Comparison
Cerro Catedral vs Chapelco: which has more reliable snow?
Cerro Catedral or Chapelco? Natural snow month by month, at the village, mid-mountain and summit, from thirty winters of weather data.
The season at a glance
Each cell is one month: the share of days with 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow at mid-mountain over the last 30 winters, from brown (often thin) to deep blue (snow-sure). Blank means almost none.
The short answer
Cerro Catedral has had the more reliable natural snow: mid-mountain was snow-sure in 4 months of the year, against 3 at Chapelco. Month by month, Cerro Catedral has the edge in October and November.
Month by month
June: Cerro Catedral 11 of 30, Chapelco 12 of 30 snow-sure winters (73% and 74% of days).
July: Cerro Catedral 28 of 30, Chapelco 29 of 30 snow-sure winters (98% and 99% of days).
August: Cerro Catedral 30 of 30, Chapelco 30 of 30 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
September: Cerro Catedral 30 of 30, Chapelco 30 of 30 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
October: Cerro Catedral 26 of 30, Chapelco 22 of 30 snow-sure winters (95% and 89% of days).
November: Cerro Catedral 7 of 30, Chapelco 2 of 30 snow-sure winters (52% and 23% of days).
A snow-sure winter is one where mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on at least 90% of that month’s days.
Height and terrain
Cerro Catedral and Chapelco are 113 km apart as the crow flies. Cerro Catedral first, then Chapelco: Village 1,030 m against 1,250 m; Mid-mountain 1,565 m against 1,615 m; Summit 2,100 m against 1,980 m. Mapped downhill runs: Cerro Catedral 57 km, Chapelco 30 km (OpenStreetMap).
In August, the village had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 6% of days at Cerro Catedral and 39% at Chapelco.
Questions
Which has more reliable snow, Cerro Catedral or Chapelco?
Cerro Catedral has had the more reliable natural snow: mid-mountain was snow-sure in 4 months of the year, against 3 at Chapelco. Month by month, Cerro Catedral has the edge in October and November.
Which has better snow down to the village, Cerro Catedral or Chapelco?
In August, Chapelco: its village had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on 39% of days, against 6%.
Does this include snowmaking?
No. These are modelled natural snow figures only, from ERA5 weather. Groomed pistes with snowmaking often ski better than this.