Based just 5 km from the beautiful town of Villa La Angostura, PowderQuest first visited Cerro Bayo in 1999 on a research trip. We returned during the spring ski season of 2000 along with a crew of riders, photographers and writers from Snowboard Canada and Chasing Winter, we scored waist deep dry powder and endless untracked runs for two days.
The backcountry hiking here is great, accessing steep bowls and some of the best tree runs in South America amid spectacular virgin forests.
In 2007 the resort was purchased by a private investment group. Gone are the days of founder Jean Pierre Raemdonck and his friendly family run resort. Now marketed as an upscale "boutique" resort, (it has a long way to go), Cerro Bayo will be seeing expansion and additional investment over the next years including rumors of a gondola from the town of Villa La Angostura and lift accessed terrain expanding into the Provinciales zone.
Regardless of what becomes boutique and what does not, the fact remains is that this mountain is one of our favorites due to its easy backcountry access and laid back local scene.
Ski Resort Location: Outside the town of Villa La Angostura, Patagonia, Argentina
Ski Resort Elevation: 1,010m (3,315 ft) to 1,730m (5,675 ft)
Ski Resort Vertical Drop: 720m (2,360 ft)
Ski Resort Inbound Terrain: 25 Runs
15% Beginner, 40% Intermediate, 35% Advanced, 10% Expert
Lifts: 16
Backcountry Access: Very Good
Heliski: No
Annual Snowfall: 350 inches (890 cms)
Trail Map: Soon