Portillo, Chile is one of the most beautiful ski and snowboard resorts in the world. But what are the slopes like? In part two of the daily VLOG (yes, this is obviously posted a week late - wait until the third installment is posted!), we ll get a sense by skiing the slopes that are currently open. Unfortunately, Portillo hasn t received enough snow this year to open fully, so about half of the slopes remain closed. That doesn t change that the views you take in while skiing or snowboarding are breathtaking. So just image what this place would look like with fresh powder.

How does a ski from the 1980s compare to a ski from today? Time to break out the old K2 KVC COMP 8.3 skis from 1989 to compare to the Head World Cup Rebels iSpeed Pro from 2018. The K2 skis were some of the most highly revered skis of that time. So they represent the best that the 1980s had to offer. The Head skis do not resemble the typical ski that you may find in a store today. Today s skis tend to be much wider with straighter edges, providing more stability for terrain parks and jumps, and great support in powder. The Head skis are more of a racing ski, designed to turn well, resembling the "parabolic" skis of the early 2000s. Perhaps the best way to compare is to ski with one ski on each leg. The results were the each ski has a very different shape, so each ski requires very different skills. While it was a challenge to focus on which skills to apply to which leg, ultimately, the Head skis were easier to turn, but less stable at higher speeds. The K2s required a lot more concentration and technical skill to turn, but when done correctly, they felt a lot more solid and powerful in the turn.

The Argentine winter is July and August. If you live in the northern hemisphere, you can escape the hot summer days and find yourself on a snowy mountain in the Andes, and you can enjoy the incredible Argentine culture. The skiing and snowboarding in Patagonia were on par with resorts in the Rockies and Alps. We stopped in Buenos Aires, and then went to Cerro Catedral and Cerro Chapelco.

A week after suffering a detached right biceps, I went on a planned weekend ski trip to Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada. With doctor appointments not scheduled until the next week, I embraced skiing for the weekend with one arm. The challenges I faced included putting on and taking off my ski boot, skiing moguls, and getting used to skiing in general with just one arm. It went better than I thought. Back in New York, I consulted with doctors and ultimately decided not to have surgery. This means living with my biceps permanently detached. Surgery must occur within 2 to 3 weeks after the injury. Why did I decide against surgery? A big reason was the post-surgery recovery. For me, it would have taken approximately 4 months to return to normal. The recovery would have been frustrating and painful. And based on my research, surgery would enable me to recover only 10% more of my flexion strength compared to not having surgery, and 25% of my supination strength without surgery. When you look at it that way, my opinion was that it was not an incredible benefit. Because I am not a competitive athlete and I do not have a job that requires me to be physically active, the surgery seemed more for vanity reasons - to be slightly stronger and have my arm look normal. However, my arm does not look that abnormal with the biceps detached. Some people who have detached biceps muscles have arms that look deformed, like the cartoon character Popeye. So because my arm did not look too bad, and because the reduced strength and endurance would not affect me in my everyday life, I chose not to have surgery. Added benefit of the decision - the Japan trip only two weeks later was easier! If you suffer this injury, before you decide to have surgery, it may be helpful to review the research that I found through the links below: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5213928/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4357594/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4913031/ https://sogacot.org/current-management-of-distal-biceps-tears/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19797566/

We visited Niseko, Japan for a ski and snowboard trip for the first time in February 2020. Japan is known for incredible amounts of deep powder snow. But when we arrived, everyone said that they did not have as much snow as normal. Despite this, the snow was great. It was the best that we could have hoped for on a vacation in North America or Europe. We will definitely return to experience the legendary Japan powder! We stayed at the Ki Niseko. We previously planned to visit Niseko in 2019 but had to cancel due to work issues. We had pre-paid with the Ki, and they were kind enough to work with us in light of the unforeseen problems. So we greatly appreciated the flexibility, which we did not receive from the Westin in Rusutsu, a much larger hotel. The Ki was great. Pleasant service and unbeatable location and accommodations. Niseko has four bases. Hanazono, Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, and Annupuri. The terrain of Annupuri may be best for beginners and those who love wide open slopes. Hanazono has more to offer for intermediates and experts. And Niseko Village and Grand Hirafu seem fit for all. Grand Hirafu may have the best in terms of night life because it has a much more developed town. Niseko had a lot of unique features, which we will highlight in our next video!

