Mountain Review: Cerro Catedral
MOUNTAIN SCORE
#1 in Argentina
65
#2 in South America
CATEGORY BREAKDOWN
See our criteria6
Snow:
4
Resiliency:
6
Size:
8
Terrain Diversity:
8
Challenge:
7
Lifts:
3
Crowd Flow:
7
Facilities:
6
Navigation:
10
Mountain Aesthetic:
GOOD TO KNOW
1-Day Ticket: $115,000 ARS ($97 USD)
Pass Affiliation: None
On-site Lodging: Yes
Après-Ski: Extensive
Nearest Cities: Bariloche (30 mins)
Recommended Ability Level:
+ Pros
Skiable footprint
Terrain diversity
Best lift infrastructure in South America
Stunning Patagonian views
Lively local town
– Cons
Chaotic lift lines and loading process
Variable snow conditions, especially at lower elevations
Congestion on lower-mountain trails
Expensive lift tickets for Argentina
MOUNTAIN STATS
Lifts: 23
Trails: 59
Beginner: 31%
Intermediate: 44%
Advanced/Expert: 25%
VIDEO REVIEW
Mountain Review
Looking to ski in Argentina this Southern Hemisphere winter? Cerro Catedral might be the first resort that comes to mind. Located in the heart of Patagonia near the iconic lakeside town of Bariloche, Cerro Catedral presents itself as one of Argentina's biggest and best ski destinations. But does this resort live up to the hype—and is it the right fit for your next South American ski trip?
Mountain Aesthetic
The first thing to note about Cerro Catedral is just how stunning it is. When conditions are clear, the resort’s views are nothing short of breathtaking, offering sweeping vistas of jagged Patagonian rock formations that look like something from a movie. While many of these rock formations are just outside the resort boundary, a few are within the resort itself, and it’s hard not to be blown away when you see them.
But it’s not just the mountains that make Cerro Catedral stand out. The resort is surrounded by massive lakes visible from the upper mountain, creating stunning panoramas that stretch for miles across the Patagonian landscape if you’re in the right place. The contrast between the deep blue lakes and the snow-covered peaks is one that’s hard to find anywhere else on Earth, let alone a place that functions as a ski resort. Ice crystallization on trees and high alpine rocks adds to the unique visual experience as well, and while its most iconic elements aren’t as visible from lower-mountain areas, Cerro Catedral’s unique tree species compared to North American ski resorts make for an exotic feel.
Size and Terrain Layout
With a skiable footprint of approximately 1,700 acres, Cerro Catedral is one of the largest South American ski resorts, although it’s not quite as big as a typical North American or European destination—and certainly not as big as its claimed footprint measurement of 2,965 acres. The resort offers especially diverse terrain for South America, with a mix of below-treeline, high-alpine, and lightly-gladed terrain of various difficulty levels. With a vertical drop of over 3,300 feet, Cerro Catedral offers the longest vertical drop of any Patagonia-region ski resort, although conditions can vary based on elevation. The mountain is effectively divided between lower and upper sections; the below-treeline lower mountain generally offers mellow terrain and some opportunities for off-piste tree skiing when conditions allow, while the above-treeline upper-mountain holds snow better and offers a wider range of terrain in terms of difficulty. The upper mountain also has a higher density of trails than the lower mountain, which can create some interesting congestion conditions near the bottom of the resort.
Cerro Catedral offers stunning lake views from its mid- and upper-mountain areas.
Beginner Terrain
Cerro Catedral isn’t the best resort in the world for less-experienced skiers and riders, although it does have a few regional strengths worth noting. All the official green-circle trails are concentrated at the base area functioning as a bunny hill complex. On the plus side, this bunny hill area is served by magic carpets and one double chairlift, making it far more accessible than at some South American resorts that only offer platter lifts or T-bars.
