2009 marks my first ski season at Portillo - located in the Chilean Andes at the base of Mt. Aconcagua.
Having recently graduated from university, my season at Portillo coincides with arguably the most exciting time in my life. On another note, it also marks my first ‘summer’ with snow. All things considered, I arrived at Portillo with high expectations and have found them all to have been met, just 2 weeks into the season.
For someone from the Northern Hemisphere, a June arrival in Chile wearing a coat and scarf requires a bit of a mental switch. Interestingly enough, the transition is much easier than I’d anticipated. The drive from Santiago to Portillo, winding through the vineyards and Andean snow, has the tendency to make adrenaline surge. Fourteen days later, my altered adrenaline level has sustained, partly due to Portillo’s snow and partly due to its nightlife.
I hear that the snow in the early season comes in waves, yet I’m glad to say that half of days so far I have been able to make tracks in shin-deep powder. At night, Portillo’s bar is the place to be, with the bands playing a tune just as lively as their famous Pisco Sours. To say that I am happy to be here is an understatement, and I believe that the other ski staff are just as excited as I am. All lifts will be open tomorrow, including the infamous Roca Jack, and ‘lots of sun’ is predicted. Vamos, nieve y sol.
No comments:
Post a Comment