Portillo - SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING FACILITIES

Over the past 50 years, Portillo has gained a reputation as an excellent destination for skiers and boarders.

With our first-rate snow, we can cater to skiers and snowboarders of all abilities. 80% of the terrain is carefully groomed on a daily basis, and the most difficult terrain is natural snow pack. Expert skiers have access to vast and challenging areas, steep terrain and exhilarating experiences.
There are plenty of choices at Portillo and all are easy to access and crowd free. Portillo also allows beginners and intermediate to excel at their own pace on groomed runs and open bowls.

Over the past 56 years, Portillo has gained a reputation as the incomparable place for skiers and boarders.

Portillo’s highest point is 10,985 feet with a vertical drop of 2,745 feet.

SLOPES

The ski area is comprised of 15 runs, several of which are wide bowls with generous amounts of terrain.
Portillo's slopes are right outside the hotel's door! Our terrain is 10% Beginner, 35% Intermediate, 35% Intermediate-Advanced and 20% Expert. While the beginner, intermediate and advanced terrain is groomed on a daily basis, the more difficult terrain is left with its natural snowpack. Our Va et Vient surface lifts provide access to off-piste skiing.

BEGINNERS

Portillo is an excellent place to learn how to ski or snowboard. With the help of our Ski School, beginners will find themselves turning confidently in no time. El Puma, El Corralito, and La Princesa are our beginners runs.

BEGINNERS - INTERMEDIATE

For skiers and boarders who already feel comfortable on the mountain, we have El Conejo, Las Lomas, Canarios and Bajada del Tren.

INTERMEDIATE - ADVANCED

The Juncalillo run is Portillo's longest and the favorite practice run site of the U.S. and Austrian ski teams. Jean-Claude Killy won a gold medal on our Plateau Run, probably our most popular run at the resort. David’s Run, Descenso, Los Zorros, and El Estadio offer variety and excitement.

EXPERT

Portillo's expert runs are renowned. They include the Roca Jack and Condor runs, so steep they require a special, one-of-its-kind lift; the Upper Plateau and Garganta; and the famous Kilometro Lanzado, home to three speed skiing trial records. The 200km speed barrier was broken, for the first time, here on Portillo’s Kilometro Lanzado.

POWDER SKIING AND UNPACKED RUNS

Portillo is renown for its powder skiing, and with so few guests there’s no worry that everything will be tracked out by the afternoon. We do not groom some of our guests’ favorite advanced runs such as Garganta, Condor and Roca Jack. Our guests like these vertical runs as nature leaves them.

SKI LIFTS

There are 12 ski lifts, including: 2 quad chairs, 1 triple chair, 2 double chairs and 2 Va et Vient slingshot lifts and 5 Poma lifts.
Portillo's slopes are right outside the hotel's door! Our terrain is 10% Beginner, 35% Intermediate, 35% Intermediate-Advanced and 20% Expert. While the beginner, intermediate and advanced terrain is groomed on a daily basis, the more difficult terrain is left with its natural snowpack. Our Va et Vient surface lifts provide access to off-piste skiing.

Portillo features a variety of lifts, including quads, triples, a double and a few Poma surface lifts – 12 lifts in all. Since we want to assure that your skiing experience is as pleasant as possible, we limit the number of day tickets sold according to the hotel’s occupancy and the quality of snow. This way you will never have to wait in long lift lines and can better enjoy your time skiing or riding.

VA ET VIENT SLINGSHOT LIFTS

The Va et Vient (French for Come and Go) lifts were built by the Poma company for Portillo’s Roca Jack and Condor runs. People love them or hate them, but one thing is for sure, it is as exciting going up the hill as it is skiing down!
The Va et Vients lifts are essential given that Roca Jack and Condor are occasionally threatened by avalanches that could knock off even a major lift flat. The Va et Vients are pulleys that are screwed into the mountain at the top. Five skiers at once are pulled up the hill while "sitting" side-by-side on Poma discs that are suspended from a bar. It’s a little like waterskiing uphill, and is simple to use after you’ve given it a go.

