Chilean Ski season opens

Portillo, located high in the Chilean Andes and one of South America’s top ski and snowboarding resorts, is now open and boasting top conditions.

Greg Fitzimmons, a spokesman for Portillo, said the area received nearly 10 feet of snow in the days leading up to its opening on June 18. He said the big storms that came in June mean North American skiers — who typically head to Portillo in August — shouldn’t have to wait for midseason conditions.

Though Portillo is probably off the radar for most Americans, the resort has been used by the U.S. and other national ski teams for years for early-season training. Perched above the Laguna del Inca, it’s about two hours from Santiago, Chile’s capital, and has 14 lifts, a 2,500-foot vertical drop and 35 named runs. It is accessible via direct flights to Santiago from numerous North American cities. United, American and several Latin American airlines offer flights from LAX for less than $950 round-trip from July 19-26.