Downhill Skiing In Bolivia: Top Destinations For Adventure Seekers

Bolivia is home to the world's highest ski resort, Chacaltaya, which sits at a lofty 17,785 feet. The resort is located in the Bolivian Andes, about 10 miles north of the country's largest city, La Paz. Chacaltaya's glacier, which was 18,000 years old, used to be the only place to ski in Bolivia, but it completely melted away in 2009. Since then, skiing has been restricted to a 600-foot stretch that sometimes receives enough snow for a run during the winter. However, the lack of snow and a non-functional ski lift have made skiing trips rare. There are other options for downhill skiing in Bolivia, including Mururata, about 35 kilometres east of La Paz, and Huayna Potosí, which is a popular destination for snowboarders and young people.

The world's highest ski resort, Chacaltaya, is in Bolivia

The world's highest ski resort is located in Bolivia. At 17,785 feet, Chacaltaya is higher than the base camp of Mount Everest. The name means "bridge of ice" in the Aymara Indian language, or "bridge of winds" in the Mollo language.

Chacaltaya is located in the Cordillera Real, a mountain range in the Cordillera Oriental, which is itself a range of the Bolivian Andes. The ski resort was built on an 18,000-year-old glacier, which, sadly, completely melted away in 2009, six years earlier than predicted. The glacier's disappearance has been attributed to climate change.

Chacaltaya was originally created to offer good winter snow skiing from November to March. However, due to the extreme cold, the lift was only operational on weekends. The ski area summit is higher than the base camp of Mount Everest, and the resort was once a popular destination for skiers and sledders.

The ski resort is located just 20 miles from La Paz, Bolivia's largest city, with a population of 2.3 million. La Paz is currently experiencing its worst drought in 25 years, and the melting of the Chacaltaya glacier has been cited as a contributing factor. The glacier was a source of meltwater for the city during the dry season.

The ski resort is now abandoned, with only a few small patches of snow and ice remaining. However, the mountain is still a popular destination for amateur mountaineers, as the road stops just 660 feet from the summit.

Chacaltaya is 17,785 ft high

Chacaltaya, the world's highest ski resort, is 17,785 ft high. That's higher than the North Base Camp of Mount Everest. It is located in the Bolivian Andes, about 10 miles north of La Paz, Bolivia's largest city. The ski resort was opened in the late 1930s and soon became a popular destination for middle- and upper-class residents of La Paz.

The ski area summit is at 17,785 ft, but the mountain itself is slightly higher at 5,421 meters (17,785 ft). The ski resort offered a lift-served ski area and was the highest in the world. The lift was operated by a rope tow, the first in South America, which was built in 1939 using an automobile engine. Due to the extreme cold, the lift only operated on weekends from November to March.

The Chacaltaya ski resort was closed in 2009 due to a lack of snow. The 18,000-year-old glacier that it depended on for snow had completely melted, a consequence of climate change. The resort now sits abandoned on the bare, rocky slopes of Chacaltaya. However, snow does fall occasionally, and it is still possible to ski there on rare occasions.

The mountain is also popular with amateur mountaineers as the road stops just 200 meters from the 17,785 ft summit, making it accessible by car. The resort's restaurant is recognised by Guinness World Records as the highest in the world.

The ski resort closed due to glacial retreat

Bolivia's Chacaltaya ski resort, once the world's highest, has closed due to glacial retreat. The 18,000-year-old glacier, located 30 kilometres from La Paz, completely melted away in 2009, six years before its estimated demise.

The ski resort, sitting at 17,785 feet, was a popular attraction for La Paz's middle class, offering a taste of European-inspired apres-ski in the heart of the Andes. The lift, which was only operational on weekends due to the extreme cold of the area, allowed skiers to access the highest lift-accessed terrain on Earth.

The glacier's disappearance has been attributed to various factors, including climate change, the warm phase of El Niño, and a lack of precipitation. Scientists at the Mount Chacaltaya Laboratory, who began measuring the glacier in the 1990s, predicted in 2005 that it would survive until 2015. However, it shrank faster than expected, melting at an "unprecedented" rate.

The closure of the ski resort is a stark reminder of the impact of glacial retreat on the local community. Many Bolivians depend on meltwater from Andean glaciers for their water supply during the dry season. With Bolivia's glaciers shrinking, water supplies have become scarce, leading to water rationing and hours-long queues for residents to receive their rations.

The loss of the Chacaltaya glacier also holds a deeper significance, serving as a tangible example of the effects of climate change. For those who visited the resort as children, the transformation from a snowy playground to a barren hillside is a poignant illustration of the planet's warming.

The ski lift at Chacaltaya is non-functional

The lift has been non-functional for over a decade, with members of the Club Andino, a local skiing club, unable to ski regularly due to the lack of snow and the non-functional lift. The club requires approximately $3,000 to get the ski lift up and running again.

The non-functional ski lift, along with the lack of snow, presents a significant obstacle for skiers. At an altitude of 5,300 meters, the same as Mount Everest base camp, it is challenging to climb to the top of the slope while wearing ski gear.

The Chacaltaya ski resort, located about 10 miles north of La Paz, was once the world's highest ski resort at 17,785 feet above sea level. It was also the only ski resort in Bolivia. However, due to the melting of the 18,000-year-old glacier, the resort closed in 2009.

The resort used to be covered in deep snow, but now only patches of snow and ice remain. The glacier melt has been attributed to climate change, with scientists noting the role of toxic fumes emitted by diesel vehicles in nearby La Paz.

Skiing is possible in Mururata, 35 km east of La Paz

Bolivia is home to some excellent ski touring and mountaineering terrain. The Andes, with its numerous mountain ranges, offers everything from accessible day trips near downhill resorts to committing expedition skiing on the Patagonian ice caps.

In between these extremes are some very quiet and scenic mountain areas with excellent ski-mountaineering and ski-touring terrain. Skiers can enjoy the remote west of Bolivia, which has limited skiing, but the 6342m high Volcan Parinacota, right up on the Chilean border, is one of the best descents in the area.

The now-abandoned Chacaltaya ski resort, 10 miles north of La Paz, was the world's highest ski resort at 17,785 feet above sea level. It was also the only ski resort in Bolivia and the highest lift-accessed terrain on Earth. However, due to the melting of the 18,000-year-old glacier that it depended on, the resort closed in 2009.

Frequently asked questions