Circumstances Report – Cerro Chapelco, Argentina with Freerider Sascha Geist

July 17, 2024

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Featured Picture: Maximiliano Artoni | Skier: Sascha Geist

You most likely learn the headlines or noticed the viral movies which have circulated on the web over the previous couple of weeks concerning South America. No, we’re not speaking about Argentina’s Copa America win. We’re speaking concerning the over-the-head, mind-blowing snow totals the Andes Mountains obtained to kick off their 2024 winter.

Whereas the final two weeks have been comparatively dry, the situations freeride skiers have had had been outstanding. Large traces stay stuffed in, and it’s nonetheless early within the season. Usually, South American winters within the Andes don’t attain their peak snow totals till August. Now that the powder fever and subsequent snow pack have settled and stabilized an excellent majority of high-alpine journey, we needed to listen to how it’s, and the way the earlier weeks have been. FREESKIER went to the supply, and bought ahold of skier Sascha Geist. As an skilled skier and alpinist, Geist has been having one among his most memorable seasons in recent times —

“I stay in San Martin de Los Andes, in northern Patagonia, an space of nice lakes and volcanoes. This season began with massive snow storms in autumn, which left an excellent base within the mountains. The previous few seasons have usually been good by way of snowfall, though this season began earlier and with colder temperatures all through South America. We noticed unbelievable quantities of snow, harmful at occasions.

With a lot snow and a few very moist precipitation earlier, there have been massive avalanches in uncommon areas. It took time and we needed to play it straightforward for a bit of, however these massive storms gave nice snowboarding as soon as the situations had been secure! On this chilly climate, I wish to benefit from snowboarding the jap faces, which get the solar within the morning. And you’ll’t all the time discover them. The place I stay is an excellent space with nice channels and entry to many mountains.“

*Geist and pals exploring close to Cerro Chapelco, Argentina*

The immense snowfall in earlier weeks gave Geist a purpose to discover his native resort, Cerro Chapelco. However as soon as situations settled and avalanche hazard declined, he headed to the backcountry, the place he spends most of his time.

“I often favor to ski within the backcountry though I additionally benefit from the native resort, Cerro Chapelco. It has superb entry to the backcountry and close by mountains. One in every of my favourite areas is Las Leñas within the north. It’s a backcountry paradise, though it might probably get very windy. Due to that, it takes some time to learn to navigate it effectively. I additionally love the realm of the lakes Chapelco, Catedral and Cerro Bayo. All three have good surroundings, and it’s often well worth the journey even when the snowboarding isn’t nice.”

In fact, it’s no secret that adventuring within the mountains is never a solo effort. Every little thing from the educational course of to the journey itself takes the end result of many individuals coming collectively, sharing data and serving to each other out. This is without doubt one of the issues that make Argentina so particular. The freeride neighborhood there may be famously robust and passionate, coming collectively to raised one another and study. “The Argentinean ski neighborhood could be very passionate. Many individuals do double seasons and ski most months of the 12 months,” Geist instructed us. “What I believe makes the Argentinean backcountry skier and neighborhood stand out is the perseverance it takes. The entry to the mountains will be lengthy and tough when touring via the Andean-Patagonian forests. You study the power to adapt to completely different snow situations and routes, and to share that data.”

A longtime backcountry accomplice of Geist’s, Maximiliano Artoni was proper behind him able to seize the fantastic thing about this unbelievable season. Check out the picture gallery beneath to get a really feel of the unbelievable terrain these skiers traverse via within the Andes Mountains. Cheers to what has been a outstanding 2024 winter in Argentina to this point.