Frequently Asked Questions

If what you are looking for isn't answer in this section, please feel free to info@barilochesnowcamp.com

How will we meet you at the airport and what day should I arrive?

If you are coming from outside Argentina, we will meet you at the only door out of Argentina Customs at the international airport in Buenos Aires. Your BSC host will be waiting for you and will take you to the domestic airport for your flight to Bariloche (one and a half hour long). At the Bariloche airport your BSC host will welcome you and will grab the shuttle with to the base camp. The arrival and departure days are the first and last days of the camps (Sundays usually) and Pickup/Drop is between 9AM-3PM.

How are the campers supervised?

24 hour supervision is provided. The campers are supervised at all times on the mountain and during activities. The staff and camp director live at the "House" to make sure that everyone is happy. Our ratio of staff to campers is at least 1 staff for every 6 campers maximum.

What ages and abilities do you take?

Everyone is welcome at our camp. The average camper is in the late teens. We have worked with campers as young as 11 and as old as late thirties. We find that our older campers like our activities just as much or sometimes more than our younger campers. We have coaches for all ability levels and our system allows you to ride and learn as much as you want with who you want. We also have designated adult sessions separated from kids and teens.

What is the snow like?

Since on your summer we are on winter in Argentina, our snow conditions vary from dry to wet powder from July to early September, and tipically spring conditions during September and October. Our riding area is the ski resort Cerro Catedral, one of the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere, with 600 hectares (1482 acres) of riding terrain

Typical Schedule: (sample only as times and activities may change).

• 7:00-9:00 am | Roll out of bed as breakfast awaits for you.
• 8:00-5:00 pm | Ride hard, all day coaching, lunch at the mountain.
• 6:00-8:00 pm | Activities at base camp, ping pong, paintball, videogames and video analysis of your progression.
• 8:00-9:00 pm | Dinner
• 9:00-11:00 pm | More activities and fun free time.

How much spending money should I bring?

All you need is money for presents and money for lunches at the mountain (U$S5 to 10 daily) We think about $10 per day is enough but, hey, everybody is different.

Where can I rent or buy snowboard equipment?

We will hook you up with our friendly snowboard and skiing rental shop, rental equipment (board and boots) is included in our camp prices. Also you will get demo equipment from us, included in the price as well. The other activities come with equipment included. We also have a limited supply of demo equipment. Demo equipment is only for temporary use (max 2 days) to allow all campers to try out new products.

What are the sleeping arrangements?

We put campers of the same age and gender together in the rooms. We are always on hand to adjust the living situation and keep everyone happy. We can accommodate friends of the same age who want to room together. Rooms at our camp are commonly for three campers and can be adjusted for up to 6 at a time.

Do I need a passport?

Either a passport or photo ID and your birth certificate. For all the rules regarding ID and passports please visit: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1130.html

What if I can't arrive or depart at Buenos Aires Airport on the designated dates or times for the camp start or finish date?

We can arrange pickup or drop-off at the airport with no extra charge.

How is the coaching organized and what will I learn?

You can ride until 5:30 PM depending on weather conditions starting as soon as you get to the mountain every day. Our coaches are fully certified and experienced, and they know every little spot on the mountain so we hope you will take advantage of riding with them. Our coaches teach everything from beginner to extremely high levels. If you want to learn a particular trick or technique, our coaches can show you how.

Is there a curfew?

We ask the campers to hit the beds by 11 PM since riding every day will take most of their energy. This may seem late but it does not get dark at Bariloche until almost 9 PM. For our adult campers there is no curfew.

What's the weather like and what should I bring to camp?

Bariloche is mountain environment and the conditions can change from sunny to very cold and wet. Our mountain usually gets a dump of fresh snow a couple of times a month or more over the our winter. You need to bring your snowboard equipment unless you want to buy or rent in Bariloche, for campers who do not need rental equipment we will offer a discount. The demo equipment is only available on a first come first served basis and is not intended to replace the campers regular equipment.

You also need to bring:
Your winter snowboard wear including goggles, gloves, and hats. Helmets are encouraged.
Spring ski clothing such as a lighter jacket, sweatshirt, sun glasses, sunscreen, and hat.
Rainwear for all activities.
Your regular clothing and sportswear.
Your water bottle or camelback and backpack to bring extra clothing, etc up the hill.

What about beginners?

Most of our beginners are able to ride non-stop and perform simple jumps at the end of a week at camp.
Day 1: Heel/toe side slipping practice on flats. Traverse exercises.
First attempt at lift.
Lift and side slip practice with coach. Intro to turning
Turn on heel side and toe side. Stance and balance training.
Day 2: Intro to varied terrain. Edge control and absortion. Different turn radius and shapes.
Day 3: Intro to steeper terrain and different conditions. Intro to jumps and switch riding. Terrain park skills
Intro to basic jump skills and switch riding.
Day 4: Intro to free-ride skills
Day 5 and 6: all mountain riding and intro to terrain park skills.

You are encouraged to progress at your own pace with no pressure. Our mountain has everything from flats to steeps and you will probably be comfortable on a blue run after the camp. Of course this depends on you.

Can my child travel alone to camp?

We have many young campers that travel alone to our camp. You can request "Unaccompanied Minor" service from all the airlines. They will make sure that your child stays in the care of the Airlines until the approved pickup person picks up the child at the other end. You would simply register Bariloche Snowboard Camp as the receiving party. The cost is minimal and some airlines do this for free. You can also request the same service for the return portion so that they stay with airline staff right from when we check them in on the departure day.

What kind of terrain do you have?

Our mountain has a variety of terrain ranging from green runs and beginner areas to tree runs and steeps. Around half the mountain is located above the tree line. We do have some pictures on our web site in the photo gallery. Our area has a terrain park with table tops, kickers, rails, fun boxes, bumps, and other varied terrain.

Medical Facilities?

Bariloche is a very developed international resort on the scale of Vail or Aspen. We have a full scale medical center that is very experienced at handling all emergencies. You should have travel insurance. We advice international campers to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policies apply overseas and will cover prior conditions and emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. If not covered, visitors are encouraged to consider purchasing travel insurance. No Medicare benefits are available abroad.

What if I want to pay in US dollars?

If you pay by Credit Card the rate is automatically entered and you are charged the US dollar amount.

How do you guys still have snow in July?

Since we are located on the Southern Hemisphere our winters go from June to October. Because we operate on our winter we don’t need to rely heavily on any one season’s snowfall to run the camp.