Chile Ski Resorts Not Affected by Volcano Ash Fall | Puyehue Ash Cloud News

Pucon, Chile June 25, 2011

Here is an update on the Puyehue Chile Volcano ash cloud and it's affect on the ski resorts in Chile and Argentina. Since the June 4th, 2011 eruption the ash cloud has circled the globe. Ash fell and continues to fall, depending on wind direction, on Patagonia Argentina, and parts of southern Chile.

THE FOLLOWING CHILE SKI RESORTS HAVE NOT BEEN AFFECTED WHAT SO EVER BY ASH FALL AND SHOULD OPERATE NORMALLY:


Valle Nevado scheduled to open after next snowfall
Portillo OPEN TO HOTEL GUESTS
El Arpa scheduled to open after next snowfall
La Parva scheduled to open after next snowfall
El Colorado OPEN
Termas de Chillan (Nevados de Chillan) OPEN
Corralco OPEN

Ski Pucon on the Villarrica Volcano saw light ash fall yesterday due to a wind shift, but officials claim it will not affect operations and plan to open July 1st.

ARGENTINA MAJOR SKI RESORTS:


Las Lenas has not been affected by volcanic ash.  Scheduled to open after next snowfall.

Cerro Bayo ski area has been severely affected as well as the town of Villa La Angostura.

Catedral (Alta Patagonia) in Bariloche too has been affected, but officials claim the ash has not harmed the ski lifts and plan on opening once they have enough snow. The town of Bariloche has been cleaning up from the ash, but the Patagonian winds and amount of ash in the surrounding area continue to make things difficult. The Bariloche airport remains closed. Fuerza Bariloche!!

Termas de Chillan, Chile Ski Resort

An oldie but goodie.  Cant wait to get back to Chillan this August!



Watch this ski chile video on Youtube.

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Improving News From Bariloche

According to a blog post today on First Tracks Online, despite Saturday's ash fall, Cerro Catedral officials plan on opening the Bariloche based ski resort for the 2011 season on June 17th.

In addition, Catedral has received over a foot of snow from the current system and the forecast is showing moderate snowfall continuing into Saturday.

While the airport remains closed due to the ash cloud stretching from the Andes to the Atlantic, Chilean officials are seeing a decrease in volcanic activity. Schools are opening again tomorrow. All of this is certainly improving news since last weekends eruption of Chile's Puyehue-Caulle volcano.

Read the full First Tracks Online post here

                                                             Cerro Catedral.  Image by PowderQuest

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                                                                                      Drew skiing in Chile.  Image by Adam Clark

Volcano Cordon Caulle Puyehue Eruption in Southern Chile

On Saturday, a volcano in the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle chain of south-central Chile erupted after lying dormant for more than 50 years. The eruption happened near a border crossing, linking Osorno, Chile and Bariloche, Argentina. The winds have carried the volcanic ash Eastward towards the towns or San Martin de Los Andes, Villa La Angostura and Bariloche.

Schools in some cities and rural areas in neighboring Argentina were closed Monday, even as the volcanic ash fall appeared to have diminished, the state-run Telam news agency said.  Parts of southern Chile remained on red alert.

Eastward wind gusts have left a layer of ashes up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) on an Argentinian highway. "We still don't know, because it depends on the wind how it will continue. ... The recommendation to the population is that they stay inside," said Eduardo Munos, municipal civil defense director in Junin de los Andes, Argentina.

PowderQuest has been staying in close contact with friends in the affected areas and will continue to keep our community updated with any breaking news as well as ways to help.

                                                                 Cleaning up ash in Bariloche, Argentina | AP / Alfredo Leiva