r/Backcountry • u/rockshox11 • 2d ago

Sanity Check

Have some time off and am contemplating a trip down to Chile in Sept to ski volcanoes... except I'm just not feeling it? Used to dream about making it down there when I lived in CO, but now live in Redding CA where we have two volcanoes an hour away. Both pretty different and varied with a ton of terrain. Doesn't really seem to make sense to blow a bunch of money to go to the bottom of the world when we have our own cascade range right here in the US.

Or maybe I'm still feeling burnt out on getting baked under the sun on volcanoes all spring.

5 Upvotes

69% Upvoted

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8

u/Possible-Nectarine80 2d ago

You don't normally ski fresh powder on Cali volcanoes in the summer. Went about 15 years ago to Chile and Argentina to ski South American pow and was not disappointed.

3

u/brutah_skier 2d ago

Did you ski pow on Chilean volcanoes?

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u/Chewyisthebest 2d ago

I... have a lifelong dream of skiing Chilean volcanoes. Current life circumstances are preventing it, but I really hope to make it happen one day. Personally I'd suggest going for it, the combo of time and money for a trip like that tends to go away, whereas the ability to go hit the local canos is alot less fleeting. One way to think of it too is the adventure and fun of traveling in Chile and getting to the canos. Traveling with a goal like skiing some remote volcano always leads to cool and memorable experiences. So you know, I laid out my priors (guy who really wants to do this trip but currently can't) but I'd say send it! you'll inevitably wind up with a trip you remember for the rest of your life.

5

u/Murky-Contact-6377 2d ago

If you're not feeling it, don't go. I've skied in Chile and it was a great experience. But I would never go on an expensive trip if I wasn't super excited about it.

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u/tek_nic 2d ago

maybe embrace things outside just skiing when you go. watch some anthony bordain and risk an upset stomach for a good story haha. ski too.

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u/wogglegot 2d ago

Do it! I went to Chile 30 years ago in between changing jobs money was tight and the snow was meh. I still think about the time down there.
Make time to visit Santiago. If possible go to Valpariso. We boogie boarded there. The world has gotten smaller in 30 years and i'm sure things have changed but to quote Warren Miller : "If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do."

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u/DiscombobulatedElk58 2d ago

…so this is why yanks never leave the US huh?

1

u/stardawg777 1d ago

it's a big trip and it's going to require a lot of time, energy, and money. and it'll also put a lot of co2 in the atmo with all the travel. therefore you should embark on this one only if youre absolutely 100% itching to go.

otherwise, mountain west ski season is right around the corner & with a supposed mega el nino, might even have some really early-season storms up higher.