Cerro Chapelco Ski Resort
Guide to Skiing in San Martin de Los Andes
Chapelco Ski Resort was awarded Best Argentina Ski Resort from 2018-2024 by World Ski Awards.
In 2025, the owners of Cerro Catedral resort in Bariloche took over the concession of Chapelco, promising improved infrastructure, including a plan for expansion and new ski lifts. The future looks bright for Patagonia`s top ski destinations.
Our updated destination guide will teach you everything you need to know about skiing Chapelco in San Martin de Los Andes.
- Insider tips
- Inbounds and backcountry terrain
- How to get there
- Recommended guided tours and much more
Let’s drop right in. Ski season begins in June.
This mid-sized ski center, ranked as Argentina’s best ski resort by World Ski Awards, sits above the Lacar Lake in the National Park Lanìn and hosts one of the best local ski and snowboard scenes in South America.
Best Time to Ski Chapelco
Like most ski resorts in Argentina, you can snowboard and ski Chapelco from June to early October as it gets between 20 and 30 feet of snow a season. The best time to ski here for quality snow is later July into early-mid September.
With 2,360 feet of vertical drop, the Patagonian resort starts above the treeline and leads into some nice old-growth forest runs. Easy access into the steep backcountry bowls make for unforgettable days in the Southern Andes.
New Lift Upgrade for 2026
The upcoming telecabina installation at Cerro Chapelco for the 2026 season is a meaningful upgrade—and long overdue. Chapelco has always offered excellent terrain and a strong overall experience, but lift infrastructure, particularly out of the base area, has been a limiting factor.
This new 10-person gondola (Poma) will significantly improve uphill capacity and reduce congestion on the lower mountain, which has historically been the main bottleneck. Faster, higher-volume access from the base means skiers can spread out earlier in the day, improving both snow quality and overall flow across the resort.
From a bigger-picture perspective, this signals real investment. Chapelco has often been overshadowed by larger resorts in Argentina when it comes to infrastructure, despite offering arguably better terrain quality and a more refined experience. This upgrade begins to close that gap and positions the resort more competitively on an international level.
Bottom line: less waiting, better terrain access, and a more modern feel to the entire mountain experience—a clear step in the right direction for Chapelco.
What is The Ski Terrain Like?
Terrain – experts
As far as finding steep terrain, with the exception of some tree runs to riders left of the resort, most of the better zones are out of bounds and require avalanche safety equipment and notifying the ski patrol of your plans.
The back bowls are outstanding offering a mix of open bowls where you can see your line from top to bottom to tight gnarly chutes with some mandatory airs. It is paramount that you go with someone that knows the terrain and safe way out. On a good day you can do multiple laps back here with each hike out lasting about 30 minutes.
Terrain – Intermediates
This might just be the best ski resort in Argentina for intermediates. If you are looking to ski and snowboard Chapelco this summer, as an intermediate or advanced skier or snowboarder you have a large amount of slopes and off-piste terrain to explore, including some beautiful tree runs.
The trees are nicely spaced out and are not too steep. The resort also has one of the best ski schools in the Andes.
Suggested Trip for Intermediate-Advanced: Argentina All Mountain Ski Resort Tour
Beginners and non-skiers
There is a well recognized ski school here with level 3 English speaking ski and snowboard instructors. Beginner runs are wide and perfect for learning.
For those visiting that do not ski, you can enjoy the views of the stunning Lanin Volcano or go dog sledding with the huskies. In town, you can spend the day shopping, sipping delicious coffees and sampling the chocolate that makes San Martin so popular.