If you are thinking about a ski or snowboard trip to Copper Mountain, Colorado, you may want to consider the following five tips. This trip occurred during the pandemic in February 2021, but the tips apply anytime. 1) High Altitude. Copper Mountain sits at a high elevation: 11,368 meters. So you should ensure that you are ready to handle the lack of oxygen. 2) Copper is surprisingly large. It is probably not one of the winter resorts that people first mention for fantasy trips (like Aspen, Vail or Park City), so it may come as a shock that it is as big as it is. 3) Proximity to Denver International Airport. Copper is less than a two-hour drive from the airport. So it is a great option for a weekend trip from anywhere in the United States, Canada or Mexico. 4) Proximity to Other Ski and Snowboard Resorts. Copper is a short drive to Breckenridge and Keystone, as well as Arapahoe Basin. So if you want variety, you have the option to explore several other resorts. 5) Frisco, Colorado. Copper is only a ten-minute drive from Frisco. So if you want to find affordable accommodations that are not right by the mountain, consider Frisco.

Here is a 1980s music knowledge test. Ten songs from the 1980s. First, listen to the spoken lyrics and try to guess the song. If you can t guess, don t worry. We reveal the song while skiing in Big Sky, Montana. And if you re interested in learning more about the advantages and disadvantages of skiing or snowboarding in Big Sky, check out the following video: https://youtu.be/fqkcu2auf3Y The songs: 0:23 - 1:02 - "Simply Irresistible" - Robert Palmer 1:03 - 1:45 - "You re the Best" - Joe Esposito 1:46 - 2:28 - "In the Air Tonight" - Phil Collins 2:29 - 3:04 - "What a Feeling" - Irene Cara 3:05 - 3:44 - "Caribbean Queen" - Billy Ocean 3:45 - 4:26 - "Jam on It" - Newcleus 4:27 - 4:55 - "Rock You Like a Hurricane" - Scorpions 4:56 - 5:25 - "I Think We re Alone Now" - Tiffany 5:26 - 6:03 - "Personal Jesus" - Depeche Mode 6:09 - 6:45 - "Life is a Highway" - Tom Cochrane (Technically, from the 1990s)

Are you thinking of taking a ski or snowboard trip to Verbier, Switzerland? Les 4 Vallees? It s the fourth largest ski and snowboard resort in the world and an Epic Pass destination. The combined resort is made up of multiple areas: Verbier, Nendaz, Veysonnaz, Thyon, La Tzoumaz, Siviez, Bruson, Le Châble, Médran, Les Collons, and Les Masses. But what s it like to ski or board there? Hopefully, this video will give you a sense. I linked up with Anthony Hamann, an incredible snowboarder out of France who carves better than anyone I ve ridden with and who knows how to capture truly artistic pictures of the mountains.