That said, progression beyond the bunny hill may seem somewhat intimidating; once you move past these dedicated learning zones, all terrain is rated as intermediate or harder. Cerro Catedral’s blue-rated intermediate runs are somewhat easier than one might expect at a North American mountain, but they’re still a bit harder than many typical greens, which creates a bit of a gap for those who have mastered the bunny hill but aren't quite ready for full mountain skiing. If you’re not sure which runs are right for progression, it might not be a bad idea to hire an instructor or guide when first venturing higher up the mountain.
TRAIL MAP
Intermediate Terrain
Speaking of intermediate terrain, guests who make it to this level of skiing and riding will get quite a bit out of Cerro Catedral. The resort’s blue-rated trails span a variety of elevations and mountain areas, but the must-hit blue runs are in the upper mountain, offering incredible views of the surrounding Patagonian mountains and the massive lakes below. When visibility is good, these intermediate trails provide some of the most scenic skiing or riding you'll find anywhere in South America.
However, the intermediate experience at Cerro Catedral does come with some stipulations. Lower mountain conditions can be highly variable, occasionally leading to trail closures that significantly limit intermediate options. When this happens, intermediates may find themselves needing to download lower-mountain lifts to get back to the base at the end of the day depending on where they are. It’s also worth noting that the intermediate-rated Cascada trail should be avoided at all costs if possible; not only is this is one of the easier blue trails on the mountain, making it popular for progression, but it also offers the only snowmaking of any mid- to lower-mountain trail, resulting in profound congestion under all but the emptiest of days.
Terrain Parks
While not a world-class freestyle destination by any means, Cerro Catedral offers a decent terrain park with a dedicated lift in its upper mountain. The park is home to the typical selection of boxes, rails, and jumps, mainly small-to-medium in nature.
Advanced Terrain
Like most other South American ski resorts, Cerro Catedral designates terrain above its blue level with a red rating. Red trails span the majority of the resort’s mountain areas, and while most reds are groomed, a handful remain ungroomed throughout the season, allowing for a good introduction to mogul runs. One must-hit red trail is the Panoràmica trail from the top of the Nubes lift, with perhaps the best lake view at the entire resort spanning nearly all sides of the trail—and some incredible nearby peaks in the vicinity as well. The resort’s reds are generally easier than blacks at most North American resorts, especially given their consistent grooming, and might be considered as advanced-intermediate for those used to skiing or riding in other countries.
Cerro Catedral’s Off-Piste terrain is not to be taken lightly, with precipitous pitches and no fall zones being directly lift served.
Expert and Off-Piste Terrain
Speaking of blacks, this is the color given to Cerro Catedral’s hardest official runs. On paper, only a handful of these exist, and all of them are fairly short (albeit most of them are left ungroomed).
But after finding the right places at the resort, it becomes clear that Cerro Catedral has some seriously technical terrain outside the official trail boundaries. Like at other South American resorts, everything outside the marked trail posts is considered out-of-bounds, and while they aren’t directly maintained by the resort, these areas are what makes the mountain worth a visit for experts. The best accessible expert-level off-piste terrain is found off the Nubes chair, with a series of narrow, rock-lined chutes that are so steep you might not be able to stop yourself if you fall—and given the rock outcroppings, this means you might find yourself undergoing a rocky collision or falling off a cliff band under said circumstance. Elsewhere at the resort, several other unofficial routes are frequented by resort guests; the more primely-located ones will mogul up, while others can stay untracked for days after the last storm. For those who want true backcountry terrain that’s not directly served by lifts, expert-level chutes, bowls, and cliff bands can be found in the adjacent Zona La Laguna and on the backside of the resort.
For those looking to venture off the marked trails in lower-mountain areas, Cerro Catedral has its fair share of glade terrain as well. While some of these trees are skiable, they are generally less widely spaced than competitors like Chapelco—and if you don’t know what you’re doing, you could end up in glades too thick to ski or ride through and have to backtrack. Also, lower-mountain glades are often very sketchy cover-wise.
Some of Cerro Catedral’s lower elevation runs may be closed due to low snow cover, where they are still accessible as backcountry terrain, but may not be the most fun.
