I Skied, Paddled and Fished Patagonia — On the Same Day

Rafting a world-renowned river wasn’t on my bingo card for a trip to Patagonia. But we did it anyway.

The region, which encompasses the southern third of both Chile and Argentina, is filled with snow-capped peaks, dense forest and turquoise rivers, making it the ultimate playground for outdoor enthusiasts. It spans more than a quarter-million square miles, and much of it is wild, rugged and difficult to access. As such, there are very few places where you can ski and fish on the same trip, let alone on the same day. And yet, that was my initial goal.

Rio Palena Lodge, owned by experiential travel company Eleven, is a helicopter operation with a burgeoning reputation for this improbable double: descents on steep Andean peaks in the morning and fly-fishing for rainbows, browns and Pacific salmon in the afternoon. The remote enterprise opened just three years ago and quickly grabbed my attention.

I was given an opportunity to visit in September, tagging along with a group of guides who were scouting for future trips. We packed in as much as possible, including a waterfall hike, mountain biking, stand-up paddleboarding, trail runs, cultural activities and even a visit to a local horse race, along with multiple days of skiing and fishing rivers that were only a short heli-flight away. But as it turned out, that wasn’t all on offer.

What surprised me the most about this trip was the world-class whitewater rafting. Rio Palena Lodge is a short drive from the Futaleufu River, a Class 5 run that’s on all serious paddlers’ bucket lists. An afternoon on the Futa gives the lodge a world-class triple — skiing, rafting and fly-fishing on the same day — if you have the energy for it. Here’s what a single day at the adventure oasis looked like for me.

After five flights and two full days of travel, we arrived in the small town of Chaiten in Chile and were welcomed by our hosts. Despite feeling groggy from the long trip, we decided to skip the lodge and go straight to the mountains. We threw on our ski gear and hopped in the helicopter, excited for our first turns. Good weather windows are rare in Patagonia, so we wanted to make the most of it before the conditions changed. 

Our group was a mix of ex-pro skiers, polar explorers and ski guides with decades of experience, which gave us the green light to ski almost anything, snow dependent of course. Our goal was to find lines that hadn’t been skied before, and sure enough, after just a couple runs, we landed on a ridge that our guides had never been on. With so much remote terrain nearby, “first descents” are still common for lodgers at Rio Palena.

The skiing near Rio Palena is incredibly varied, with everything from technical chutes and couloirs to big open faces. Up high, the snow was light and playful, and by the bottom of the runs it was slush. We found everything from wind hardpack to powder turns to corn skiing, which kept us on our toes. Like the weather, snow conditions vary a lot, especially because all of the skiing in this area is above treeline.

After 10 long runs, we flew back to the lodge and got a tour of the property before settling into our rooms. Rio Palena has an incredible suite of amenities: delicious food, friendly staff, comfortable rooms, steam showers, a large bar, fireplaces galore and a family atmosphere. The moment I stepped inside, it felt like home. Which it was — for a full week.

Adjacent to the lodge is a pair of wood-fired hot tubs and a barrel sauna, which make recovering after long days quite enjoyable. Even when it snows at the lodge — which is rare, because it’s so low in the valley — I found the outdoor tubs to be the perfect way to relax. And with a knowledgeable bartender, we drank a ton of pisco cocktails, usually accompanied with a history lesson on the drink’s origin.

Later that night we joined the staff for a large asado, or traditional Chilean barbecue. These are common around the country, a way of bringing families and communities together. Rio Palena’s team of chefs went the extra mile, preparing food all day and cooking a variety of local vegetables and meats — lamb, beef, pork, chicken and chorizo — over an open flame. Local musicians joined in the festivities, giving us the full experience.

Finally, here are some gear essentials I brought along on the trip:

4FRNT Renegade Skis: At 122 underfoot, the Renegade is designed for big lines and deep snow, but what I love the most about it is how nimble and responsive it is on hardpack and in technical places. Thanks to its reverse camber shape and ample tip and tail rocker, this bad boy is the most fun you’ll ever have on skis.

Rab Xenair Alpine Insulated Jacket: The weather in Patagonia is fickle, which means you need to be prepared for anything. The Xenair is just that — versatile and breathable — and helped keep me warm on windy ridges without overheating on long descents. With a comfortable zipper and big hood, I plan to take it on all my cold-weather trips going forward.

Suunto Vertical Solar Watch: Knowing that we planned a wide variety of activities in a small period of time, I brought the only watch with enough battery life, sport modes and immersive 3D maps to keep up. The Vertical makes it easy to track activities, measure recovery and plan adventures on the go. It also lasted the entire week without a recharge.

Sweet Protection Interstellar Goggles: With big days, fast-changing weather and quick flights between warm valleys and freezing ridges, I needed a google that wouldn’t fog. The Interstellar Goggles are just that. With well-designed vents, anti-fog technology, a reinforced carbon frame and quick-change lenses, it was perfect for the variety of skiing we tackled in Patagonia.

GoPro Hero13 Black: The newest GoPro has a few crucial improvements that make it perfect for heli-skiing. First, the battery in the latest version lasts longer, even in cold conditions. Also, the addition of the HB lenses make the GoPro much more versatile, so it’s able to shoot wide inside small spaces like the heli, while the motion blur lens helps capture fast movements in a smooth and crisp way.

All photos by Andy Cochrane