Ski resorts in South America

South America offers skiing when the Northern Hemisphere is taking a break: the season runs from June to September or October. All the continent's resorts are located in the Andes, on both sides of the Chilean-Argentine border. The elevations are substantial - the upper stations reach 3700 m - and trees no longer grow at these heights, so the slopes are open.

The Chilean side is drier and higher: Valle Nevado, an hour from Santiago, and Portillo at the pass on the border. The Argentine side is greener and lower, and is home to the continent's largest resort, Cerro Catedral, near Bariloche.