Unofficial Andes

July has been one hell of a month in the Las Lenas Valley. Our powder orgy all started on the 12th when a massive snowstorm rolled in from the South Pacific leaving behind more then two feet of fine powder on the upper mountain. Since the 12th we have received a steady stream of storms that has kept the LL powder addicts happy and healthy. Day after day the skiing has been down right relentless. Every night we return home with huge shit eating grins that we just can’t get rid of. We swear that “today was a day that we will never forget for the rest of our life’s.” However, like any lengthy powder orgy, runs, days and even weeks start to blend into one another. As time slips by, our memories get faded until the whole event soon seems like some fantastic dream. Some of us may remember a particularly fine run or some massive, over the shoulders, face shot but when you try to place which day or week it occurred on we become confused but the feeling we will never forget.

When it is all said a done we remember the event as one epic powder day of snowriding that seemed to go on forever. When I asked my friend George, who is heading back to the states this week, what he will remember most about his month in Las Lenas he said that more then anything he will remember the amount of stoke and excitement on the faces of his fellow riders. As much fun as the powder skiing has been over the pass month what really ends up counting is your knowledge that you were blessed with a moment in time that will never be forgotten. Events like this would mean nothing if you could not share it with like-minded people who are as excited for you as you are for them. We have a world-class crew of skiers riders down here. People who know what living life is really all about. People who have made huge sacrifices to travel to the end of the world to live life to the fullest and be present for moments like this.

Skiing is more then a sport to us. Skiing is a way of life and life is good. So remember, keep them hands forward and don’t live your life like a bag of ice-skates.

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Skier Timothy Konrad keeping them hands forward

Today marked yet another bluebird Marte powder day and needless to say the skiing was super. My house mate and I hit a bunch of new lines today including Manhattan and one we are calling Whiskey In the Afternoon. All told we got in 6 Marte laps of fine uncut pow.

Where did all of these people come from?

Most people who come to ski LL come for a one week stay that runs from Saturday to Saturday. Today, the new group of guest arrived including much larger numbers of people as well as a handful of legit skiers. This led to the first lift line at Marte so far this year. Maybe I should stop making post on how sick the skiing has been?

Internet was once again down for the pass two day and is currently working at very slow pace.

More photos from today [Read more →]

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Photo: Tim the Swede skiing under Valcano

For almost two weeks now we have been skiing nothing but fresh powder. Last night we picked up about another foot of super light snow. High winds and whiteout conditions keep the skiing to the lower mountain and the Valcano chair. The light was rather flat today but a fresh foot of snow and very few skiers on the hill made for a fun and entertaining day. We are all keeping our fingers crossed for some Marte tomorrow.

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Photo of Lower Human Error

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Their are noticeably less people around Las Lenas this season in comparison to last season. I thought that things would start to pick up last week but this was not the case. Most of the people I have talked to believe that the slowing of the world economy is to blame, others feel that it is Las Lenas lack of investment into the resort that is driving people to other ski centers. I don’t think anyone really knows why there are so few people here, but with no snow in Bariloche it is not likely that people are choosing to head down south. On the flip side their are no lift lines to speak of and few skiers taken advantage of all the great powder we have been getting, which is nice.

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Photo By, Timothy Konrad of UnofficialAndes.com

Every year it seems that more and more people hear about the unbelievable skiing that is going down in June, July and August in Argentina and Chile. Stories like this from the New York Times is cluing people into the idea of “summer” skiing.
Skiing The Powder Of the Andes

By NATHANIEL C. NASH

THOUGH it was August, there was more than a foot of new snow. This was ski season in the Andes, and the Chilean resort of Valle Nevado, about 40 miles from Santiago, looked like mounds of melting vanilla ice cream.

There are at least half a dozen major ski resorts in Chile and Argentina that are worth visiting, and another half dozen smaller areas. Valle Nevado is the newest, begun only six years ago, and with about 22,000 acres of skiable terrain, one of the largest. There is no town at the area, just two hotels, a condominium complex and four restaurants in a modern utilitarian style reminiscent of newer resorts in the French Alps.

Atop Three Peaks, one of three summits in Valle Nevado, the smog from Santiago, 60 miles away, could be seen. In another direction were the almost endless snowcapped mountains of the Cordilleras, the rugged spine of South America that runs from Colombia to Cape Horn.

The winter ski season in the Southern Hemisphere began early this year, in May,and good skiing should continue through next month with skiers in shorts and T-shirts negotiating the wet spring snow.

Set in the middle of a valley that starts at about 9,000 feet and rises up to more than 12,000 feet, Valle Nevado is one of the most accessible ski resorts for travelers in the southern part of South America. While many skiers think they have to plan a traditional ski week and go deep into the mountains, Valle Nevado is so close to Santiago — an hour and a half drive when roads are not snowy — that travelers to Chile can considera ski weekend, or even a day trip. Full Story HERE

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This photo taken by my house mate George Hamilton should be used in a add for Las Lenas. It does a great job of showing how many South Americans view the Resort at Las Lenas.

Thanks for the photo George.

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A fellow skier pointed out to me today that out of the 6 billion people in the world the 20 or so fat ski riders currently living in Las Lenas have had the best skiing on the planet this week. When you start to think about it you realize just how cool of a fact that is.

I am not posting this to brag, just to highlight how unbelievable the skiing has been since last Saturday. I barely have the energy to make dinner at night let alone make blog post but with the internet back up in Las Lenas I will be back at it, keeping all of our faithful readers updated with news from LL.

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Have you seen this powder monkey? He was last seen skiing the Marte with a huge shit eating grin.

This is a warning to all skiers. Two straight weeks of powder skiing will effect your brain and lead to life changing repercussions.

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Today was a bluebird Marte powder day, one of those days you dream of.  Epico!!!!

The weather today was perfect with bluebird sky’s, light winds and temps in the high 30’s. The snow settled slightly from yesterday going from knee deep pow too mostly boot top deep powder with some wind effected areas.  However, these winds also refreshed the surface and filled in most of the tracks from yesterday leaving a fresh new surface, quite nice.

My day by the numbers

* 6 Marte Runs
* 24,000 feet of vert
* 21,000 feet of uncut powder
* Two sore lags
* One huge fucking smile

Things I heard today

“I have never skied anything like that in my life” Brody

Heavy Scandinavian accent “This chair drops you off at the top of the most radical fucking peak.” Erik

“I had no idea. It’s just so steep.” George

(photos to come)

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