If you travel to Chile to ski or snowboard, should you visit Valle Nevado or La Parva? Or both? They are right next to each other, after all. In fact, you can ski or board between them on the mountain. However, if there is not enough snow, or there has been a major storm and they have not yet opened the connecting slope, you cannot ski or board from one to the other. So you may want to consider which one you would prefer to ski or snowboard in case you cannot go between them. After 4 days at Valle Nevado and 2 days at La Parva, here are some factors that I identified that may help you decide whether to choose one or the other. 2:11 - 2:34 - The Road to Valle Nevado and La Parva: This factor actually applies to both resorts. The road from Santiago becomes one way during weekends and Chilean holidays. Generally, in the morning, the direction is uphill and during the afternoons, the direction is downhill. If you arrive in Santiago from a foreign country in the morning on the weekend, you may not want to wait until the afternoon to start heading to Valle Nevado or La Parva. And if you are leaving Chile in the morning, you may have to leave the resorts extra early to ensure that you arrive at the airport in time for your flight. 2:35 - 5:43 - Accommodations: Both Valle Nevado and La Parva have apartment rentals, but only Valle Nevado has hotels. The hotels are all inclusive, with meals and chairlift tickets provided. When there is sufficient snow, the majority of the accommodations at Valle Nevado are ski-in, ski-out or a short walk to the slopes. At La Parva, many apartment rentals are a significant walk to the slopes. Both resorts have free shuttles in case you do not want to walk to the slopes. 5:44 - 6:06 - WIFI: The hotels at Valle Nevado have WIFI. The apartment rentals at both resorts may or may not have WIFI, so pay attention to that point when you are booking a reservation if you want WIFI. My mobile carrier is T-Mobile, and I had no service without WIFI at Valle Nevado, but I was fine at La Parva without WIFI. 6:07 - 6:26 - Mountain Statistics: The vertical drop at Valle Nevado is 810 meters. At La Parva, it is 960 meters. Valle Nevado has 2224 skiable acres, while La Parva only has 988. So Valle Nevado wins on amount of terrain. For comparison to North American resorts, La Parva is comparable in size to Mont Tremblant in Quebec, Canada, and Valle Nevado is comparable to Snowbird in Utah. Both resorts are above the tree line, so you have completely wide open skiing. 6:27 - 9:05 - The Slopes: As a sample, I skied Sol at Valle Nevado and Barros Negros at La Parva, which are both red (advanced) slopes. Red is more difficult than an intermediate slope but easier than an expert slope. Both were groomed and, in my opinion, were perfect for a skier or boarder who is an experienced intermediate. A beginning intermediate should be fine, but may find certain portions steep. 9:06 - 10:00 - Chairlifts: If you do not like surface lifts like button lifts or T-bars, then you should seriously consider this factor before going to either resort. Chairlifts are less than half the total at both resorts. So you will need to take a surface lift at some point if you want to explore either mountain in its entirety. Valle Nevado has 14 total lifts, with 6 being either chairlifts or a gondola. La Parva has 15 total lifts, with 5 being chairlifts. When I was there in August 2022, one of the chairlifts at La Parva was not operating, so there were only 4. If you have the IKON Pass, you can use it at Valle Nevado, which is the only resort in South America that currently accepts either the IKON Pass or Epic Pass. However, if you book a hotel at Valle Nevado, you will likely already receive lift tickets as part of your package. 10:01 - 11:06 - Crowds: When I was in Chile during the first week of August 2022, there were no crowds at Valle Nevado during the week, and no crowds at La Parva on the weekend. I only rode a chairlift with someone else twice during the entire week at either resort. 11:58 - 12:52 - Santiago: If you have not been to Chile before, you may want to explore Santiago. It was larger than I expected with a lot to offer. There have been safety concerns the past couple of years with protests in certain parts of Santiago, but those issues seemed nonexistent when I was there.

I ve known about Valle Nevado ski resort in Chile for a long time and always wondered what it was like. Well, I finally went and here is a sample of what you can expect if you go there. An advanced skier or snowboarder may be able to cover the entire mountain in one day, particularly if they are only skiing or snowboarding on groomed slopes. There are a few slopes at the top of the trail map that are only accessible by T-bar or other surface lift, so if you only like chairlifts, you will have to forego those slopes. Ultimately, it is a great ski resort -- the largest in Chile. If you spend the extra money to buy a ticket for La Parva and El Colorado, which are connected to Valle Nevado, you will be skiing or snowboarding the largest combined ski resort in South America.

