Backcountry Skiing Adventure in Southern Chile – Volcanoes, Powder, and Hot Springs
Embark on an unforgettable backcountry skiing adventure in southern Chile, exploring some of the region’s most spectacular terrain. This multi-day ski tour takes you to two stunning volcano zones, including the renowned Lonquimay and Nevados de Chillán, offering a unique combination of alpine adventure, pristine powder, and volcanic landscapes.
The journey begins in Temuco, where we travel to Malalcahuello, the base for the first half of the trip. Just a short drive away, Corralco Ski Resort provides access to extensive backcountry terrain and the chance to summit the Lonquimay Volcano. Ski touring from the lifts, you’ll experience remote powder lines before unwinding in hot tubs and enjoying dinner at local restaurants in Malalcahuello.
On the fourth day, we move to Las Trancas, a gateway to Nevados de Chillán, a ski resort famed for its backcountry opportunities. Here, participants may summit Nevados de Chillán, standing at 3,212 meters, and enjoy thrilling descents—sometimes skiing to remote hot springs for a rejuvenating soak before returning to the resort. Evenings are spent relaxing at your lodge, with hot tub access and local dining experiences.
The adventure concludes with a transfer to Carriel Sur Airport in Santiago for your departure, marking the end of an incredible ski tour through southern Chile’s volcanic backcountry.
Day 1: Please ensure you arrive at Temuco Airport no later than 9:00 AM. From there, we’ll head to our accommodations to settle in and review the itinerary for the week. In the afternoon, we’ll conduct a companion rescue briefing, and if time allows, we’ll squeeze in a few runs at Corralco Ski Resort. In the evening, we’ll enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants in Malalcahuello.
Days 2-3: The ski days! From the Corralco Ski Resort, we have numerous options to explore the vast backcountry and the opportunity to summit the Lonquimay Volcano. At the volcano’s base lies the Araucaria forest, a rare and ancient ecosystem unique to Chile, with trees that are over 1,000 years old and can reach heights of more than 50 meters. In the evening, we’ll unwind in the hot tub and continue discovering the diverse restaurant options in Malalcahuello.
Day 4: Travel Day. This will be a chance to rest our legs and travel to our next destination, Las Trancas. This is a scenic journey that takes us along the foothills of the Andes exploring a couple towns along the way. Once in Las Trancas we will get established at our next accommodation before heading into town for dinner.
Days 5-7: The next three days will be spent exploring the amazing backcountry in and around the resort of Nevados De Chillan. From here there are endless options for lift assisted backcountry skiing as well as tours just outside of the resort. This is where we will have the potential to summit our second volcano Nevados De Chillan with a summit of 3212m with views of the the Shangri La valley and Las Trancas. Just outside the resort with an amazing ski descent to get to it is some hot springs, where we can enjoy a dip followed by a ski tour back up and over to the resort pending conditions. Evenings will once again be spent soaking in the hot tub and exploring the many restaurants’ options Las Trancas has to offer. This is a unique opportunity to visit a world class backcountry skiing destination in the heart of the Andes.
Day 8: This will be the end of our adventure. We will provide you with a transfer to the Carriel Sur Airport where you will get a flight back to Santiago to return home. It is recommended that you book your flight departing from Santiago the following day to account for any delays.
Instructors & Group Size
Our instructors are certified professional ski guides or mountain guides who are licensed to teach and guide in the backcountry. The minimum group size is 3 participants, the maximum is 6.
Meeting Time and Place
Guests will be picked up at the Temuco Airport (ZCO/SCQP) on day 1. Please plan to arrive not later than 9am.
Transportation
You will be responsible for your travel costs to arrive and depart from all destinations in Chile. This includes flights to and from Santiago, one flight from Santiago to Temuco and another flight from Carriel Sur back to Santiago. Included in the price of the program are all ground transportation costs starting from an airport pick-up on day 1 through an airport drop off on day 8.
Accommodations
Accommodation in is included in the program price.
We will be staying at local accommodations throughout the trip. They will be shared accommodation equipped with a full kitchen and hot tub at each location.
The program is priced based on double occupancy. Where possible single occupancy can be booked for an additional charge on a first-come, first-served basis. If you would prefer your own room, please let us know in advance and we will do our best to organize this.
Meals
All dinners are included on this trip. You will be responsible for your own breakfast and lunches each day. During the trip time will be made each day to stop at a local grocery store so you can purchase food for breakfast and lunches.
You will need to bring adequate clothing and equipment for a backcountry ski trip. Yamnuska will supply group equipment and can provide certain pieces of technical equipment (harness, transceiver etc.) if required. Please see the list below.
Equipment List
You will need to bring your own clothing and gear for day ski tours.
The equipment and clothing you bring will have a big impact on the quality of your experience. Please be sure to bring all the items listed. If unsure about anything, please don’t hesitate to call and ask us!
Skis
Alpine Touring skis are essentially downhill skis with a special touring binding that allows the heel to lift whilst going uphill or across the flats and then ‘locks down’ to become a regular downhill safety binding. We recommend this system to anyone with a background in downhill skiing.
Splitboards may also be appropriate if you are experienced with them in the backcountry.
Equipment List
You need to bring:
- Skis We recommend a short (160 – 185cm) wide ski designed for powder skiing and ski touring. Please see the note under rental information if you are renting ski equipment.