Speaking of cover, it’s also worth noting that all trails that are marked as closed are technically considered as backcountry, and while the resort won’t stop you from ducking a rope, you might be facing significant natural obstacles, serious hazards, or unskiable cover. This especially rings true in many lower-mountain circumstances, where a closed-off valley run may look pretty innocent and tempting at the start, but may leave you with completely bare dirt or rocks that require scrambling down before the end.
Finally, it’s important to note that the terrain outside the marked trails is not patrolled for avalanches. If you're planning to venture into uncontrolled terrain, we highly recommend bringing proper avalanche gear, including a beacon, shovel, and probe. Local guide services are available and highly recommended for those unfamiliar with the area.
Snow Quality and Resiliency
Snow quality at Cerro Catedral is strong for a South America ski resort, with good years bringing over 200 inches from May to September. However, conditions overall can be hit or miss. Snowfall days are more consistent than that of many resorts further north on the continent, but with a base elevation below 4,000 feet—which is several thousand feet lower than those northern competitors—the resort faces exposure to fickle Patagonian weather patterns. When conditions align, typically during colder periods with steady snowfall, the skiing can be excellent, but the resort doesn't get the consistently light, dry powder you might expect from higher Chilean destinations.
Unlike some resorts with more favorable exposures, Cerro Catedral largely faces east. As a result, freeze-thaw cycles are a constant factor at the resort, and they can dramatically affect snow quality from day to day. One day might offer excellent powder conditions, while the next could be slushy or icy depending on sun exposure and temperature changes.
The lower mountain, in particular, can suffer significantly during warmer periods, sometimes receiving rain instead of snow or experiencing rapid melting that creates challenging skiing conditions. Ice, slush, and variable snow surfaces are common on lower elevation runs, especially during spring conditions or warm weather events. Trail closures on lower sections aren't uncommon either, and when this happens, guests may need to download certain lifts rather than skiing or riding all the way back to the base area. The resort has some snowmaking capabilities to maintain at least a baseline level of resiliency, but it isn't necessarily comprehensive enough to guarantee good conditions—or enough available trails to handle congestion—during extended warm or dry periods.
Thanks to the higher elevation, mid- and upper mountain areas generally hold snow better and maintain more consistent conditions throughout the season. However, this part of the resort can see weather-related closures due to wind or storm conditions, and even if lifts remain open, visibility can be tough in upper-mountain areas when it’s snowing.
It’s also worth noting that lift operations at Cerro Catedral typically start closing at 4:00 PM. This is standard if you’re used to skiing at North American resorts, but earlier than many South American destinations, especially those with a latitude closer to the equator.
Navigation
Despite its relative size for Argentina, getting around Cerro Catedral is straightforward for the most part. The resort's signage is good by South American standards, with clear trail, lift, and restaurant markings. Color-coded boundary sticks along each marked piste help keep you in-bounds, with the colors corresponding to the trail’s ability level and helping to keep you on the appropriate level of run.
However, there are a few issues. Under flat light conditions, visibility is difficult in upper mountain areas—and since the boundary sticks don’t distinguish between left and right, someone who isn’t careful could find themselves just on the outside of a piste, rather than just on the inside of it. Getting down to the lower mountain can be somewhat frustrating, with some flat catwalking required to make it to the base depending on which run you take.
One notable circumstance to watch out for involves accessing the out-of-base Sextuple Express. If you’re coming directly from the base area, this lift is somewhat hidden, involving walking through a mini-mall and food court, taking an escalator, and walking back outside to the loading area before putting your skis on. Some skiers and riders actually wait until they’re at the loading platform for this lift to put their gear on, which can create congestion and unnecessary delays during busy periods.
At least if you’re already skiing or riding on the mountain, there is a cutoff that allows you to avoid walking through the mall to access this lift. But it’s easy to miss, and if you ski or ride past it, you’ll have to walk through the mall again.
Cerro Catedral boasts multiple high speed lifts on the mountain, making it one of the most modern lift setups in South America.