If you want to ski or snowboard at a resort in South America, you basically have to choose between Chile or Argentina. Which one is best for you? Here are some factors to consider: 1) Ease of Travel to the Resorts - Chilean resorts tend to be easier for international travelers. Valle Nevado, La Parva, El Colorado and Portillo are a short drive from Santiago. Of course, there are other Chilean resorts that require a connecting flight or longer drive, but every resort in Argentina is full travel day from Buenos Aires, which can be more difficult for international travelers. So Chile offers more convenient options. Las Lenas and Cerro Castor in Argentina are pretty remote and require even more travel time. 2) Stopover in Buenos Aires or Santiago - Whether you travel to Chile or Argentina, you may want to consider spending a few days in Buenos Aires or Santiago. There is a lot to do and see in each city, so spending time there can be an ideal way to deal with the long travel time from your country to the resort. 3) Travel Expense - It tends to be less expensive to travel to Chilean resorts. This is mainly due to the proximity of Valle Nevado, La Parva, El Colorado and Portillo to Santiago. Even if you consider Nevados de Chillan, which requires a flight from Santiago, some of the travel expenses at Cerro Catedral (like rental car) or Las Lenas are so high that they remain more expensive in terms of travel costs. 4) Mountain Size - The largest resort in Argentina is Cerro Catedral, with 1150 meters of vertical drop and 3000 skiable acres. This is larger than the largest resort in Chile, which is Valle Nevado, with an 810 meter vertical drop and 2224 skiable acres. You can certainly find resorts in Chile that are larger than resorts in Argentina and vice versa. So it s a matter of comparing statistics to know what you are getting. Valle Nevado is bordered by two other resorts - La Parva and El Colorado. When the snow conditions are good, you can ski between all three resorts. But you must buy a ticket for each resort separately, and it can be expensive - up to $260 USD per day. However, if you do, you have access to a combined 4312 skiable acres, which is more than Cerro Catedral. 5) IKON Pass - Valle Nevado in Chile is the only South American resort available on either the IKON Pass or Epic Pass. So if you have an IKON Pass, you can ski or snowboard at Valle Nevado for 7 days. If you have the IKON Base Pass, you get 5 days with blackout dates. 6) Nearby Resorts - As mentioned above, Valle Nevado has two resorts that are connected to it. You could go to either one of these resorts independently or ski or board all of them. Portillo Ski Resort is a 3.5 hour drive away. In Argentina, Cerro Bayo is a 1.75 hour drive from Cerro Catedral, and Cerro Chapelco is a 3 hour drive away. 7) Lunch Options - Cerro Catedral has more lunch options than Valle Nevado. There are food trucks at the base, numerous restaurants at the base, including in a mini shopping mall, and several restaurants on the mountain itself. Valle Nevado only has one restaurant on the mountain. The remaining options are at the hotels at the base. Cerro Chapelco has dining options on the mountain and at the base. La Parva has options on the mountain, but they are sometimes closed. 8) Chairlifts - Argentine resorts like Cerro Catedral and Cerro Chapelco have more chairlifts than Chilean resorts like Valle Nevado and La Parva. So if you prefer chairlifts, you may want to focus on resorts in Argentina. 9) Towns - Valle Nevado and La Parva are examples of Chilean resorts that have essentially no town. They are a collection of accommodations with one small store for food and a few restaurants and bars. Argentinian resorts like Cerro Catedral and Cerro Chapelco are near San Carlos de Bariloche and San Martin de los Andes, respectively. Much larger towns. 10) Accommodations - Because Argentine resorts like Cerro Catedral and Cerro Chapelco are near larger towns, there are more accommodation options. In Chile, resorts like Portillo, Valle Nevado and La Parva have fewer options, but there seem to be a larger number of ski-in, ski-out accommodations. Las Lenas in Argentina is more isolated than Cerro Catedral. 11) Nightlife - Obviously, the smaller the town, the less options for apres ski activities. Argentine resorts like Cerro Catedral and Cerro Chapelco have numerous restaurants and bars, and activities like ice skating and museums to explore in their neighboring towns. At Chilean resorts like Valle Nevado and Portillo, you re really limited to whatever activities there are in the hotels and rental apartments. 12) Views - The views in Argentina and Chile are incredible. You can find lake views at Cerro Catedral, Cerro Bayo and Cerro Chapelco in Argentina. Portillo in Chile also borders a lake. La Parva offers a view of Santiago, and Valle Nevado offers rugged mountains.

A quick intro to our trip to Queenstown, New Zealand. In July 2018, we traveled from New York to Queenstown to ski and snowboard, but of course had to bungy jump at Kawarau Bridge. We also hit the Onsen Hot Pools, Walter Peak Farm and biked around Lake Wakatipu. One of the best trips we have taken! Treble Cone, Coronet Peak, the Remarkables and Cardrona to follow!

