Portillo

Our Take

Portillo is the oldest ski resort in South America, operating on the Chilean Andes' western slopes above the Laguna del Inca since 1949. The resort has one hotel -- the legendary Hotel Portillo, a yellow building at the edge of a frozen lake at 2,880 meters -- with a capacity of 450 guests per week and a strict no-day-skier policy. This single-hotel model creates an intimacy that transforms the ski experience: by day three, you know the ski staff, the other guests, and the mountain's moods in ways that large resorts with thousands of daily visitors simply don't allow. The skiing reaches 3,310 meters at the summit with 2,590 meters of base, and the terrain is expert-dominated: steep, high-altitude Andean faces with the specific character of South American powder -- dry, light, and falling in deep deposits from Pacific systems filtered through the coastal mountains. The slingshot lifts (local V-bars that haul groups up specific steep lines) are Portillo's signature infrastructure -- you haven't experienced ski resort engineering until you've been pulled up a 45-degree Andean face on a cable with 4 other people.

Nerd Stats

Fun Facts

• Portillo accepts only 450 guests per week and prohibits day skiers -- it's one of the only major resorts in the world with a built-in guest cap.
• The Hotel Portillo has hosted Olympic and World Cup training camps continuously since the 1950s -- it's the most storied training resort in the Southern Hemisphere.
• The Laguna del Inca lake at the resort base is frozen for most of the ski season. The teal-green color under the ice is visible from the upper runs.
• Portillo's slingshot lifts haul groups of 5 up 45-degree faces via a V-bar cable -- they're unique to Portillo and essential for accessing the steep terrain.