Some Other Resorts In The Andes

Chile

Farellones, reached by auto, preferably Jeep, is 35 miles from Santiago via dirt road featuring 40 numbered hairpin turns. Clifton F. Leatherbee, formerly of Newton, Mass., makes run daily. Elevation at base of area is 7,000 feet. Has 1,000-foot beginners' wire-rope tow (watch fingers!), rises 150 feet. Then, in line, are three lifts, totaling 12,500 feet, with vertical rise of 2,860 feet. First is 1,650-foot T bar, 450-foot rise, 250 skiers per hour; then 3,600-foot Pomalift, 600-foot rise, 250 per hour; finally, 7,250-foot double chair lift, 1,810-foot rise, 200 per hour. Has two hotels: La Posada, capacity 72; Hostelry Farellones, capacity 20, and Leatherbee takes in 12. Rates are about $4 to $6 per day, meals included. Food fair, accommodations short on central heating. Lifts cost about $1.60 per day. Instruction is a sometime thing.

La parva, a cluster of about eight private refugios, is about 1� miles up the road from Farellones, features 6,700-foot double chair lift, 1,700-foot rise, 250 per hour, weekends only. Canteen has beds for 16 at $4 per day. Most tourists stay at Santiago's Hotel Carrera, take station wagon bus to either area; costs about $3.50 round trip, takes hour and half.

Lagunillas is two hours south of Santiago by car, usually skied only by Chileans, using short makeshift tow. Has accommodations for over 200 skiers in four lodges and a number of smaller cabins and offers a wide variety of tours.

Chilean lake region has host of good mountains and tours, paucity of ski lodges. Take train to Temuco and arrange for private car to ski LLAIMA, where the volcano still belches smoke from time to time. Other mountain towns are OSORNO and VILLARRICA.

Argentina
Bariloche is the only major ski resort in Argentina. Located near the Chilean border, it can be reached by plane from Buenos Aires or by steamer and bus from Temuco, Chile. At base elevation of 4,000 feet, season is fickle. Aerial tram is 6,700 feet long with 2,475-foot rise, offering Woodstock, Vt.-type slopes and long runs. Catedral Ski Hotel is nearest slopes, costs about $8 per day for everything. Llao-Llao is swankier, farther from slopes, costs around $10.