Weather and Snow Conditions
For updated snow conditions at Chapelco and current weather use the following apps:
Chapelco webcam (don’t be shocked to see it raining at the base of the resort, this is quite common)
Resort Stats
Ski Resort Location: San Martin de Los Andes, Lake District of Argentina
Elevation: 1,250m (4,100ft) to 1,970m (6,463ft)
Vertical Drop: 720m (2,363ft)
Inbound Terrain: 28 Runs
140% Beginner, 30% Intermediate, 15% Advanced, 15% Expert
Ski Lifts: 12 chair and surface lifts
Hotels and Lodging: Numerous options in San Martin, 20 minutes away
Off-Piste and Backcountry Access: Excellent
Heli-ski: No
Annual Snowfall: 350 inches (890 cm)
Ski Season: June to October
Ski and Snowboard Park: Yes
Night Life: The city has a good mix of bars, discos and a casino
Currently Chapelco offers 4000 skiable acres. In the future, the resort expansion looks to push deeper into the back bowl creating more expert lift-accessed terrain currently accessed only on guided off-piste ski trips or those that are backcounty savvy.
On stormy days ski the trees all the way to the skiers left. You can reach them from any of the quad chairs. It’s a short pitch but fun. As soon as the sun comes out do a few laps on “El Mallin” chair on Cerro Teta, then take the poma “Del Filo” and jump into “La Pala” if the stability is right as you need to ski through some big terrain traps to get out of there. If the sun baked all the north side skiing and you feel like going for a short walk check out the south side of the mountain, snow there stays good for longer but is also major avalanche terrain.
San Martin de Los Andes
One of the best things about the resort is the nearby town of San Martin de Los Andes.
Kind of like a tourist’s Swiss ski village in the Argentinean Andes, complete with rows of shops selling handmade chocolates and a great selection of shopping, bars, and, of course, steak restaurants. After skiing, you can spend hours wandering the town and absorbing the local vibe.
Hotels in San Martin range from budget log cabins for 4-6 guests to high-end, superior bed and breakfasts with quality spas.
Where is Chapelco Ski Resort?
Cerro Chapelco is near the chocolate-box Patagonian village of San Martin de Los Andes in the southwest corner of the lovely Neuquén Province. This puts it squarely within the beautiful Lakes District of Patagonia, Argentina. The massive Volcano Lanìn sitting on the border with Chile and Argentina, dominates the landscape.
How to Get to Chapelco and San Martin de Los Andes
Getting to Chapelco is pretty straightforward. We break down the travel options here.
How to Get to San Martin de los Andes
From Buenos Aires, it is best to travel to San Martin de los Andes by plane. Several flights operate daily between the capital and Chapelco Airport, and none of them take more than a few hours. Aerolineas Argentinas is the main operator. Check flights on Google Flights or Hopper
Getting to Chapelco from San Martin
The ski resort and the town of San Martin de los Andes are just under 10 miles (15 km) apart. To reach Chapelco from San Martin de los Andes, simply drive along Ruta 234 towards Villa la Angostura, and then take a left hand turn onto RN19. The entire trip typically takes no more than 20 minutes.
By Shuttle and Bus
In addition to the many inexpensive van shuttles that provide quick and easy transportation between Chapelco and San Martin de los Andes, there is also a cheap bus that departs from the San Martin bus terminal on the weekends.
By Taxi
Of course, it is possible to make the trip to and from Chapelco and town in a taxi (locally know as remise). When choosing this option, be prepared to stash your skis or snowboard in the open trunk of the car, and hang on for a wild ride.
Why Ski Chapelco with PowderQuest
With over 25 years of experience guiding skiers across South America, PowderQuest offers a deeper, more connected way to experience places like Chapelco. From long-standing local relationships to carefully curated itineraries, every trip is designed to go beyond the obvious, combining exceptional skiing with authentic cultural experiences.
Whether you are exploring Chapelco as part of a broader Argentina journey or looking for a more focused experience, our trips like the Argentina All-Mountain Adventure are designed to showcase the best of the region, including time at Cerro Chapelco.
Our team has spent years exploring the terrain, refining logistics, and building relationships on the ground, so you can focus on the skiing while we take care of the details.
Recommended Ski Tour Visiting Chapelco
Discover the culture and stellar skiing of the Argentine Lake District:
- 2 certified ski guides
- 8 guests maximum
- comfortable hotels, lift tickets, private transportation, hosted dinners with wine and more
- Explore 3 of Patagonia’s best ski resorts