Chile will have the Largest Ski Area in South America thanks to a U.S. Resort Operator

Ski Magazine published a breaking news that a Colorado-based Mountain Capital Partners will buy Chile’s La Parva a ski resort that has a mountain town integrating another ski resort called Valle Nevado.

“The majestic and sprawling Tres Valles region of the Andes—7,000 skiable acres that stretch as far as the eye can see—is home to some of the best skiing on the globe. The region’s three ski resorts of Valle Nevado, La Parva, and El Colorado are close enough to ski between but operated by different entities. Until now.

In the coming years two of the three will share an owner. Colorado-based Mountain Capital Partners announced plans to purchase La Parva, making it the company’s second Chilean resort after purchasing a majority stake in Valle Nevado last year. Once the sale is final, the connected ski areas will officially become the largest ski resort south of the equator.

Mountain Capital Partners is a smaller ski area management company that owns nine resorts in the U.S., plus bike park Spider Mountain in Texas. While none are mega resorts like Vail or Aspen, MCP boasts some recognizable destinations, including Colo.’s Purgatory, Utah’s Brian Head, and Ore.’s Willamette Pass, the last added in 2022.

That’s why it initially seemed a bit of a mismatch when, in January of 2023, the company acquired Valle Nevado, South America’s version of a mega-resort. One of the largest ski areas in the world, Valle Nevado has 2,200 lift-served acres and another 20,000-plus-thousand acres of heli and backcountry terrain set in the dramatic peaks of the Andes. La Parva is no slouch itself, with 14 lifts, and 40 runs across 3,000 feet of vertical. Together, the resorts will offer ski travelers 5,000 lift-served acres, and a combined 30 lifts and 84 named trails.

Mountain Capital Partners bought Valle Nevado in 2023 and added it to the Power Pass for the southern hemisphere winter that begins in June. (Photo: Courtesy of Mountain Capital Partners)”

Whole Article: https://www.skimag.com/ski-resort-life/south-america/mountain-capital-partners-purchase-la-parva/