My name is Donny Roth. I am from the U.S., but live in Chile now. I grew up ski racing in Western New York. I have been backcountry skiing since the mid-1990s. In a career that has spanned more than thirty-years, I have worked as a race coach, ski instructor, heli-ski guide and sponsored athlete featured in films, magazines and digital media. I am an AMGA-Certified Ski Guide. I first came to Chile in 2004. I committed to focusing solely on human-powered ski experiences and started Chile Powder Adventures in 2010. Chile Powder Adventures isn’t a big guide service. It’s just me. And, more importantly, it only exists for you. I would like to be your guide to skiing adventures in Chile.
Chile Powder Adventures has succeeded because from the beginning I focused on experiences that no other guide service was offering—specifically human-powered skiing in the region of Chile most well known for its volcanoes, guided to the standards of the Northern Hemisphere, but with local knowledge. For fifteen-years, this recipe worked very well. But things have changed. Skiing “the volcanoes” of Chile has become a bucket-list item. There are lots of people who want to jet down here, ski as many volcanoes as they can in a week, fill their social-media feeds with stories of success and head back home. And now, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a guide service offering exactly that. I will admit that for the last several seasons I was one of them. Furthermore, like most guide services, I have found myself focused on the type of person who has the financial resources to hire a guide for a week or two and wants a comfortable, if not luxurious, experience—guaranteed. But… for the past couple seasons, guiding here hasn’t felt “right” to me—trips rarely flowed smoothly, clients didn’t seem as thrilled as before, etc. I spent a tremendous amount of time thinking about this and I have an idea about the root of the problem: I was selling “high end” skiing experiences in Chile; I was setting expectations of nearly certain success, convenient travel and comfort bordering on luxury. And in my opinion, coming to Chile with the expectation of a perfect ski experience would be like going to Canada for the beaches or Paris for the hot dogs.
There are very few places on the planet where we can find ourselves on genuine adventures—the type of experience where: success is uncertain, lessons need to be learned and applied along the way, and the journey results in personal transformation. Chile is one of those places.
Starting in 2024, I am changing the way Chile Powder Adventures operates. I will offer my experiences and skills, which are certainly not common in Chile and may be unique, to those whom are looking for a genuine adventure. My goal is to be as inclusive as possible, not as exclusive. I want to help you with the information and/or skills you need to move with confidence through terrain that challenges you. I want to work with you, not for you. I am confident that the four products and services listed below cannot be found with any other guide service. I hope you find something that helps you find the adventure you’re looking for here in Chile.
If you have questions, or don’t see what you’re looking for, my contact information is in the footer. I am happy to help.
Saludos,
Donny Roth
Chile Powder Adventures has succeeded because from the beginning I focused on experiences that no other guide service was offering—specifically human-powered skiing in the region of Chile most well known for its volcanoes, guided to the standards of the Northern Hemisphere, but with local knowledge. For fifteen-years, this recipe worked very well. But things have changed. Skiing “the volcanoes” of Chile has become a bucket-list item. There are lots of people who want to jet down here, ski as many volcanoes as they can in a week, fill their social-media feeds with stories of success and head back home. And now, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a guide service offering exactly that. I will admit that for the last several seasons I was one of them. Furthermore, like most guide services, I have found myself focused on the type of person who has the financial resources to hire a guide for a week or two and wants a comfortable, if not luxurious, experience—guaranteed. But… for the past couple seasons, guiding here hasn’t felt “right” to me—trips rarely flowed smoothly, clients didn’t seem as thrilled as before, etc. I spent a tremendous amount of time thinking about this and I have an idea about the root of the problem: I was selling “high end” skiing experiences in Chile; I was setting expectations of nearly certain success, convenient travel and comfort bordering on luxury. And in my opinion, coming to Chile with the expectation of a perfect ski experience would be like going to Canada for the beaches or Paris for the hot dogs.
There are very few places on the planet where we can find ourselves on genuine adventures—the type of experience where: success is uncertain, lessons need to be learned and applied along the way, and the journey results in personal transformation. Chile is one of those places.
Starting in 2024, I am changing the way Chile Powder Adventures operates. I will offer my experiences and skills, which are certainly not common in Chile and may be unique, to those whom are looking for a genuine adventure. My goal is to be as inclusive as possible, not as exclusive. I want to help you with the information and/or skills you need to move with confidence through terrain that challenges you. I want to work with you, not for you. I am confident that the four products and services listed below cannot be found with any other guide service. I hope you find something that helps you find the adventure you’re looking for here in Chile.
If you have questions, or don’t see what you’re looking for, my contact information is in the footer. I am happy to help.
Saludos,
Donny Roth
version 2024: Adventure for Everyone!
