Portillo

We woke very early the morning after Dieciocho to make the long drive up to Portillo, Chile's oldest and most prestigious ski resort.

A snow covered railroad track emerges from a rocky tunnel high on the slope across from the new international highway. No longer in use, the railroad once carried passengers and freight over the Andes to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The international highway in the bottom of the valley climbs many steep switchbacks to reach the pass above Portillo. The now abandoned railway line had to follow a gentler ascent for twenty kilometers up the valley in the distance before doubling back to cross the middle of this steep slope above the highway.

Snow sheds like this one protect the highway from avalanches.

Claudio, our driver, remembered guiding Richard and Henry during their first visit to Santiago in 2007.

La Parva peak rises high above Portillo and provides a dramatic alpine profile that is very different from the views at other Chilean ski areas.

Fast moving clouds indicate turbulent stratospheric conditions while the warm spring sunshine was rapidly turning the slopes to slush.

A spring day at Portillo.

La Laguna quad lift.

The view down to the base area from the La Laguna lift.

Looking past Susan up valley at the Laguna del Inca .

Martin and Joni at the top of Juncalillo, one of Portillo's modern quads.

A view of the exposed portion of the snow shed protecting the international highway.

Here is Joni standing on the slope passing directly over the highway snow shed we traveled through earlier that morning.

To ski the steep slope above "The Plateau" it is possible for expert skiers to take a surface drag lift called "The Condor". It is one of three surface lifts of its kind found only at Portillo.

The four skiers approach the red banner that indicates the top of the lift.

At the top the Condor lift comes to a complete stop so the skiers can dismount one at a time.

Four expert skiers ride the Roca Jack lift at the same time.

The Roca Jack lift harness hangs in the background for a few minutes before returning to the bottom of the run to bring up four more skiers.

Susan skiing down from the top of Roca Jack.

The view down to the Hotel Portillo from the top of El Plateau.

The famous Hotel Portillo embodies European ambiance in antique facilities that reminded us of the way ski holidays used to be experienced half a century ago.

The outdoor pool is only for the use of guests who must stay at the hotel for a full week.

Stein Eriksen has a place of honor on the trophy wall.

We loved seeing this bib from the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics on display at the Hotel.

Watch this short video showing the very challenging Roca Jack surface lift in action to get an idea of the speed of the ascent and the method of disembarkation at the top.