Termas de Chillan - Warning

[tahoeblue]

Only 5 out of 12 lifts will be operating during the 2010 season. Upper Mountain and Backside are closed for the entire season. If you are planning on going I would recommend calling ahead to find out if this is still the case. But this is the information that I got on 7/2/10.

[brutah]

that sucks, one of my favorite ski areas in souith america

[goodenuf]

hmmm.. really bad news. Thanks so much for posting that info. I will definitely call ahead, but my spanglish is very spotty.

I was planning on heading down there from Santiago with the boys late july/early august. Haven't been there before - in your opinion is it worth going down if those lifts are not running? - the whole idea was to lap some longer runs and access the goods - which I take it won't be accessible if those lifts are closed. Hard for me to tell what lifts exactly will be closed from the trail map: http://www.termaschillan.cl/en/downl...ano_pistas.pdf

[goodenuf]

i take it the closure is due to the quake?

[worldbski]

They have the longest, slowest dbl,( 21mins ) that runs from the bottom close to the highest point, but they have some t'bars up on the skiers right that you can ski top to bottom on. If those lifts are closed it would would not be pretty limited there. It's not to steep but way cool, interesting stuff there. Lots of wind cornices.

[Goniff]

They have the longest, slowest dbl,( 21mins ) that runs from the bottom close to the highest point, but they have some t'bars up on the skiers right that you can ski top to bottom on. If those lifts are closed it would would not be pretty limited there. It's not to steep but way cool, interesting stuff there. Lots of wind cornices.

Just to be clear, assuming the OTTO lift, indicated as letter D on the map, is running, but lifts K, H and I are not running, is it worth the 5 hour drive from Santiago to ski there?

http://www.chillanski.net/infonieve/

[worldbski]

If K, H, and I are all closed, it would be still be ok, because there is a lot of good terrain off that D lift. It's gonna be more tracked out if everyone is one that side of the mountain. Also the Terrain park was up there off that middle Tbar and you could access a lot of that area from on the skiers right without going all the way to the top.
Kinda sad to hear about this, I had one of the best weeks ever down there last summer.

[tahoeblue]

i have only been there once before, and there was a storm the entire week that I was there, so I was limited to the bottom few beginner lifts for the entire week. it totally sucked. So I was planning on going back this summer because I have heard such good things. But now I understand that all of the good lifts at the top of the mountain are closed. This is the email I got:

I respond your questions:

The ski lift working for this year are: Cascada, Tata, Novicios, Otto, Bosque and Mami.

Best regards

After speaking to people that have been there before it doesn't seem worth it to go there. But if you are planning on going there later in the summer I think you should call or email someone down there just to make sure that these lifts are still closed, because things may change.

[goodenuf]

sounds like the otto lift is open - which from what i have read is the most important lift to be open. But i take it that you have heard otherwise: "After speaking to people that have been there before it doesn't seem worth it to go there." Don't really know what to make of it. Will try to get some more info and will post here if i do

[claudia]

if you are down in chile then its worthy. If you are in Santiago you can travel to chillan by train for 20 bucks return tkt.. Its a 5 hour ride. WIth the lift Otto you can access almost all of the mountain, and all of it with little hiking. Try to find someone who knows the mountain well. Also try going on week days/not holidays so that the lift doesnt collapse.
this year we've had looots of snow both down south and north.

[squeakygonzalez]

Tahoe Blue, who specifically told you that info about the lifts? That is important info and if those lifts are not open there is no reason to go for advanced/experts skiers.


For everyone else just as an FYI

-The resort is now called Nevados de Chillan, no longer Termas de CHillan as Nevados bouth the whole actual ski resort and lifts and the ex Pirigallo Hotel.
The only thing still called Termas is the Gran Hotel Termas de Chillan which is the nicest hotel and still owned by the other company. Nevados de Chillan is responisble for the operation of the ski resort

-There are no more trains this winter operating between Santiago and Chillan you have to take the bus (recommend www.turbus.cl) or fly to Concepcion

[jSki]

To bad those lifts aren't running. Last year only half the lifts were running for a while due to a dispute between the two hotels, sounds like something similar again this year.

If Otto isn't open there is zero worthwhile terrain accessed by the other lifts. Of the days I've skied there Otto has been closed about a third of the time, usually due to wind, zero visibility or ice on the lift. Don Bueno to El Chueco would access some awesome terrain but it looks like those lifts are closed this year. I cant remember if you can get to the top of El Chuelo from Otto, I think you can because there's a small restaurant there. Even with all the other lifts closed, Otto accesses better terrain than anything you can get in bounds at Valle/El Colorado/La Parva, so it's still worthwhile to ski. Just don't buy a ticket until you see Otto running in the morning and loading.

Nilahue runs a direct bus from Santiago to Las Trancas / Nevados de Chillan and back, I think it left around 2:30. This was by far the fastest because it was direct except for a quick stop in Chillan.

[goodenuf]

jski - thats the kinda info i was hoping for. thanks for keeping it clear:

otto abierto hoy?