We left the hot North American summer in August 2018 for Queenstown New Zealand, where we skied and snowboarded at Cardrona, Coronet Peak, Treble Cone and the Remarkables. New Zealand is as beautiful as everyone describes and the people were even better. So nice and helpful. If you stay in Queenstown, you can drive or take a bus to four different resorts. Combined, these resorts have as much terrain as a large resort in the United States or Canada. Cardrona: An hour away from Queenstown, this was our favorite. It has multiple terrain parks for snowboarders, great facilities at the base, and a wide variety of terrain. They also have plans to develop additional terrain and become the largest resort on the southern island of New Zealand. The only problem was that the lift lines can get very long. Coronet Peak: Only 20 minutes away, Coronet Peak is not only visible from the Queenstown airport, it also has night skiing. The facilities at the base are modern and the mountain was surprisingly large. We loved it here. Treble Cone: An hour and a half away, this resort is the farthest from Queenstown. But the view of Lake Wanaka makes the trip worth while. So does the hors piste skiing and snowboarding. The mountains of Treble Cone have some very unique topography that we really enjoyed. The facilities are the least modern of the four Queenstown resorts, but the mountain currently has the most skiable terrain. Cardona will be larger when they finish their planned development. The Remarkables: 30 minutes from Queenstown, the Remarkables is very convenient. Unfortunately, we did not get to spend much time here due to a snowboarding injury, but we can say that the staff was incredibly helpful and the facilities were very nice. We hope to spend more time at the Remarkables next time!

Scenes from Cardrona Ski Field in New Zealand. Cardona was our favorite resort to ski and snowboard on our trip in August 2018. It is a one-hour drive from Queenstown. See more of Cardona here: https://youtu.be/GFIWUF4pCbQ

Why should you ski or snowboard at Cerro Catedral in Patagonia? Well, we can offer 5 Reasons! But first, Cerro Catedral is the largest ski and snowboard resort in South America. There are accommodations, restaurants and shops at the base of the mountain. The city of Bariloche, twenty minutes away by car, is full of hotels, hostels, restaurants and shops. We were lucky to have snow at the base of the mountain. We learned that this is not usually the case, and for much of the ski season during the past ten years, skiers and snowboarders have had to take the chairlift up the mountain to the snow line. Unfortunately, this year (2020), although Cerro Catedral has had snow at the base of the mountain for the whole season, few people have been able to enjoy it due to COVID-19. We hope everything will be back to normal next year. REASON # 1: THE SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING. Cerro Catedral is in the Andes, so the terrain is incredible. You can ski or snowboard above the tree-line or below it. Whether you are a beginner or expert, you can find suitable slopes. REASON # 2: BURTON CATEDRAL. We bought clothing at what may be the coolest ski /snowboard store ever - Burton Catedral. We liked everything in the store. In a normal store, there is usually a lot of clothing that you do not like. For us, that was not the case at Burton Catedral! The name of the owner is Herbert, and we think everything that he has chosen to sell in the store is great. He is also energetic and very friendly. Best ski / snowboard store anywhere! REASON # 3: THE EMPANADAS. Our favorite empanadas in Argentina were from Cerro Catedral. Specifically, the empanadas at Punta Princesa, which is on the mountain. Our ranking of empanadas during our trip to Argentina is below: Best Overall Empanada: Punta Princesa, on the mountain at Cerro Catedral. These were chicken empanadas. Beef Empanada Rankings: 1) Minga - Palermo, Buenos Aires. Perfect, in our view. Well-seasoned, and juicy. We ate multiple orders even though we were not that hungry. 2) Nonino Empanadas - San Martin de los Andes. This sit-down restaurant had the best variety of empanadas that we saw, though we did not like chicken empanada at all. 3) Don Julio - Palermo, Buenos Aires. These empanadas were delicious and contained sauce, which we did not see among the other empanadas that we tried. 4) Galeria Del Sol (ground floor) - Bariloche. Unfortunately, we do not remember the name of the vendor in the food court, but the empanadas were fresh and very tasty. The best we found in the town of Bariloche. 5) Las 10 Empanadas - Bariloche. These seemed promising, as they only make empanadas, but the empanadas did not have as much flavor as we would have liked. They were also a but dry. 6) El Filo Cafe-Bar - Cerro Cetedral, base of the mountain food court/shopping mall. These empanadas tasted like plain ground beef in a bread blanket. Looked like it too. REASON # 4: THE VIEWS. We found the views at Cerro Catedral difficult to beat. Everywhere we looked, we saw lakes or dramatic, jagged snow covered mountains. Add clouds and the sunset, and each day was unique. REASON # 5: FRIENDLY ARGENTINIANS. In our experience, we found the Argentinians we met to be extremely friendly and warm. Whether we were on a chairlift, in a restaurant, or in a store, the people were absolutely charming. And the same is true of the Brazilians - there were many Brazilians at Catedral! INSTA360 ONE X SHOTS: 0:00 0:08 0:09 0:14 1:43 2:00 2:07 2:16 5:44

