This ski resort is the main mountain resort in the Andes Mountains and is open year-round. Valle Nevado, the largest ski resort in South America, is located 46 kilometres east of Santiago, Chile. It boasts excellent snow quality due to its altitude and orientation, and a privileged climate, with 80% of the season's days clear. The history of Valle Nevado began in 1987, and in 1988 the doors of this ski resort opened, located in the middle of the Andes, inspired by the Les Arcs winter resort and the winter resorts of France. Since 1998, Valle Nevado began developing as a comprehensive resort, and in 2001, the Andes Express chairlift, the first detachable lift in South America, was inaugurated, setting it apart from other ski resorts in the region.