Snowboarding in Chile: 4 Resorts I Rode in the Andes
This summer I traded summer in North America for winter in Chile and spent several weeks traveling through the Andes looking for the best snow I could find. Instead of staying at one resort, we rented a car, followed the weather, and snowboarded different parts of the country.
The trip took us from the huge mountains outside Santiago to the volcanic terrain farther south. We had everything from deep powder and storm days to bluebird spring conditions. These are four of the resorts I snowboarded in Chile and what stood out about each one.
1. Valle Nevado – The Deepest Powder of the Trip
Valle Nevado gave us some of the best conditions of the entire trip.
Before our big powder day, it had been snowing in the mountains for about three days, with roughly 50+ centimeters of new snow up high. Even the drive to the resort was an adventure. There was so much snow that the road looked completely different from anything I'd seen on the drive up before.
Our plan was simple: get as high as possible and explore the upper parts of Valle Nevado where the temperatures were colder and the snow was deeper.
It worked.
We found spots with around a foot and a half of powder, and some of the snow was incredibly light. We spent the day looking for untouched lines, studying which slopes had the best snow and trying to avoid areas where the sun or wind had affected it.
One thing I learned was how much the direction of a slope mattered. Some faces were lighter and deeper, while others were heavier or more wind affected. Finding the right aspect made a huge difference.
By the afternoon the weather cleared and we had deep powder combined with blue skies. It was one of those rare snowboard days where everything comes together perfectly.
If I was coming back to Chile specifically to chase powder, Valle Nevado would be high on my list.
Best for: Powder, huge alpine terrain and freeriding.
My highlight: Riding deep powder after three days of snow and finishing the day under blue skies.
2. El Colorado – Spring Snowboarding Above the Clouds
El Colorado was almost the complete opposite experience.
It's located roughly an hour and a half from Santiago, and when we visited, the forecast was calling for temperatures around 15°C. Instead of searching for deep powder, the goal was to enjoy a warm spring day in the Andes.
The morning snow started firmer, but as the sun came out everything softened. By later in the day we were riding smooth, slushy spring snow.
The views might have been the biggest surprise. From high on the mountain you can look across massive peaks in the Andes and toward Santiago in the distance. At times it felt like we were snowboarding above the clouds.
Another thing that stood out at El Colorado was the number of T-bars. If you're a snowboarder coming here for the first time, being comfortable riding a T-bar definitely helps.
My biggest tips are to watch a few riders before getting on, stand in a relaxed and centered snowboard position, and let the T-bar pull you rather than leaning back against it. Once you're comfortable with them, getting around becomes much easier.
After chasing powder earlier in the trip, it was nice to have a completely different kind of snowboard day—sunny, warm and relaxed.
Best for: Spring snowboarding, cruising and incredible views.
My highlight: Soft spring turns with the Andes stretching out in every direction.
3. Nevados de Chillán – Chasing a Storm South
Getting to Nevados de Chillán was one of the bigger adventures of the trip.
Originally, we were planning to continue riding near Santiago. Then a huge storm showed up in the forecast with around 60+ centimeters of snow expected in the mountains.
The problem was that sometimes you can actually get too much snow. With that much coming down, we thought the resorts around Santiago could potentially close for a couple of days while roads and lifts were cleared.
So we changed the plan.
We packed the car and headed south toward Nevados de Chillán, where the forecast was calling for closer to 20 centimeters. The idea was to get a couple of good snowboard days there and then potentially head back toward Santiago once the other resorts reopened.
That's one of my favorite things about doing a snowboard road trip through Chile. The country gives you the ability to move between completely different mountain regions and follow the snow.
We stayed about an hour from the mountain in a small cabin in the countryside. It was simple, cozy and heated by a fireplace—the perfect setup for a snowboard trip.
Driving into the mountains also meant dealing with winter road conditions. Carrying chains was important, and there were checks on the way up.
Once we got on the mountain, we found deep, consistent snow. The first lap was difficult to see because of the weather, but as visibility improved we could start seeing more of the terrain and spotting fresh lines.
Best for: Snow chasing, road trips and a more remote Chilean snowboard experience.
My highlight: Changing the entire trip around a storm and driving south to find better riding conditions.
4. Corralco – Snowboarding on a Volcano
Corralco was probably the most unique resort I visited in Chile.
The resort sits on Lonquimay Volcano, which means you're literally spending the day snowboarding on the side of a volcano.
That alone makes it worth experiencing.
Compared with the massive open mountains near Santiago, this part of Chile had a completely different atmosphere. We had volcano views, blue skies, clouds moving through the mountains and terrain that you could explore in almost any direction.
We spent a lot of the day just cruising around and finding interesting runs rather than following a strict plan. That's something I really enjoyed about Corralco—it felt like a place where you could just explore.
The experience off the mountain was also a big part of this stop. We stayed in a cabin surrounded by nature, picked up local food and finished the day relaxing in a wood-fired hot tub. It felt much more like a complete mountain getaway than simply visiting a ski resort for the day.
Snowboarding a volcano was also something neither Tessa nor I had done before, which made Corralco one of the most memorable stops of the entire Chile trip.
Best for: Adventure, scenery, exploring and a unique snowboard trip.
My highlight: Snowboarding on Lonquimay Volcano and staying in a cabin nearby.
Which Chile Ski Resort Was My Favorite?
It's hard to pick one because the four resorts gave me completely different experiences.
Valle Nevado had the best powder. El Colorado had the best spring conditions and some incredible views. Nevados de Chillán made the trip feel like a true snowboard road trip. Corralco was the most unique because we were actually snowboarding on a volcano.
If powder was the only priority, I'd probably choose Valle Nevado based on the conditions we had. But for the overall experience, Corralco was one of the places that stood out the most.
The biggest thing I learned from snowboarding in Chile is that it's worth being flexible. Conditions in the Andes can change quickly. Having a rental car and being willing to change our plans allowed us to follow storms, escape bad weather and experience several completely different mountain regions.
If you're coming from North America, there's also something pretty amazing about getting on a plane in the middle of summer and finding yourself riding deep powder a few days later.
Chile definitely delivered.
Watch the full Chile snowboard series on SnowboardProCamp to see the powder days, road trips, spring riding and what it's actually like snowboarding these resorts.
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