Ushuaia: The End of the World
By Aaron Bilotta August 8th, 2007
From the moment I arrived in Ushuaia I knew I was going to love it. Jagged, dramatic peaks surrounded us as we drove up the valley to Cerro Castor, the southern most ski center on the planet.
Our local guide, Juan Pablo Terrado, gave us the low-down; about 30cm of fresh snow 2 days ago and temperatures were low with minimal winds. Ideal conditions.
Our group consisted of many CASA alumns; Jim Cherry, who at 78 is one of the most inspirational and dedicated ski enthusiasts I’ve ever met; our New York City posse Tom Slazinski, Rad Roubeni and Olivier Levitte; Californians Mark Baudendistel and Claudia Fletcher; and Pete Federman and Katharine Bowerman, one of the most impressive and energetic adaptive skiers you will cross turns with. In total this group has traveled on close to 20 tours with CASA.
We were also joined with newbies: Tahoe local Jeff Lamppert, our midWest representative, Cybil Fisher and from the Cayman Islands and originally from the bigger island of Australia, Rhonda Laws.
We spent the first days on tour becoming acquainted with the enchanting Cerro Castor Resort. Spread out along an east-west ridgeline Castor offers plenty of southern exposure, which maintains snow quality very well. Like many South American ski centers the best terrain at Castor is accessed via short hikes via the top lift stations. We found wide-open powder fields that were left untracked even after a few days since the last snowfall. The snow quality was chalky and smooth, not super deep but fresh and carvy. The vistas and scenery certainly reminded me of Alaska and dreams of heli-drops filled my head as I scoped out the endless terrain surrounding us. Our runs would eventually lead us into the Fuegunian forests of lenga trees and spit us out to the base chairlifts.
At nights we returned to the city of Ushuaia, which is located on the Beagle Channel and is the major jumping off point for expeditions to Antarctica. Ushuaia offers a great variety of restaurants serving excellent seafood as well as famous Argentine beef and lamb. Our accommodation, Hotel Albatross, is one of the finest CASA uses and guests had access to a very nice spa and were located in the heart of town overlooking the Beagle.
On Day3 we decided to go on a special excursion. Juan Pablo guided us on a backcountry adventure to Glacier Martial. The group hiked and skinned 3100 vertical feet in about 4 hours to the ridgeline, where we were rewarded with stellar views of the Beagle Channel and the surrounding toothed peaks. The massive terrain, which encompassed us, was a backcountry skiers/snowboarders’ paradise. Yoddles of glee echoed in the cirque as each of us were treated to freshies galore. I believe I speak for the group in saying this was the highlight of the tour.
On Day 4 we explored Tierra del Fuego National Park. Its beautiful forests, secluded bays, and wind swept landscape gave us another perspective of this incredible region. We spent the afternoon on a catamaran cruising the coastline of the Beagle in awe of the impressive mountains jutting from its waters. The stunning Mount Olivias is one of the most distinct peaks I’ve laid eyes upon.
On Day 5 we returned to Castor and continued to discover new terrain. Its un-crowded slopes, non-existent lift lines, on mountain amenities and general low-key vibe impressed us all. I look forward to continuing this love affair with this special place and will forever remember this inaugural CASA trip to the End of the World.
