Farellones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Farellones |
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Ski lifts connect Farellones Village and El Colorado ski resort
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| Location | Lo Barnechea, Chile |
| Nearest city | Santiago, Chile |
| Coordinates | 33°21′3″S 70°18′50″W / 33.35083°S 70.31389°W |
| Top elevation | 3333m |
| Base elevation | 2430m |
| Skiable area | 13.3 km² |
| Runs | 22 |
| Lift system | gondola lift chairlifts 5 ski lifts |
| Website | [1] |
Farellones is a small village and ski resort in Chile. It is located about 36 km from Santiago, the capital city. The village was started in the 1930s. It sits in a valley in the Andes mountains. Other famous ski areas like Valle Nevado, La Parva, and El Colorado are also nearby.
Contents
Discovering Farellones: Location and Village Life
Farellones is part of the commune of Lo Barnechea. It is 36 km from Santiago and sits high up at 2,340 meters (about 7,874 feet) above sea level.
The village has a health center and a school. About 200 houses are built here. These houses and cabins are mostly made of wood. This gives the village a special and cozy look.
Skiing Fun: The Farellones Ski Resort
People started skiing in the Farellones area in the 1930s. In 1937, a landowner named Von Kiesling decided to sell parts of his land. This helped create the village we see today. Soon after, Antonio Padrós opened one of the first hotels, called the Posada de Farellones.
Today, Farellones has a few ski runs of its own. But its cable car system connects it to El Colorado. El Colorado is just five kilometers up the same hill. Because of this, Farellones and El Colorado are often seen as one big ski area.
Ski Runs and Snow Conditions
Together, Farellones and El Colorado offer 62 ski runs. These include 11 runs for beginners, 6 for intermediate skiers, 33 for advanced skiers, and 12 for experts. The highest point for skiing is 3,333 meters above sea level. Skiers can go down a vertical distance of 906 meters. On average, the area gets about 5 meters of snowfall each year. This makes it a great place for beginners and families to enjoy skiing.
A Look Back: History of Skiing in Farellones
Skiing first came to Farellones in the early 1930s. The first ski gear arrived in Chile from Switzerland and Norway. Back then, skis were made of wood. Boots were leather and needed grease to stay dry. The bindings were simple and could be dangerous. They would stay on your feet even if you fell.
The village grew as skiing became more popular. In 1937, the Hotel Posada de Farellones was built. Years later, the hotel even hosted a royal visitor, the English Duchess of Kent. The first ski lift was built in the 1950s. It was in an area that later became El Colorado.
More ski areas developed further up the mountain. These included La Parva and later Valle Nevado.
Ancient Secrets: Archaeology in Farellones
Long before Farellones village existed, the area was visited by arrieros (people who guide animals) and adventurers. They were looking for old Inca treasures. It was common to find Pucarás (old forts) and other signs of Inca settlements here.
The Plomo Mummy Discovery
On February 1, 1954, three arrieros found something amazing. Luis Ríos Barrueto, Guillermo Chacón Carrasco, and Jaime Ríos Abarca discovered the Plomo Mummy. This happened on Cerro El Plomo mountain. The mummy is a well-preserved Inca girl. She was the first discovery of a frozen human sacrifice made by the Incas high in the mountains.
Casa de Piedra: A Stone Shelter
On the road to Valle Nevado, you can find the Casa de Piedra de Farellones. This means "Farellones Stone House." It is a stone building believed to have been built by the Aconcagua people. They lived here a very long time ago. People think it was a temporary shelter. They might have used it during trips to find special stones for tools or when hunting Guanacos.
Inca Roads: Ancient Pathways
Corral Quemado is about 28.75 km east of Santiago. It was once part of the Inca road system. This road connected copper mines to the Mapocho River. The Inca road system was like the backbone of the Inca empire. It helped them manage and control their huge territory.
Old Spanish writings say that an Inca Road came from the other side of the Andes mountains. It passed through Chilean valleys and continued to the area that is now Santiago.
The Hotel Posada de Farellones
The Hotel Posada de Farellones was built in the late 1930s by Antonio Padrós. It is made from a mix of wood and stone, in a Swiss style. Its location is great for reaching the three main ski resorts in Chile. These resorts together form the biggest ski area in South America: La Parva, El Colorado-Farellones, and Valle Nevado.
Getting to Farellones: Access Road
There is only one road to reach the village. It winds through the canyons of the Mapocho River, Molina River, and Estero Yerba Loca river. From Corral Quemado onwards, the road has more than 40 sharp turns, called hairpin turns. When it snows, vehicles need to have snow chains on their tires.
During busy ski season days, there are rules for using the road. You can only go up between 8:30 AM and 1:30 PM. You can only go down from 3:30 PM to 8:00 PM.
Yerba Loca Nature Sanctuary
The Yerba Loca Nature Sanctuary is a protected area. It stretches from the top of La Paloma Hill (Spanish: "Cerro La Paloma") to the top of Cerro El Plomo. It divides the valleys of the Blanco River and Olivares River.
This area has temperate coniferous forests. You can find places for picnics and camping here. It is also the starting point for five trails. One of these trails leads to the hanging glaciers of Cerro La Paloma and Cerro El Altar.
Images for kids
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Farellones village view
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Panoramic view of Farellones ski runs
See also
In Spanish: Farellones para niños
- Cerro El Plomo
- La Parva
- Valle Nevado
- El Colorado
- Yerba Loca Nature Sanctuary
- Plomo Mummy
- Protected areas of Chile