Lifts
Cerro Catedral boasts what is arguably the best lift system in South America, featuring a gondola and multiple high-speed six-pack chairs that might even be considered competitive by North American standards. This infrastructure represents a significant step up from most competing Argentinian mountains, many of which don’t even offer a single high-speed lift and often rely heavily on surface lifts for multiple parts of the mountain. There are very few platter or T-bar lifts at the resort, and no cases where you are forced to take a surface lift to get to a certain area of terrain. The gondola is on the older side, but it provides comfortable, weather-protected transportation that's particularly beneficial during stormy conditions or high winds.
But Cerro Catedral is still a South American mountain, and its lift infrastructure isn’t perfect. Several areas are still held down by slow, fixed-grip chairs, especially in upper-mountain or more remote places. It’s also worth noting the resort has some lifts that are just plain weird. One of these might be the first combination double/quad chairlift we’ve ever seen, with half of the chairs seating two people and the other half seating four. Even more confusing is that the lifties only seat the quad chairs at the base station; the lift has a mid-station, and you have to load there to get on one of the double carriers.
The resort also has an aerial tram, and at a first glance, it might seem pretty useful for getting from the base to the upper mountain. But don’t make the mistake of walking over there with your equipment, because this lift is for sightseers only, and the resort won’t let you bring your skis or board on.
Crowd Flow
Despite the impressive lift infrastructure by South American standards, crowding can be a significant issue at Cerro Catedral, especially during the peak Argentinian periods of July through mid-August. The high-speed Nubes chair is an especially bad chokepoint; this lift provides the only access to some of the resort's best expert terrain and offers the only high-speed lift service to the upper mountain. On this chair in particular, guests can expect to wait awhile on all but the emptiest of days. While the slower helper lifts usually fare better in this respect, if one or more of the main lifts goes down due to wind holds, these get jam-packed too—and often lack the capacity to handle the demand.
It’s also worth noting that unlike North American resorts, where guests usually form orderly queues and organize themselves into groups matching chair capacity, the loading process at Catedral is often chaotic. People stepping on your equipment while jockeying for position in line is unfortunately common, and the lack of clearly defined queuing areas contributes to the confusion. The resort does offer a "Preferencial" fast tracks system if you want to pay extra to skip the regular lines, but this does cost quite a bit extra, and you will be judged for using it.
RECOMMENDED SKIS FOR CERRO CATEDRAL
NOTE: We may receive a small affiliate commission if you click on the below links. All products listed below are unisex.
Recommended intermediate ski
Recommended advanced ski
Recommended glade ski
Recommended powder ski
On-Mountain Facilities
On-mountain facilities at Cerro Catedral are well-developed compared to many South American ski destinations, with the resort offering multiple dining and rest options throughout the mountain. The base area feels more like a traditional ski village than what you'd find at many South American resorts, with a variety of restaurants, cafes, and services that cater to different budgets and preferences.
The facilities range from casual grab-and-go areas to more upscale restaurants, with a mix of indoor and outdoor seating available. Food quality is generally good, though prices can be expensive compared to dining options in Bariloche proper—although they aren’t as exploitative as some competing mountains elsewhere in the country.
Pass Partnerships
Unlike some resorts in neighboring Chile that have established partnerships with North American mega-passes like Ikon, Mountain Collective, or Indy, Cerro Catedral operates independently when it comes to lift tickets and season passes. There are currently no partnerships with multi-resort passes, meaning international visitors will need to purchase tickets directly from the resort or authorized retailers. And it’s probably a good thing this is the case, because we’d argue Cerro Catedral doesn’t need any additional crowds on top of what it currently has.
One surprising sight you may see at Cerro Catedral is the Argentinian military training on the slopes.
Army Presence
Cerro Catedral has some interesting cultural and operational quirks that set it apart from other ski destinations. One unique aspect is that the Argentine army conducts training exercises at the resort, so don't be surprised if you spot military personnel on the slopes getting lessons from mountain staff. What might be especially surprising is the skill level of these soldiers—many of them barely know how to ski and are just learning, and you might see them fall a few times.
Cerro Catedral is also fairly Anglophone-friendly as far as South American ski resorts go. While Spanish will help, you can probably get away with speaking English while you are visiting, and there are at least some staff on hand who should be able to talk you through any questions you might have.