- Climbing skins ‘Stick-on type’
- Ski Poles
- Ski boots
- Ski crampons
- Avalanche Transceiver – digital transceiver with triple antennae rentals available
- Avalanche shovel – collapsible metal shovel designed for companion rescue rentals available
- Collapsible probe rentals available
- Daypack (large enough for spare clothes, lunch & equipment) rentals are available
- Sunglasses and ski goggles
- Thermos flask and water bottle
- Sunblock & Lip Cream
- Headlamp with fresh batteries
- Small Blister & 1st-Aid Kit
- Small repair kit for bindings, skis, or splitboard (this may include straps, nuts, bolts, small leatherman)
- Camera
- Personal Toilet Items including hand sanitizer
- Ear Plugs
Additional gear info:
- Skis/splitboard: There are two viable backcountry systems, Alpine Touring and Splitboard.
- Alpine Touring: Essentially downhill skis with a special touring binding which allows the heel to lift when going uphill and then locks down to become an alpine binding for the downhill.
- Splitboard: SIf you are a rider and proficient on a snowboard, the backcountry touring version is called a splitboard. This is a snowboard that can be split to make two ski-type platforms for touring on the uphill ascent. The bindings have two positions and can be switched depending on whether you are climbing or descending. Split boards also use climbing skins for the ascent. For the downhill, the board is reassembled or joined to be in snowboard (ride) mode. If you are new to this system, you will need to practice the transitions of switching the board from touring to riding and back again. Your enjoyment will be vastly greater if you are efficient and practiced with this transition. For splitboarders, regular snowboard boots will work. A splitboard specific boot will give you more comfort when in touring mode and offer extra support to make sidehilling and traversing terrain easier to manage.
- Boots: Backcountry boots are different from regular alpine ski boots. In the backcountry, boots need to have an uphill mode that allows a free range of motion in the upper part of the boot. You should not use your regular ski boots for touring and walking uphill.
- Climbing skins: The glue on the base of the skin should be in good condition and the skins need to be properly fitted. Try the skins on your skis/splitboard to make sure they are the right length and width before you arrive.
- Ski poles: Backcountry poles need powder baskets on the tips.
- Avalanche Transceiver: A three antennae transceiver is required.
- Probe: A minimum of 240 cm in length.
- Shovel: A metal blade shovel is required.
Clothing List
The climate on Rishiri is cold and moist so it is important to have a range of layers with you. An essential item is a ski mask as it’s easy to get facial frostnip in the prevailing strong moist winds found higher up. We suggest bringing light clothing of varying thicknesses that can be ‘layered’ to achieve comfort and versatility. The most important consideration for clothing is the ability to regulate temperature as you change from periods of activity to periods of rest and from the ascent to the descent.
- Synthetic or wool long underwear (top & bottoms)
- Softshell or Gore-Tex pants
- Warm shirts (not cotton)
- Medium weight fleece sweater
- Softshell jacket (or equivalent)
- Lightly insulated jacket
- Waterproof jacket with hood (Gore-Tex)
- Waterproof pants (Gore-Tex or nylon, with side zippers)
- Socks – ski socks (wool or synthetic)
- Wool or fleece hat
- Ski Mask … strongly recommended!
- Waterproof ski mountaineering gloves or mitts (warm)
- Lightweight gloves
- Sunhat
- Casual clothing to wear for travel and after the ski day
- Snow boots
- Swimsuit
- Toiletries
Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. We require a 35% deposit on booking with the balance due 8 weeks before departure.
It is wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident whilst here. Obtain extra coverage if necessary.
Detailed booking instructions and conditions.
Risk is an inherent part of all mountain activities. We strive to manage and reduce it however, it is impossible to totally eliminate. Learn more about our safety and risk management approach here. Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the program. Please view our sample waiver copy.
There are two basic types of insurance that most travellers need to consider: Medical and Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance. We highly recommend you purchase it.
Dates:
Private Programs available upon request.
PRICE:
Private programs available: Includes certified guide, land transfers, daily transportation, and all dinners from day 1 to dinner on day 7. There is no GST (sales tax) on this program.
Not included in this program are flights. This includes flights to and from Santiago, one flight from Santiago to Temuco and another flight from Carriel Sur back to Santiago You will be responsible for your own alcoholic beverages on the trip, which can be purchased locally, as well as any lift tickets to access the backcountry throughout the trip.
Please note you will be required to sign the Yamnuska Release of Liability, and Waiver of Claims prior to commencing the program. Please review the sample waiver prior to booking and call us with any questions.
Is it for you?
This is a challenging trip with multiple days of touring in a row. There are days of ascent over 1000m (3300ft), and you should be comfortable skiing with a pack (15-20lbs/7-9 kg) on most terrain in variable conditions. Skiers and riders should be intermediate skiers at a minimum and be able to link turns in variable snow conditions.
Skiers and Splitboarders should be competent with their transitions (switching from ski tour mode to downhill mode). Splitboarders should be comfortable skiing downhill in split mode.
Splitboarders should have their downhill kick turns dialed, as this skill will be used frequently to traverse downhill and across slopes at mellow angles.
We strongly urge skiers and Splitboarders to bring spare parts for their setups. Most of our guides are familiar with splitboarding sets ups, but each system is different, and our expectation is that guests will have basic knowledge on common Splitboard concerns (i.e. replacing toe straps on Splitboard bindings).
Training
Understanding the prerequisites should help with your training throughout the winter. Winter ski tours and walks with a 15-20lb pack are recommended as the best training, however other activities such as cross-country skiing and hiking can also be good training. Please read the itinerary and ‘Is it for you?’ sections and be both physically and mentally prepared for the trip. If you are uncertain about your experience level, please call us.