While skiing at Cerro Catedral, Bariloche in Argentina in July 2019, I was ski in some deep, cruddy snow at the end of the day when I encountered a sudden drop that caused me to fall. Both of my skis came off and were buried in the snow. Unfortunately, I could only find one of them. I had to ski to the bottom of the mountain on one ski and rent new skis. We returned three days to look for the lost in the snow but never found it. It may still be somewhere on the mountain!

If you travel all the way from North America or Europe (or even from as close as Brazil) to ski or snowboard at Cerro Catedral, Argentina. Should you drive another three hours to ski and snowboard at Cerro Chapelco? Here are four reasons to make the trip: 1) Adventure. Our drive involved a detour onto a desolate road that we wisely decided not to follow. We encountered horses, cows, goats and dogs. A store and restaurant on the mountain burned to the ground before we arrived. Our hostel was at a mountain top on one of the steepest roads we have ever seen. Ultimately, it was an experience that we will remember, which was worth the sacrifice of three days at Catedral. 2) San Martin de los Andes. We enjoyed San Martin de los Andes much more than Bariloche, which is the city near Cerro Catedral. It is certainly smaller and slower. But we found it to be more charming and relaxed. 3) Cerro Chapelco is the Best in Argentina. Chapelco has been voted the best ski resort in Argentina several times during the past several years. We certainly found it to be superior to many resorts in the United States. And the people, we loved the people! 4) Variety. Cerro Catedral is the largest resort in South America. Nevertheless, it is obviously not as large as resorts like Whistler-Blackhcomb or Zermatt. So if you are going to ski or snowboard for a week or longer, and you normally visit ski resorts that large, you may want to drive to Chapelco so that you get can enjoy more variety over the course of your vacation. Insta360 shots: 0:00 0:06 0:27 0:31 0:35 2:02 2:31 2:33 2:35 2:41 2:43 4:42 4:53 5:00 5:02 5:04 5:06 5:08

We spent four days at Cerro Catedral in Patagonia, Argentina. It was one of our favorite ski and snowboard vacations. Absolutely beautiful scenery, friendly people, and it was great to ski and snowboard when it was summer at home.

Cerro Chapelco is a ski and snowboarding resort in Patagonia, Argentina, approximately a 3-hour drive from Bariloche. The main town is San Martin de los Andes. You can also travel via plane from Buenos Aires. Chapelco has won the award for best ski resort in Argentina many times over the past several years, so you are sure to have a great experience! Insta360 One X shots: 0:12 0:13 0:15 0:18 0:22 0:30 0:34 0:38 0:40 0:42

We spent a week in Tokyo and Kyoto, and then flew to Hokkaido for a week in the mountains at Niseko United and Rusutsu resorts. It was our first time in Japan, so we soaked everything up. Some scenes from the preview that we will cover more fully in our VLOG: - Golden Pavillion (0:00-0:02) - Kiyomizudera Temple (0:02-0:03) - Shinjoin Temple (0:04-0:07) - Kyoto Samurai Experience (0:08-0-10) This was a truly fun and informative experience that we would highly recommend if you are in Kyoto. It was one of our highlights - Geisha (0:11-0:13). We happened across a genuine Geisha on the streets of Gion - Shibuya Crossing (0:16-0:17) - Omotesando station on the Ginza Subway line (0:17-0:18) - Chef Naomichi Yasuda at Sushi Bar Yasuda (0:24-0:25) - Poster in store in Akihabara, Tokyo, famous for electronics and anime (0:29-0:30) - Mount Yotei, volcano in Hokkaido (0:42-0:43) - And of course, Niseko United and Rusutsu ski resorts!