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If you want to ski or snowboard at a resort in South America, you basically have to choose between Chile or Argentina. Which one is best for you? Here are some factors to consider:
1) Ease of Travel to the Resorts - Chilean resorts tend to be easier for international travelers. Valle Nevado, La Parva, El Colorado and Portillo are a short drive from Santiago. Of course, there are other Chilean resorts that require a connecting flight or longer drive, but every resort in Argentina is full travel day from Buenos Aires, which can be more difficult for international travelers. So Chile offers more convenient options. Las Lenas and Cerro Castor in Argentina are pretty remote and require even more travel time.
2) Stopover in Buenos Aires or Santiago - Whether you travel to Chile or Argentina, you may want to consider spending a few days in Buenos Aires or Santiago. There is a lot to do and see in each city, so spending time there can be an ideal way to deal with the long travel time from your country to the resort.
3) Travel Expense - It tends to be less expensive to travel to Chilean resorts. This is mainly due to the proximity of Valle Nevado, La Parva, El Colorado and Portillo to Santiago. Even if you consider Nevados de Chillan, which requires a flight from Santiago, some of the travel expenses at Cerro Catedral (like rental car) or Las Lenas are so high that they remain more expensive in terms of travel costs.
4) Mountain Size - The largest resort in Argentina is Cerro Catedral, with 1150 meters of vertical drop and 3000 skiable acres. This is larger than the largest resort in Chile, which is Valle Nevado, with an 810 meter vertical drop and 2224 skiable acres. You can certainly find resorts in Chile that are larger than resorts in Argentina and vice versa. So it's a matter of comparing statistics to know what you are getting. Valle Nevado is bordered by two other resorts - La Parva and El Colorado. When the snow conditions are good, you can ski between all three resorts. But you must buy a ticket for each resort separately, and it can be expensive - up to $260 USD per day. However, if you do, you have access to a combined 4312 skiable acres, which is more than Cerro Catedral.
5) IKON Pass - Valle Nevado in Chile is the only South American resort available on either the IKON Pass or Epic Pass. So if you have an IKON Pass, you can ski or snowboard at Valle Nevado for 7 days. If you have the IKON Base Pass, you get 5 days with blackout dates.
6) Nearby Resorts - As mentioned above, Valle Nevado has two resorts that are connected to it. You could go to either one of these resorts independently or ski or board all of them. Portillo Ski Resort is a 3.5 hour drive away. In Argentina, Cerro Bayo is a 1.75 hour drive from Cerro Catedral, and Cerro Chapelco is a 3 hour drive away.
7) Lunch Options - Cerro Catedral has more lunch options than Valle Nevado. There are food trucks at the base, numerous restaurants at the base, including in a mini shopping mall, and several restaurants on the mountain itself. Valle Nevado only has one restaurant on the mountain. The remaining options are at the hotels at the base. Cerro Chapelco has dining options on the mountain and at the base. La Parva has options on the mountain, but they are sometimes closed.
8) Chairlifts - Argentine resorts like Cerro Catedral and Cerro Chapelco have more chairlifts than Chilean resorts like Valle Nevado and La Parva. So if you prefer chairlifts, you may want to focus on resorts in Argentina.
9) Towns - Valle Nevado and La Parva are examples of Chilean resorts that have essentially no town. They are a collection of accommodations with one small store for food and a few restaurants and bars. Argentinian resorts like Cerro Catedral and Cerro Chapelco are near San Carlos de Bariloche and San Martin de los Andes, respectively. Much larger towns.
10) Accommodations - Because Argentine resorts like Cerro Catedral and Cerro Chapelco are near larger towns, there are more accommodation options. In Chile, resorts like Portillo, Valle Nevado and La Parva have fewer options, but there seem to be a larger number of ski-in, ski-out accommodations. Las Lenas in Argentina is more isolated than Cerro Catedral.
11) Nightlife - Obviously, the smaller the town, the less options for apres ski activities. Argentine resorts like Cerro Catedral and Cerro Chapelco have numerous restaurants and bars, and activities like ice skating and museums to explore in their neighboring towns. At Chilean resorts like Valle Nevado and Portillo, you're really limited to whatever activities there are in the hotels and rental apartments.
12) Views - The views in Argentina and Chile are incredible. You can find lake views at Cerro Catedral, Cerro Bayo and Cerro Chapelco in Argentina. Portillo in Chile also borders a lake. La Parva offers a view of Santiago, and Valle Nevado offers rugged mountains.