A Match Made in Argentina

To add to the backstory a bit, this particular morning was a week or two after what will long be considered an epic week for the East Coast. During that week, a bunch of my buddies took off on a trip to Jackson Hole which they had planned months in advance. I ended up not being able to make it because I couldn’t get out of work. At the time, I was bummed. During their trip, however, Jackson was iced over and got no new snow while the East Coast was getting our biggest storm of the season (and of the last few years). 66 inches in 5 days at Jay! I don’t know what I would’ve done if I was in Wyoming skiing ice while Jay was getting buried, but I’m sure it would’ve been rash.

Our first view of snow on the foothills of the Andes!

 As we sat there discussing this idea, I reasoned, in true Ski The East fashion: not only would you be able to break up the long snowless summer, you would spare yourself the risk (albeit small) of going out West and getting skunked while your home mountain gets dumped on.

I understand that this plan is fairly idealistic; these places are impossibly distant and expensive. To many, summertime powder is better left as a mirage or a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Despite these obstacles, I did some research which helped de-mystify many of these concerns.

          In late August, my girlfriend and I were getting married. And when you talk weddings, you talk honeymoons. Luckily, my girlfriend Amy is an avid skier so it was an easy sell when I suggested the idea of going skiing for our honeymoon. From the start, we were both drawn to the Patagonia region along the west coast of Argentina. The Andes were big mountains famous for dependable snow and unique terrain. Argentina is also well-known for their food and wine; their home-grown beef and native red wine, Malbec, is some of the best in the world. We also learned that a recent economic crisis in Argentina had made the country very affordable. Currently, $1 US is $3.85 Argentinean pesos. We were convinced; before we knew it we were on our way.

Downtown Bariloche

View from the hotel Llao-Llao

 When we got to San Carlos de Bariloche in Patagonia, in late August, the temperature was chilly but just a few degrees above freezing. Apparently, we timed our arrival perfectly for one of the season's first thaws. We were assured cold temperatures and snow would return in a few days, but in the meantime we would have to stick it out. Fortunately, we found plenty to do off the mountain. Bariloche has a reputation as a lively party town. There are hostels and up-scale hotels, alike. The city is full of restaurants, bistros and cafes - not to mention countless bars, nightclubs and casinos. Per Argentinean culture, there are many parillas (steakhouses) but the city also offers restaurants from just about every background and nationality. As I mentioned above, an American dollar goes a long way in Argentina; we found it almost impossible to spend more than $35 a person, including wine.

"An American dollar goes a long way in Argentina"

Amy hiking Cerro Otto

Zoom!

 Sitting above the Nahuel Huapi Lake is one of Argentina's two main ski resorts. In 2003, two independent mountains were merged to one and renamed Catedral Alta Patagonia. Soon thereafter, the company sought to establish itself as the premier ski destination in South America by beginning an extensive, multi-year improvement plan. The mountain now has high-speed lifts, gondolas and a modern infrastructure, contrary to what many think of ski resorts in the southern hemisphere.

On the tail end of the rain, the temperature dropped and it snowed for a day and half. The first ski day always seems perfect - more so in Patagonia. That first morning at elevation 7,835 feet was spent lapping some steep cornices, open bowls and fun lower-elevation trees. The wind was still howling, though, which kept a few upper lifts on hold. As we rode up the La Hoya double, we could see much of the most highly-touted terrain at Catedral under the Punta Nevada quad. And because the lift was on wind hold, most of the snow was untracked and seemed to be calling our names. Having seen a handful of people bootpacking their way over for some fresh tracks, Amy and I soon followed. After a 30 minute traverse, we were standing above a handful of chutes divided by massive spirelike peaks and rock out-croppings which give Catedral its name. While there were already a few tracks carved here and there, we got some first tracks that left us giddy and anxious for more.

Ski The East sticker placement, not bad.

 The wind died that afternoon and the Punta Nevada began to spin as it would for the next few days. Although we had already skied some of this terrain, everything was now open and easily accessible. Amy and I ended up catching up with a few of the guys from South American Snow Sessions (SASS), including head-honcho John Sang for a few runs. The SASS crew is the summertime home to Meathead athlete Garrett Russell and a bunch of East Coast natives (keep an eye on the News section for interviews with Garrett and the SASS crew!). That afternoon and the next few days were incredible. The sky was deep blue, the sun was high in the sky and the snow was deep. Because of the wind the last few days, no one could really tell just how much snow fell; judging by the face shots as we made our way down these steep chutes, though, it was just fine with me.

And now we're back in the States - just in time for the excitement of the change of seasons. All the magazine's gear reviews are out, the shops are beginning to change their inventory and ski movie premier season is ready to take off. As I think back, I've skied 11 of the past 12 months, including only one month out of the East Coast (Halloween Storm at Stowe; November - May mainly at Jay Peak; June at Mt. Washington; July - nothing; August and September - Argentina). Not too shabby. Here's to another epic season!