Leoloca Canaleta, Yerba Loca, Chile

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DonJuanPakistan
Trippin' travellin'.
from Seattle, Washington
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Leoloca Canaleta, Yerba Loca, Chile

Post by DonJuanPakistan »

Am still in Chile. Send help.

I recently skied a line I've been contemplating for some time. Accessed by skiing off the back of the La Parva ski area and skinning to an opposing ridge, it offers a big descent into the adjacent Yerba Loca valley, location of extensive schuss possibilities.

Much but not all of the line is visible from a turnout low on the road to the ski areas, and recent snowfall suggested acceptable conditions. I convinced my Spanish compañero Stefano it was a good time to check it out, though I didn't know for sure if we'd make it down without getting cliffed out, run out of snow down low forcing an unpleasant several km of downclmbing, or get avalanched to our deaths. Though I didn't elaborate on such thoughts when Stefano appeared convinced at my, "I'm pretty sure."

We rode rope tows beginning across the steet from my house for appx 90 minutes, skied off the back of La Parva, and hiked for appx 90 minutes to gain the top-out. We ate two cans of sardines in tomatoe sauce with hard bread and an apple and gathered digital beta for future forays.

I skied first. Expecting to downclimb the upper, windswept portion, I was pleased to find skiable snow through the pepper leading to the upper gully, where upon the freeride revelry began in earnest. Superb boot-top powder was the norm, minus a short cardboard section in the middle wind-abused gully construction. We skied to within 50m of the river before the gully was too rocky and narrow to continue, making for a continuous 4,300' descent, one of the longest, most consistent runs I've found in the vicinity. We walked to the other side of the creek and skied the old snow-covered hiking trail the remaining few km to the parking lot. My Cascadian training served me well, as I negotiated snow covered briars with deft skill.

Back at the parking lot, we immediately began to walk the 4.7km of dirt road out of the Yerba Loca natural reserve, finally scoring a hitchhiked lift for the final 1km. Back at the main road, we again stuck out our thumbs and shortly won another ride back to the bar in Farellones for 2 for 1 happy hour sunset suds.

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skykilo
olikyks
from Santa Fe
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Re: Leoloca Canaleta, Yerba Loca, Chile

Post by skykilo »

Is the line visible at all in the last photo?

What type of help should we send?

I will do a snow dance on your behalf.

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DonJuanPakistan
Trippin' travellin'.
from Seattle, Washington
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Re: Leoloca Canaleta, Yerba Loca, Chile

Post by DonJuanPakistan »

Second to last photo shows the ski line. Last photo shows the peaks at the head of the valley,Cerro Altar et al.

Send my woman and some Vietnamese food.

ryanl

Re: Leoloca Canaleta, Yerba Loca, Chile

Post by ryanl »

Stuff like this gets me excited.

Side question- do you have a wheel nut key? You've got a gorilla lug on each wheel and i can't get the wheels off (to look at the brakes)?

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huevón
are we there yet?
from el mundo
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Re: Leoloca Canaleta, Yerba Loca, Chile

Post by huevón »

That looks and sounds like a pretty cool day.

On topic we have found that Samy+Uwajimaya makes for some excellent Chilasian food. I want to come try this as soon as I decide I don't need to make a living surfing a desk; then maybe we open a nice Chilesian restaurant and drop heli-phở.

PeteH

Re: Leoloca Canaleta, Yerba Loca, Chile

Post by PeteH »

Kat and I went to an Italian / Asian restaurant in Milan once. It was awesome.

Nice looking line, Drew. Good adventure.

naomig
naomig

Re: Leoloca Canaleta, Yerba Loca, Chile

Post by naomig »

Chilesian, Eurasian, ... what can I say, mixes of the asian kind are just the best - I was talking about me by the way, in my modest and humble opinion... not. I'd take heli-pho anytime touring. Make that work J-man!

Looks like fun terrain out there.

E_$
imminent whippage

Re: Leoloca Canaleta, Yerba Loca, Chile

Post by E_$ »

fusion skiing * (fusion cuisine + fusion people) = * * * * *

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