late Bill Walton With Touching Post

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