Featured Image: Courtesy of Valle Nevado
A historic storm dropped tens of feet of snow on the Andes Mountains, and ski resorts are finally starting to reap the rewards. Between days upon days spent shoveling in the high alpine and relentless flooding down valley, the situation has been perilous at times; a stark reminder of the consequences Mother Nature can bring.
But ski areas are beginning to open again, some clearing roads that have remained closed for weeks. Valle Nevado, Chile's highest elevation ski resort, is spinning lifts with conditions under control. With 115 inches of snow falling in the last 15 days, and 62 inches in the last week alone, skiers are excited to finally be out and about.
OpenSnow meteorologist Luke Stone was on scene at Valle Nevado during the height of the madness. Updating readers midway through the storm, Stone wrote on July 19 that, "Blizzard conditions and heavy snow buried Three Valleys with around two meters at the base and even more up high. The resort lost power for several hours, and my car got stuck in one-meter snow drifts. It's been a blast."
Conditions were quite rough before this historic tidal wave of precipitation rolled through. But with more than 10 feet of snow coating the mountains, it's a different story. In fact, the entire direction of Valle Nevado's season has been changed for the better, with the resort now spinning all 14 of its chairlifts and opening 44 out of 45 runs as of 7/29/26.
"This storm cycle has transformed the mountain," said Dominique Rudloff, Valle Nevado’s General Manager. "The extraordinary snowfall Valle Nevado has received in recent days has created some of the best conditions of the season."
Additionally, more snow is expected over the coming days. It won't be the same beatdown as we've seen recently, and that's probably for the best. Still, totals won't be modest, with nearly 40 inches expected over the next five days. If you've been thinking of heading South this summer, the season is certainly lining up to be one with a consistent snow pack from here on out.
OpenSnow meteorogolist Luke Stone gave FREESKIER the report from the field during the last storm... and didn't dissapoint
