The ski resort of La Parva in Chile, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has announced a project to develop the first half-pipe Olympic training centre in South America. This will be accessible by its new triple chairlift which has also opened up five new pistes.

David Owen of PowderQuest, which says it has been the leading US tour operator to ski areas in Argentina and Chile since 1999 keeps as keen eye on developments and is particularly interested in the smaller Chile ski resorts.

“These ski areas are much less known and a completely different experience, given that they are sitting on the sides of volcanoes, many of them active,” says David.

On the flanks of Lonquimay volcano, Corralco has a new US$7 million, 66 room hotel and spa. The small resort has improved access by sealing 4km worth of roads, following in the footsteps of sister resort Villarrica, on the active Villarrica Volcano overlooking Pucón, which paved part of its road prior to last season.

www.PowderQuest.com

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