DIGITAL GUIDEBOOK
This is modeled on the traditional guidebook you may find in a local bookstore or mountaineering shop. It will include the basic information about the traditional routes of the volcanoes of Southern Chile—overview photos, route descriptions, simple maps and some basic advice, etc.
I intend to have this digital guidebook available on this site before August 2024. All of the information is compiled and most of it is organized, I just need to get it online. The online version will be available without a paywall, but some sort of “tip cup” will be utilized. There will be a downloadable PDF version available at an affordable price. Stay tuned…
This is modeled on the traditional guidebook you may find in a local bookstore or mountaineering shop. It will include the basic information about the traditional routes of the volcanoes of Southern Chile—overview photos, route descriptions, simple maps and some basic advice, etc.
I intend to have this digital guidebook available on this site before August 2024. All of the information is compiled and most of it is organized, I just need to get it online. The online version will be available without a paywall, but some sort of “tip cup” will be utilized. There will be a downloadable PDF version available at an affordable price. Stay tuned…
DETAILED INFORMATION FOR SPECIFIC AREAS
This is essentially a collection of my experience here in Chile. Presently, I have information for every volcano between Nevados de Chillan and Osorno. This goes beyond the digital guidebook by including digital files for navigation, more detailed photos, more details in the description of the routes, as well as information about off-the-mountain resources like lodging, food and down-day activities.
How to get this information… Send me an email—donny@chile-powder-adventures.com—and tell me which peaks or areas you are interested in. We will work together to make sure the digital files work with your devices and apps. I will make sure the information is clear and helpful to you. This information is sold per peak or area and the price reflects the depth of my knowledge on that area. (Typically between $25 and $50 (USD)) There are discounts available for bundling multiple information packets.
This is essentially a collection of my experience here in Chile. Presently, I have information for every volcano between Nevados de Chillan and Osorno. This goes beyond the digital guidebook by including digital files for navigation, more detailed photos, more details in the description of the routes, as well as information about off-the-mountain resources like lodging, food and down-day activities.
How to get this information… Send me an email—donny@chile-powder-adventures.com—and tell me which peaks or areas you are interested in. We will work together to make sure the digital files work with your devices and apps. I will make sure the information is clear and helpful to you. This information is sold per peak or area and the price reflects the depth of my knowledge on that area. (Typically between $25 and $50 (USD)) There are discounts available for bundling multiple information packets.
ADVENTURE LEADERSHIP
Would you like to go deeper into the Andes? My favorite part of skiing (and living) in Chile is the opportunity for adventure. The Andes are a massive chain of mountains, most of which is remote. Unlike North America or Europe, in Chile it’s possible to go into the mountains and truly explore. It’s possible to be alone. After more than twenty-years of skiing in the Andes, I have a long list of places I would like to go deeper into. These are lesser known volcanoes, remote ranges, and areas of Patagonia that I have barely scratched the surface of. If you’re up for an adventure, I’d be thrilled to be a part of your dream and team.
To begin this conversation… Send me an email—donny@chile-powder-adventures.com—and we can start a conversation about some possibilities based on your group’s specific situation. There will be no pressure from me for you to commit—there’s no reason to not start this conversation. I am happy to help you dream.
Would you like to go deeper into the Andes? My favorite part of skiing (and living) in Chile is the opportunity for adventure. The Andes are a massive chain of mountains, most of which is remote. Unlike North America or Europe, in Chile it’s possible to go into the mountains and truly explore. It’s possible to be alone. After more than twenty-years of skiing in the Andes, I have a long list of places I would like to go deeper into. These are lesser known volcanoes, remote ranges, and areas of Patagonia that I have barely scratched the surface of. If you’re up for an adventure, I’d be thrilled to be a part of your dream and team.
To begin this conversation… Send me an email—donny@chile-powder-adventures.com—and we can start a conversation about some possibilities based on your group’s specific situation. There will be no pressure from me for you to commit—there’s no reason to not start this conversation. I am happy to help you dream.
COACHING AND INSTRUCTION
I love helping people improve in the backcountry! Ski touring and ski mountaineering are challenging activities. There’s a tremendous amount to learn in order to travel in the mountains comfortably, confidently and safely. From people who have never ski toured before to soon-to-be guides looking to prepare for exams, I can create an environment that will help you gain the skills you need to be successful in the coming winter.
If you’d like to learn more… Send me an email—donny@chile-powder-adventures.com—and we can chat about what you’d like to learn and how we can make that happen.
I love helping people improve in the backcountry! Ski touring and ski mountaineering are challenging activities. There’s a tremendous amount to learn in order to travel in the mountains comfortably, confidently and safely. From people who have never ski toured before to soon-to-be guides looking to prepare for exams, I can create an environment that will help you gain the skills you need to be successful in the coming winter.
If you’d like to learn more… Send me an email—donny@chile-powder-adventures.com—and we can chat about what you’d like to learn and how we can make that happen.