Centro Ski Pucón
Skiing an active volcano above Lake Villarrica
Centro Ski Pucón sits on the flanks of the smoking Volcán Villarrica above the adventure town of Pucón in Chile's Araucanía region, offering the rare thrill of skiing an active volcano with lake views below.
- 1,250 m Base
- 1,873 m Top lift
- 623 m Vertical
- 1 Pistes mapped
- 7 Lifts
Best known for
Après & vibe
Pucón, a short drive below, is a buzzing resort town with abundant restaurants, bars, thermal springs and outdoor outfitters.
The resort
Centro Ski Pucón is a small but spectacularly sited resort on the slopes of Volcán Villarrica, one of South America's most active volcanoes, rising above the lakeside town of Pucón. The setting is the star: open volcanic runs sweep down toward a panorama of Lago Villarrica and the surrounding Andean lake country, an experience unlike almost anywhere else in the ski world. Pucón itself is one of Chile's premier adventure-tourism hubs, so the resort suits travellers who want to combine skiing with hot springs, hiking and lake life rather than a big lift network. Being on an exposed volcano, conditions can be wild and the mountain sometimes closes in poor weather or on volcanic advisories. As a Southern-Hemisphere resort it runs through the austral winter, broadly June to September.
Snow & weather
Live conditions from the mountain, plus the average snow you can expect month by month.
- Feels like
- —
- Conditions
- —
- Wind
- —
- Fresh snow (3-day)
- —
Live data © Open-Meteo.com
Pacific storms bring good midwinter snow to the volcano's slopes, but the exposed, high-altitude terrain means weather-driven closures and changeable conditions are common.
Average monthly snowfall
Snowfall climatology unavailable.
Terrain & aspect
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Slopes mostly face NW — 2% on snow-holding, poleward-facing slopes.
Aspect derived from run bearings · OpenSkiStats / © OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Skiing & terrain
Gentler lower slopes give novices a manageable place to learn.
Wide volcanic pitches make for enjoyable open cruising.
Steeper flanks and off-piste lines reward stronger skiers when conditions allow.
Ski-touring higher on Villarrica is the real prize for the adventurous and well-guided.
Skiing Volcán Villarrica
Descending the slopes of a live, snow-capped volcano with Lake Villarrica shimmering below is the resort's defining, unforgettable experience.
Pucón hot springs
The volcanic geology that shapes the skiing also feeds the region's celebrated thermal springs, a perfect way to end a day on the mountain.
On the map
Legend
Run difficulty
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced / Expert
- Freeride / Extreme
- Unknown
Run types
- Downhill — groomed
- Downhill — ungroomed
- Downhill — gladed
- Nordic (groomed)
- Ski tour
- ☾Lit (night)
- △Not patrolled
- →One-way
- ❄Snowmaking
Lifts
- Operating
- Operating (private)
- Non-operating
- Lift station
Slope-gradient grading
Downhill / ski tour
- Flat<3°
- Easy3–14°
- Intermediate14–22°
- Advanced / Expert22–45°
- Freeride / Extreme>45°
Nordic
- Easy<6°
- Intermediate6–9°
- Advanced>9°
Aspect (sun exposure)
- N — least sun
- E — morning
- S — most sun
- W — afternoon
Legend after OpenSkiMap
Stay in Centro Ski Pucón
Most visitors base themselves in the lively town of Pucón beside the lake, which offers the full range of lodging and dining a short drive from the slopes.
Lifts and pistes from the door — the point of a high, purpose-built resort.
Self-catering residences, the bulk of the beds and the flexible-budget option.
Catered and self-catered chalets for groups wanting the whole place.
From simple to high-end, with pools and spas to thaw out in.
How to get there
Temuco's La Araucanía Airport is the regional gateway, from where Pucón is reached by road through the Chilean lake district.
A drive of around an hour and a half to two hours from Temuco to Pucón, then a mountain road up toward the volcano.
Best time: The austral winter, roughly June to September, with the most reliable snow usually in July and August.
Nearby resorts
Other resorts within reach.
Chapelco Ski Resort
- Vertical
- 712 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 24
- Lifts
- 15
Estación Esquí Antillanca
- Vertical
- 477 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 14
- Lifts
- 5
Getting to Centro Ski Pucón
Book an airport transfer up to the resort, or pick up a car at Valdivia (ZAL) — search and compare without leaving the page.
Ski data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via OpenSkiMap & Skimap.org. Basemap © OpenFreeMap / OpenMapTiles. Editorial: mynext.holiday. Accommodation via Stay22; transfers via Kiwitaxi; car hire via Travelpayouts.