[Goniff]

To bad those lifts aren't running. Last year only half the lifts were running for a while due to a dispute between the two hotels, sounds like something similar again this year.

If Otto isn't open there is zero worthwhile terrain accessed by the other lifts. Of the days I've skied there Otto has been closed about a third of the time, usually due to wind, zero visibility or ice on the lift. Don Bueno to El Chueco would access some awesome terrain but it looks like those lifts are closed this year. I cant remember if you can get to the top of El Chuelo from Otto, I think you can because there's a small restaurant there. Even with all the other lifts closed, Otto accesses better terrain than anything you can get in bounds at Valle/El Colorado/La Parva, so it's still worthwhile to ski. Just don't buy a ticket until you see Otto running in the morning and loading.

Nilahue runs a direct bus from Santiago to Las Trancas / Nevados de Chillan and back, I think it left around 2:30. This was by far the fastest because it was direct except for a quick stop in Chillan.

So it appears the running of the Otto lift is similar to the running of LL's Marte lift with respect to making it a worthwhile trip. Based on the conditions report today, http://www.chillanski.net/infonieve/, Chillan is getting hammered with both snow and wind. It will be interesting to see how soon after the storm the Otto lift
begins running.

[CASATours]

Hola!
Just wanted to respond to recent worries about Termas/Nevados de Chillan.
Sounds like the 2 hotels are still in negotiations for lift openings. Last year was a similar situation and they did wind up opening all lifts. Generally the upper lifts open later in the season anyways.
I agree independent skiers/snowboarders should not buy a lift ticket unless the Beno and Chuaco are running or you are sure the Otto is running. Otherwise have skins handy and go tour. Please understand wind and viz can shut down Termas no matter what lifts are open. The Otto is one awesome lift for its terrain access and I believe it has a higher probability of being open than Las Lenas' Marte lift.
Another storm has just hit the area. On storm days Chillan still remains the one place in Chile with some tree skiing to keep you entertained and out of the milk jug.
CASA Tours will be running its first trip of the season in Termas/Nevados de Chillan July 17th and will keep folks updated on lift/terrain openings. We will be posting regular snow and trip reports on our Facebook Fan Page.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/p...7504056?ref=ts
We are looking forward to an awesome season, regular storms are producing a solid base. I really wish the owners of Termas de Chillan and Nevados de Chillan could settle their differences and work together, until they do so expect drama. They both need each other to make this place work.
Buena Onda
Dave 'Gomez' Johnson
Owner CASA Tours
http://www.casatours.com/

[tahoeblue]

the information that i got was from someone at the desk of Nevados de Chillan , the ex-Piragallo hotel. Seems like it's possible they will all open, based on the previous post. I would just check before you go.

[Goniff]

Thanks for the info Gomez.

[japollner]

I haven't been to Chile, but the lack of trees has always perplexed me (as does the same thing in Lenas). I love riding trees. It seems like (for me) it would be a deal breaker to go anywhere without.

my $.02

[powsurfer]

I have been in touch with the two management companies involved in the legal wrangle at Termas. Here are their responses..

All the lift that we have for this winter are open, may be this week have they being closed the top ones, because of the big Snow storm that we are having, with over 2 meter of fresh powder is a lot of snow, and it keeps coming

the lifts open are Tata, Novicio, Cascada and Otto

I have been in Termas early July before in a low/late snow year and it took them a while to get all the lifts going then. That was before they installed the new lifts. I believe it's 5 lifts that have gone in in the last couple of years. Even with a couple of the key lifts running it is possible to access most of the areas. Whilst the Don Otto is needed to access the top of the Valle de Pirigallo and Gran Cornisa you can still access around two thirds of it without the Don Otto or hiking.

Not bought my flight yet but plan to be down there later in the season and will pretty much head straight to Chillán.
Looks like it has been getting pounded.. paqeuton!

[Bati]

I haven't been to Chile, but the lack of trees has always perplexed me (as does the same thing in Lenas). I love riding trees. It seems like (for me) it would be a deal breaker to go anywhere without.

my $.02

I'll plant 10 aspens and 10 firs in front of my house on next spring

[Gorillo]

Gomez, Richard, hola !

Nice to find this place after being away from the forums for so long.

Termas is my favorite place down south for sure and that is after eight years of touring in SA every summer.

Hope they settle the chicken fight ! Any word on the expansion toward the tres marias area. Is the cat still going to the crater top ?

Last year they were running snowmobile tours towards the Nevado...

The new management is exploiting the terrain pretty hard. All that is left to simple touring is Valle Agua Caliente and Valle Hermoso

I'll be around Chillan mid september if all goes to plan.

Felipe
Terrain shots for tourers:
http://picasaweb.google.com/EoPhil/T...ChillanTouring

[Mike Pow]

Great pics. Great mountain

[hop]

I haven't been to Chile, but the lack of trees has always perplexed me (as does the same thing in Lenas). I love riding trees. It seems like (for me) it would be a deal breaker to go anywhere without.

my $.02

You're joking, right?

[PNWbrit]

You're joking, right?

I fear not.

[hop]

I fear not.

To each their own I guess.