Summer skiing in Chile's Portillo Resort (Jonathan Selkowitz/Courtesy, Portillo Resort)

Seasonal favoritism usually falls into two camps: those who cower under their down comforters ticking off the days until summer, and those who spend every day from June to August in front of the open freezer, cursing the heat and waiting for the first snowfall. For sun and surf advocates, there's always Florida. For powderheads sweaty and sick of the mid-summer swelter, there's the southern hemisphere. More precisely, there's Portillo, Chile's oldest and most famous ski resort. It's open from late June to early October, and the three-hour drive from Santiago means most day-trippers flock to the slopes of the country's less-stellar resorts, leaving the flawless, dry powder to those willing to hole up on the mountain for weeks at a time.

The resort sits entirely above tree line, treating skiers to some of the world's most stunning alpine scenery, including 22,834-foot Mount Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas. Fifty percent of the resort's 23 runs are rated beginner to intermediate, and the ski school employs 35 skilled instructors. But experienced skiers, particularly speed demons, are the real beneficiaries of this winter-white oasis. Among the region's most galvanizing runs, Garganta and Kilmetro Lanzado are the scene of speed-skiing trial records (the 125-mile speed barrier was broken for the first time on Kilometro). The Roca Jack and Condor runs are steep enough to require a completely different kind of lift. And for those with the hubris to take on the Andes' off-piste terrain, the possibilities are quite literally limitless. Be advised, though: it's best to hire a guide to lead you safely to the best powder stockpiles.

U.S. skiing enthusiasts David and Henry Purcell may own Portillo, but the resort remains resolutely Chilean. The discotheque and bar stay open late every night—er, morning—fueled by bottomless glasses of traditional Pisco Sours and Chilean wine. In fact, entire weeks during ski season are devoted to feasting and wine tasting. There's also a special discount week for kids—two kids per family under 12 sleep and eat for free. Shoulder-season visits can profit similar discounts.

Package trips are de rigueur at Portillo. Most run for a week, Saturday to Saturday, and commonly include full use of the resort's extensive facilities, transportation to and from Santiago, all lift tickets, lodging, and four meals a day (skiing around the southern hemisphere's highest mountain makes that four o'clock high tea essential). If you don't opt for a package, Portillo has a range of lodging, from the luxurious Hotel Portillo to bunk-style suites in the Octagon and Inca Lodges; you can usually reserve one of the lodgings for a few nights, and La Posada, an independently run restaurant across the road from the resort, offers affordable meals.

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