TL;DR
A large avalanche struck near Laguna del Inca adjacent to Ski Portillo on Saturday afternoon, killing four people and injuring four others. The group were day visitors mountaineering in the backcountry after reportedly being warned about elevated avalanche risk by resort staff.
Four people died in an avalanche near Ski Portillo on Saturday, with four more injured
A large avalanche struck the alpine basin surrounding Laguna del Inca near Ski Portillo in Chile's Valparaíso Region on Saturday afternoon, triggering a high-altitude search and rescue operation. Chile's National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (SENAPRED) confirmed four fatalities, though authorities have indicated additional people may be missing.
Emergency crews responded around 2:45 p.m. local time following the slab avalanche. SENAPRED initially reported two deaths, updating the count to four by 4:50 p.m. according to Chilean news outlet Emol.
Who was involved
Valparaíso Regional Presidential Delegate Manuel Millones told Chilean television network T13 that the group were Chilean day visitors mountaineering near a series of peaks called Tres Hermanos in the Laguna del Inca zone. They were not guests staying at the resort.
The exact number of people involved remains unclear, with different Chilean news outlets reporting varying figures. SAMU emergency medical personnel evacuated four injured survivors to a hospital in Los Andes.
Resort had warned against backcountry travel
According to statements from Hotel Portillo management cited by regional authorities, resort staff had explicitly warned the group earlier in the day against venturing into the surrounding backcountry. The warnings cited heightened avalanche hazards from recent snowfall and warming spring temperatures.
Whether members of the group possessed formal avalanche safety training or rescue equipment remains unknown. The specific avalanche type and trigger mechanism have not been confirmed.
Search operations continue
Emergency operations remain ongoing as search teams work through hazardous high-alpine terrain surrounding the lake. The multi-agency response includes local volunteer firefighters, Carabineros police supported by an air-police helicopter unit, medical teams, SENAPRED regional personnel, and coordinators from the Integrated Cristo Redentor System.
What this means for backcountry access
The incident underscores the persistent disconnect between warnings and compliance in sidecountry and backcountry zones adjacent to ski resorts. That the group reportedly received explicit warnings from resort staff about elevated avalanche risk - yet proceeded anyway - is a pattern that repeats itself across mountain ranges globally.
Chile's central Andes are experiencing late-season conditions with warming temperatures, a period when spring avalanches become particularly unpredictable. The combination of recent snowfall and warming creates textbook instability, precisely what forecasters and resort staff were flagging.
The Laguna del Inca basin sits adjacent to Ski Portillo but is not controlled terrain. Like many popular ski resorts worldwide, Portillo has easily accessible backcountry that attracts day visitors who may not be resort guests and aren't subject to any meaningful oversight. Resorts can warn people. They cannot stop them from entering uncontrolled terrain.
This remains a developing situation as search teams continue working the slide path.
About the author
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
