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Don´t slam the door / Photo from Benjamin Hull
Its the highest ski resort at an altitude where oxygen is scarce and normal breathing is difficult. Yes, we are talking about Chacaltaya, the world’s highest ski resort that boast of embracing some die-hard skiers from all around the world. This resort is built on the top of the glacier, just 18 miles from Bolivia’s capital, La Paz. It stands as an extremely high resort with a top elevation of dizzying 5421 m (17785 feet) , overlooking the view of jaw dropping lake, Titicaca and the city La Paz.
This mountain range in Bolivia is around 30 km from the capital La Paz. La Paz is the base for people, dieing hard to ski at Chacaltaya. Being the world’s highest capital city, La Paz offers the ultimate for lofty adventures. The city is divided into three distinct areas – La Zona Sur, a low lying affluent area, El Alto, a poor area in the hills and El Centro that boasts of shopping, markets and other tourist attractions.
The glacier on Chacaltaya serves as Bolivia’s only ski resort. This equatorial ski area is the world’s highest lift served ski area as well as the northernmost ski area in South America.
Skiing at Chacaltaya ski resort is based on one main run and one chairlift. The vintage ski lift synonymous to ‘flying pigs‘ will take you to a point 395 feet below the summit. The lift ascends the middle of a year round snowfield high above the elevated altiplano of Bolivia. From here, the downhill piste itself is easier for intermediate skiers, but due to difficult chairlift, high altitude and old equipment on offer, it seems more suitable for the advanced group.
Although it is a year round snowfield, the lift is generally open during the rainy season. Skiing can be found as early as mid September, while during the colder dry season the snow seems too hard and icy for safe skiing, making Chacaltaya the only ski in South America to have a ski season corresponding to that of North America. Before attempting to load the lift, skiers must familiarize themselves with the heaving apparatus otherwise there’s always a chance of risk.
To load, you need to hold the hook over the cable and allow the cable to zip freely in the U-shaped groove. Remember the moot point is to maintain constant tension on the rope to sustain its bight on the cable. Whenever this tension is relieved, the hook will fly off the cable, pushing the skier on the try again mode.
However, the glacier that once surrounded the lodge with copious amount of snow is melting fast. Scientists say that glaciers are increasingly receding throughout the Andes but the Chacaltaya’s melting has been especially quick due to climate change. Attributing the melting to the growing emission of Green House gases causing global warming, scientists are speculating that Bolivia’s skiing tradition could be in the extinct list when Chacaltaya’s modest ski run may disappear forever in a few years.