There are plenty of choices at Portillo and all are easy to access and crowded free, just because there are no other hotels, so Portillos’s maximum 450 guests have the slopes all to themselves, allowing beginners and intermediate to excel at their own peace.
Portillo's greatest asset is the heavy snowfall it receives each year (around 20 feet), although there's snow-making equipment which allows for the consistent operation of the ski area once it is open.

The Temperature generally does not dip lower than 25 F, allowing guests ski in their bathing suits.
The resort sells Saturday to Saturday ski packages, which are recommended for the Portillo "experience," but check availability if you only have fewer days, especially during the weekdays.
Ski Season

The 2005 season opens June 18th and closes October 9th or perhaps later depending on late-season snow conditions.

GROOMING & SNOWMAKING

GROOMING

Portillo's slopes are groomed nightly with our fleet of grooming machines, turning the Plateau, Juncalillo, Descenso, Bajada del Tren and other runs into perfect corduroy before morning. Beginners, intermediates and advanced skiers can appreciate the attention Portillo pays to its slope maintenance and grooming when they take their first turns every morning.

SNOWMAKING

Portillo normally receives bountiful snow, with an average of 20 feet per season. However, weather is never predictable so we have snowmaking equipment on the Plateau side of the mountain just in case. During those rare seasons when there is low snowfall, Portillo is still a blast. People sign up for ski lessons, advanced skiers practice their racing technique, and everyone heads to Tío Bob’s café to soak up the sun and scenery during the afternoon. .

OLYMPIC SKI TEAMS AT PORTILLO

Portillo is one of the preferred ski resorts for summer training by the United States and many European national ski teams (Austrian, Italian teams). Our ski runs, snow, and service bring coaches and racers back to Portillo year after year. National ski teams typically stay with us for the entire month of August. This is a thrilling experience for our guests, who get to go back home with stories of skiing alongside some of the world’s best skiers.

SKI & SNOWBOARD RESPONSIBILITY CODE

Portillo is dedicated to your safety on the slopes. An important part of enjoying skiing / snowboarding is safety.
Skiing - Snowbaording can be enjoyed in many ways. At ski areas you may see people using alpine, snowboard, telemark, cross-country or other specialized equipment, such as that used by disabled or other skiers. Regardless of how you decide to enjoy the slopes, always show courtesy to others and be aware that there are elements of risk in skiing/riding that common sense and personal awareness can help reduce. Observe the code listed below and share with other skiers/riders the responsibility for a great on-mountain experience.

Skier Responsibility Code

• Always stay in control and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
• People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them
• You must not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible from above.
• When starting downhill or merging into a trail look uphill and yield to others.
• Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
• Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
• Prior to using any lift, you must have the ability to load, ride, and unload safely.
• Snowboarding
• The same guidelines as apply for alpine skiing will apply for snowboarding skiing including the requirement that a ski brake or retention device is mandatory for snowboard use.
• Be aware Ski with Care.

LIFT USE GUIDELINES

Chair Lifts
• All skiers must be aware and obey signs posted around the lift loading and unloading areas and along the towpath.
• While waiting for your turn in a ski line, skiers must prepare for loading.
• When approaching a loading area, obey instructions given by a lift operator.
• Always use the restraining bar on chair lifts.
• Do not rock the chair. Remain seated with skis pointed forward.
• Skiers should never jump from chairs.
• If a chair lift stops, remain calm and wait until it restarts or until you receive instructions from the lift crew or the ski patrol.
• Do not lift the restraining bar until instructed to do so and then leave the unloading area promptly.
Surface Lifts
• When riding a surface lift, always remain in the designated towpath and never zig-zag.
• Unload only at designated area unless lift stops and ski patrol instructs you to unload.
• If you fall from a surface lift, try to clear the path immediately, remove skis and exit towpath.
• Leave the unloading area promptly.