A powder day finally happened on this volcano, which is exposed to all the Patagonian winds. Missing a sunny day after a week of snowstorms would have been a crime, so I finally made it to the summit of Osorno.
September-October is the ideal time for the ascent. The days are long, and there's still plenty of snow. You can ski almost the entire way up and descend in minutes, skiing down the slopes of the volcano.
The ascent through the snowy "flowers" of the glacier, lunch at the summit with views of lakes, green fields, and other volcanoes, followed by a descent through fluffy snow at sunset—that’s what a perfect day should look like.
Route
We began our ascent from the parking of the ski resort (https://maps.app.goo.gl/zHuEYovRS2zjA1Rd9). You can take the chairlift to the upper station and start the ascent from there, saving about an hour. The resort offers a single "randone" ride pass.
We reached the summit six hours after starting, gaining approximately 1,500 vertical meters. This was at a brisk pace, but we took breaks to eat, chat with other climbers, and deal with a delay when my ski came off and slid away.
The first part of the route is easy and follows the resort’s slopes. That first hour goes by quickly.
After the upper lift station, the slope becomes steeper. However, steep sections alternate with gentler ones, allowing you to rest while maintaining a good pace. In the middle part of the ascent, there are many beautiful icy "flowers". It's a great spot for a snack break and a photo session.
The last hundreds vertical meters before the summit are the hardest—the slope gets steeper and more icy. When you're tired of doing kick turns, you realize it's faster to walk with skis on your backpack than to keep skiing.
A bit more climbing in crampons, and you reach the summit. Osorno Volcano has a huge, flat summit. Unlike Villarrica, there’s no large crater here, only small craters scattered across the slopes. The views are unreal. We could see Villarrica, Lanín Volcano, and the nearby Puntiagudo and Tronador.
The entire descent from the volcano can be done on skis. Right after the summit, you need to carefully navigate a small section with icy formations. Then, wide-open fields with slopes around 45° and excellent views begin. You should pick your descent line during the ascent—the terrain isn’t difficult, but from the top, it’s not immediately clear which path will be the best for skiing.
Our descent happened at sunset. The snow was still soft, and I screamed with joy as I raced down those slopes with views of the golden surface of the lake and a sky in every shade of red.
We picked a day with perfect conditions. The volcano is technically easy to climb in good snow conditions. I felt completely safe, and my Chilean friend skied all the way to the summit. But conditions aren't always this perfect. When there’s more ice than snow underfoot, you'll need to spend most of the climb in crampons, fully use your ice axe, and set up proper belays.
Skill Level and Gear
The route is not particularly difficult, either physically or technically. However, to do it on skis, you need a confident level of both off-piste skiing and ski touring. You'll need to be comfortable with kick turns, skiing on hard icy surfaces, and navigating steep slopes.
If you have experience planning ski touring routes on your own, finding your way to the top with your group won’t be difficult. Osorno is a popular volcano for ski touring and simple climbs, and in good weather, there are always many people leaving easily visible tracks. The view is completely open, making it easier to plan your ascent line.
In good snow conditions, you'll need a ski touring setup, ideally ski crampons (for skis or splitboards), an ice axe, and boot crampons.
Après-Ski
After the ascent, everyone gathers in the Teski Refuge bar. (https://maps.app.goo.gl/HX6n2wD1wq4zCgdq5) Don’t get confused—after your climb, you’ll want to head here, not to the restaurant at the ski resort.
September-October is the ideal time for the ascent. The days are long, and there's still plenty of snow. You can ski almost the entire way up and descend in minutes, skiing down the slopes of the volcano.
The ascent through the snowy "flowers" of the glacier, lunch at the summit with views of lakes, green fields, and other volcanoes, followed by a descent through fluffy snow at sunset—that’s what a perfect day should look like.
Route
We began our ascent from the parking of the ski resort (https://maps.app.goo.gl/zHuEYovRS2zjA1Rd9). You can take the chairlift to the upper station and start the ascent from there, saving about an hour. The resort offers a single "randone" ride pass.
We reached the summit six hours after starting, gaining approximately 1,500 vertical meters. This was at a brisk pace, but we took breaks to eat, chat with other climbers, and deal with a delay when my ski came off and slid away.
The first part of the route is easy and follows the resort’s slopes. That first hour goes by quickly.
After the upper lift station, the slope becomes steeper. However, steep sections alternate with gentler ones, allowing you to rest while maintaining a good pace. In the middle part of the ascent, there are many beautiful icy "flowers". It's a great spot for a snack break and a photo session.
The last hundreds vertical meters before the summit are the hardest—the slope gets steeper and more icy. When you're tired of doing kick turns, you realize it's faster to walk with skis on your backpack than to keep skiing.
A bit more climbing in crampons, and you reach the summit. Osorno Volcano has a huge, flat summit. Unlike Villarrica, there’s no large crater here, only small craters scattered across the slopes. The views are unreal. We could see Villarrica, Lanín Volcano, and the nearby Puntiagudo and Tronador.
The entire descent from the volcano can be done on skis. Right after the summit, you need to carefully navigate a small section with icy formations. Then, wide-open fields with slopes around 45° and excellent views begin. You should pick your descent line during the ascent—the terrain isn’t difficult, but from the top, it’s not immediately clear which path will be the best for skiing.
Our descent happened at sunset. The snow was still soft, and I screamed with joy as I raced down those slopes with views of the golden surface of the lake and a sky in every shade of red.
We picked a day with perfect conditions. The volcano is technically easy to climb in good snow conditions. I felt completely safe, and my Chilean friend skied all the way to the summit. But conditions aren't always this perfect. When there’s more ice than snow underfoot, you'll need to spend most of the climb in crampons, fully use your ice axe, and set up proper belays.
Skill Level and Gear
The route is not particularly difficult, either physically or technically. However, to do it on skis, you need a confident level of both off-piste skiing and ski touring. You'll need to be comfortable with kick turns, skiing on hard icy surfaces, and navigating steep slopes.
If you have experience planning ski touring routes on your own, finding your way to the top with your group won’t be difficult. Osorno is a popular volcano for ski touring and simple climbs, and in good weather, there are always many people leaving easily visible tracks. The view is completely open, making it easier to plan your ascent line.
In good snow conditions, you'll need a ski touring setup, ideally ski crampons (for skis or splitboards), an ice axe, and boot crampons.
Après-Ski
After the ascent, everyone gathers in the Teski Refuge bar. (https://maps.app.goo.gl/HX6n2wD1wq4zCgdq5) Don’t get confused—after your climb, you’ll want to head here, not to the restaurant at the ski resort.