Portillo’s story is also mixed with the Railroad Chilean history. In fact, the first skiers were a couple of engineers that were hired to carry out winter studies in the proposed line for the train road. The train was inaugurated in the year 1910 and starting from here, it also began to be created small ski clubs, many of them dreamt of creating slopes in the area, mainly near the Inca Lagoon. Later, and after several problems Portillo Hotel opened up in 1949, becoming the oldest Ski Center in South America.
Ski in Portillo is an adventure, but also it is to meet with the history. Portillo Ski Center was always pioneer. Its creation was a great feat; then the Olympic Gold Medalist Mr. Othmar Schneider was hired as Director of Skiing. And in 1966 Portillo was the first World Championship of Ski in Southamerica.
Today Portillo Ski Center is a place of relax and of social life. You can meet new people and enjoy the days skiing and nights of pleasant dinner. They There are no schedules to eat lunch or to have dinner. Few times in the season you can see skiers waiting for lifts.
Portillo Ski Center has today 14 lifts. Besides Portillo Hotel, there are two other lodges: Octogono Lodge and Inca Lodge.
The railroad is not working anymore, but drive to the Ski Center is a pleasure, enjoying the mountain landscape that Chile has.
The invitation is for you to take a time, take your skies and come to see what Portillo has to offer you. We are waiting for you.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Ski in Chile
Chile has more than 5.000 kilometers of Mountain range. That means many skiers come to travel the country, looking for new places to enjoy this sport.
The Central area of Chile, concentrates the most known ski centers in Chile. My personal opinion is that Portillo is one of the best places for skiing in the world. This is the oldest ski centers in Southamerica and the favorite of many professional skiers.
Also near Santiago is located Valle Nevado Ski Center. In this ski center has been carried out the Snowboard World Championship.
Maybe one of the advantages that Chile has, comparing with other countries with ski centers, is the proximity from these to important cities. To give you just one example: from Santiago's Airport toward Valle Nevado Ski Center it takes you 1 hour and 45 minutes appx.
On the other hand, people who enjoy ski in Chile always admire the possibility that they have of skiing in areas of almost native natural beauty that doesn't exist in other places of the world. Portillo it self is one of those places, but we should also name the Termas de Chillán Ski Center, that is located in the south; Corralco that is also a Ski center located in the south, in the middle of a National Park; Valle Nevado; Osorno Volcano and Pucón, near Villarrica Lake, just to name some.
When you come to ski in Chile, you will always notice that the nature will always be much more present than you think.
The Central area of Chile, concentrates the most known ski centers in Chile. My personal opinion is that Portillo is one of the best places for skiing in the world. This is the oldest ski centers in Southamerica and the favorite of many professional skiers.
Also near Santiago is located Valle Nevado Ski Center. In this ski center has been carried out the Snowboard World Championship.
Maybe one of the advantages that Chile has, comparing with other countries with ski centers, is the proximity from these to important cities. To give you just one example: from Santiago's Airport toward Valle Nevado Ski Center it takes you 1 hour and 45 minutes appx.
On the other hand, people who enjoy ski in Chile always admire the possibility that they have of skiing in areas of almost native natural beauty that doesn't exist in other places of the world. Portillo it self is one of those places, but we should also name the Termas de Chillán Ski Center, that is located in the south; Corralco that is also a Ski center located in the south, in the middle of a National Park; Valle Nevado; Osorno Volcano and Pucón, near Villarrica Lake, just to name some.
When you come to ski in Chile, you will always notice that the nature will always be much more present than you think.
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