Getting There
Cerro Catedral benefits from one of the most convenient access situations of any major South American ski resort. Located approximately 12 miles from Bariloche, the resort is easily accessible via a relatively short and straightforward drive from town. Unlike some Andean ski destinations that require treacherous mountain roads or lengthy transfers, the access road to Catedral is simple to drive and usually manageable with any kind of car. You can easily take an Uber or taxi from Bariloche to the mountain if you don’t have a car too, and there are public buses, although service could be more frequent.
However, you should be prepared for traffic when returning to Bariloche at the end of the ski day. The combination of day visitors and overnight guests all leaving around the same time can create significant congestion on the access road. Planning for extra travel time during peak departure periods is probably wise.
In comparison to other South American ski resorts, driving to Cerro Catedral is a breeze.
Parking
For those who decide to drive, Cerro Catedral offers both free and paid parking options. The free parking option is located in an overflow lot that's served by shuttle buses running approximately every 20 minutes. While this adds some time to your arrival and departure routine, it's a cost-effective option for budget-conscious visitors.
For those who want the most convenient access, paid parking is available right at the base area for 20,000 pesos (approximately $17 USD as of May 2025). This puts you within easy walking distance of the lifts and eliminates the need to wait for shuttle buses, but you could probably use that money towards a taxi or Uber instead.
During peak periods, arriving early is recommended regardless of which parking option you choose. The resort's popularity means that both free and paid lots can fill up, especially during powder days or when conditions are particularly good.
RECOMMENDED SNOWBOARDS FOR CERRO CATEDRAL
NOTE: We may receive a small affiliate commission if you click on the below links. All products listed below are unisex.
Recommended intermediate board
Recommended advanced board
Recommended expert board
Recommended powder board
Lodging
Like many South American ski resorts, Cerro Catedral offers slopeside lodging at the mountain base, including some options with true ski-in/ski-out access. There are also a number of condos and hotels within a short walk or drive from the slopes. That said, the majority of visitors stay in the much bigger town of Bariloche, which provides access to accommodations ranging from budget-friendly hostels to ultra-luxury hotels and home rentals.
Après-Ski
When it comes to the slopes themselves, après-ski options at Cerro Catedral itself are decent. The base area offers some bars and restaurants where you can grab a drink and unwind after a day of skiing, and several of the mid-mountain restaurants offer on-mountain drink options as well. But where Cerro Catedral really stands out for a South American ski destination is in its proximity to the fantastic mountain town of Bariloche, which is known for its lively nightlife and excellent restaurant scene. The town offers everything from casual wine bars and craft breweries to high-end seafood and steakhouse restaurants, and for dessert, visitors should be sure to stop in one of the chocolate or ice cream shops—or better yet, get some of the exceptional dark chocolate ice cream on offer. And while food and drinks are expensive by South American standards—and maybe less unique than some other parts of Argentina—they’re still quite reasonable compared to many North American ski towns. The nightlife scene is particularly vibrant, with dance clubs that stay open until the early hours.
Cerro Catedral and the nearby town of Bariloche combine to make one of the most compelling ski destinations in South America.
Verdict
So Cerro Catedral isn’t perfect, but as far as a ski trip to South America—or perhaps anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere—goes, it’s really hard to beat as an overall package. Sure, snow consistency could be better and crowds are a real problem, but no other resort on the continent can provide the same combination of terrain diversity, lift infrastructure, and raw aesthetic.
Pricing
One of the most significant drawbacks to the Cerro Catedral experience is the lift ticket situation. At 115,000 Argentinian pesos (approximately $97 USD as of June 2025), daily lift tickets are quite expensive by South American standards. You cannot buy these tickets online ahead of time, and this system both creates long lines at ticket windows and makes vacation planning more complicated than it needs to be. Besides the window itself, your ticket purchasing options are limited to certain retail outlets in Bariloche, Buenos Aires, or other major Argentine cities. Since Cerro Catedral is not on any megapasses, these full-priced tickets are probably your only way to get on the mountain.
