Portillo, Chile facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ski Portillo Chile |
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Laguna del Inca at 2,853 m (9,360 ft)
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 Ski Portillo Chile
Location in Chile
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| Location | Andes mountains, Valparaíso Region, Chile |
| Nearest city | Los Andes |
| Coordinates | 32°50′10″S 70°07′44″W / 32.836°S 70.129°W |
| Vertical | 762 m (2,500 ft) |
| Top elevation | 3,310 m (10,860 ft) (lift) 4,222 m (13,852 ft) (summit) |
| Base elevation | 2,548 m (8,360 ft) (lift) 2,880 m (9,450 ft) (hotel) |
| Skiable area | 5.0 km2 (1,240 acres) |
| Runs | 35 |
| Longest run | 2.5 km (1.6 mi) |
| Lift system | 5 chairlifts, 9 surface lifts |
| Snowfall | 8.3 m (27 ft 3 in) |
| Snowmaking | yes |
| Night skiing | none |
| Website | skiportillo.com |
Portillo is a famous ski resort located high in the Andes mountains of Chile. It's a great place for skiing and snowboarding in South America. The resort is in the Valparaíso Region.
Portillo is about 61 km (38 mi) from the city of Los Andes. It's also about 160 km (100 mi) by car from Santiago, the capital of Chile. The main hotel at Portillo sits very high up, at 2,880 m (9,450 ft) above sea level.
The highest ski lift takes you up to 3,310 m (10,860 ft). The lowest point where lifts start is at 2,548 m (8,360 ft). This means skiers can enjoy a vertical drop of 762 m (2,500 ft)! Portillo has 35 different ski runs and 14 lifts to take you up the mountain. The Purcell family owns and runs the resort.
Contents
History of Ski Portillo
Plans to build this amazing ski area started in the 1930s. Construction began in 1942. Finally, Ski Portillo opened its doors to skiers in 1949.
In 1965, some of the ski lifts were damaged by avalanches. Avalanches are large slides of snow down a mountain. The lifts were quickly rebuilt. This was important because Portillo was chosen to host a very big event.
In August 1966, Portillo hosted the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. This is a major international ski competition. A famous skier named Jean-Claude Killy became well-known here. He won gold medals in the downhill and combined ski events.
Since then, Portillo has become a top spot for ski racers. Many national ski teams come here to train. They come during the northern hemisphere summer. This is because it's winter in Chile then! Teams from Austria, Italy, and the United States often train at Portillo.
Mountain Peaks Around Portillo
The main summit of the mountain at Portillo is called Ojos de Agua. It reaches an impressive height of 4,222 m (13,852 ft). There are other tall peaks nearby too. Los Tres Hermanos is 4,751 m (15,587 ft) high. La Paraya is even taller at 4,831 m (15,850 ft).
The tallest mountain in the Americas is also close by. This is Aconcagua, which stands at 6,961 m (22,838 ft). Aconcagua is higher than any mountain in Europe, Africa, or North America! Only mountains in Asia, like the Himalayas, are taller.
Location and Border Access
Portillo is located very close to the border between Chile and Argentina. It is near a mountain pass called Paso Los Libertadores. This pass is an important route between the two countries.
Ski Season at Portillo
The ski season at Portillo usually starts in mid-June. It typically runs until early October. Of course, this depends on how much snow there is each year.
Images for kids
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Laguna del Inca at Portillo
