Totally Buried: Feet of Snow Transform South American Ski Resorts

Originally posted on Powder | By Ian Greenwood | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 3:30 PM ET

It’s hot and dreary up north, but down in South America, a different snowier story is unfolding.

Some ski resorts across the continent are reporting major 24-hour snowfall totals that, in some cases, exceed two feet.

“Powder day on Conejo!” Ski Portillo, Chile, wrote in a social media update this morning. At the mountain, about 33 inches of new snow fell overnight. Yesterday, Ski Portillo shared footage amidst the storm, following a group of snowshoers as they explored while the ski trails were closed.

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Reporting from Las Leñas, Argentina, professional skier Marcus Caston posted a froth-worthy image on his Instagram story. It showed two parked cars buried completely in snow. At Las Leñas' summit, 30 inches of snow has fallen in the last 24 hours.

Valle Nevado, Chile, meanwhile, put a series of stunning before-and-after photos online. Before, one of the ski resort’s patios was bare and dry. Then, two days later, on Friday, August 22, it was coated in a thick blanket of fresh snow. See below.

The storm hit other mountains on the continent, too, like La Parva (Valle Nevado’s neighbor), where more feet of snow fell. The ski resort’s webcams currently show near-whiteout conditions.

While the skiing looks top-notch, many of the trails and lifts at La Parva and other mountains are closed for now, likely because of the storm and avalanche risk.

A few more flakes are expected across Chile and Argentina, but in a forecast published earlier this week, the Powderchasers predicted that by Saturday, the storm will have trailed off. The leftovers and smaller refreshes should make for good ski conditions in the coming days, though.

September marks the final chapter of the South American ski season. Ski resorts on the continent tend to close in September or October, depending on the conditions. For instance, Ski Portillo’s final scheduled day of the season is September 27, according to its website.

Meanwhile, North American ski resorts have begun teasing their planned opening dates. When one season ends, another begins.