Powderhounds Review

Arpa cat skiing is very different to many of the glamorous cat ski operations that can be found in Canada and the US. It's definitely a no-frills set-up where it's all about the great ski and snowboard terrain.

Pros

  • Arpa provides exceptional value for money especially when you compare it to the cost of Chile heli skiing or cat skiing Canada. Accommodation in nearby Los Andes and San Estaban is also really economical when compared to the lodgings at ski resorts such as Portillo, Valle Nevado and El Colorado. The whole holiday package is inexpensive, particularly if you can organise your own transport.
  • Arpa has fabulously challenging alpine terrain for cat skiing, although they can provide easier lines if you don't want to ride narrow chutes. The amazing terrain has vertical runs of about 900 metres of fall line skiing. There are no traverses and no run outs, just pure steep pitched riding.
  • The steep pitches can often be negotiated because the snow-pack is reasonably stable, and as the road may be closed for a day or two after a storm the snow has adequate time to settle.
  • The guides are multi-lingual and English is the first language of many of the guides. There's no fear that you'll mistake “watch out for the roca” (rock) with “watch out for the roca” (cliff).
  • The guiding is quite relaxed but you still have confidence in the guides’ abilities and that they are looking after your safety. The ski area is not huge so the guides know the terrain really well.

Cons
  • The cat ski operation is not always open, either because of the weather (and the treeless terrain which affords no protection from the elements), avalanche risk or because the road is not open after a storm. A flexible itinerary is required.
  • Access to Arpa has various complexities associated with it. Either enjoy the adventure of driving yourself up the bumpy track (you wouldn't call it a road) or pay for someone else to get you there.
  • El Arpa only receives 5 metres of annual snowfall. The quality of the powder can be very variable with anything from deep light pow to crust, spring corn or heavy cement. The snow is reasonably well retained thanks to high elevation, but without the trees, the powder is not protected from the sun and wind.
  • Powder specific skis or boards would be beneficial but are not available for rent at Arpa or in nearby Los Andes. Even in Santiago it's difficult to find fat skis or powder boards.
  • At 4,000 acres, the size of the terrain is small in comparison to typical Canada cat skiing tenures and heli ski terrain. It is however comparable to many US cat skiing operations. If it hasn't snowed recently, fresh tracks may not be guaranteed, although Toni has a back-up area in case the usual cat terrain gets tracked out.
  • There is an expectation that riders are experienced backcountry riders as no safety briefing is provided. Avalanche beacons can be provided if you don't have one.
  • One of the snowcats does not have a cabin on the back. Guests stand on the back on a platform with railings for support. It can be very squishy if there is a full group, and the noise of the cat is not conducive to the social atmosphere you usually get with cat skiing. Another obvious con is the inability to sit down for a rest, warm up, or have a relaxing drink and snack.
  • Hiking is likely to be required which can be somewhat taxing, especially if you haven't acclimatised to the altitude. This isn’t really a con as the benefit of hiking is that you can get to much better lines!