STEEP-N-DEEP

South American Powder Tours

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There is so much to say about the country of Chile: the people, the food, the mountains, the snow, the sites and the Pisco Sours…and it was all brought together on a once of a lifetime trip by Ian and STEEP-N-DEEP. I knew it was going to be a great trip when our first stop after picking us up at the airport was a local watering hole in Santiago, and the fun never stopped the entire trip. Ian had every detail of the trip planned and timed perfectly. He was able to show us the local side of Santiago and Viña Del Mar with his local connections of friends and family. Packed in the middle of all of this was some of the best riding and the biggest mountains with amazing powder covering all of it. I have never been to a more serene place on the planet as the mountains of El Colorado and Valle Nevado. The memories from there will always stay with me, and Ian makes that even easier by proving to be one hell of a photographer. The powder was endless and the runs kept getting better and better. As a guide Ian kept taking us to the places on the mountain no one else was riding and it seemed we almost always had first tracks wherever we went. (Still not sure how he did that?!?!)
I know we could have gone to Chile and rode these mountains by ourselves, but we would have missed so many of the beautiful and fine details that Ian showed us along the way on every aspect of our trip. Anyone who is going to Chile for snowboarding should absolutely have Ian as their guide, as I know you will have a trip of a lifetime.
- Jeremy Salome, Sunrise Technologies

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In 2012 after concluding my winter riding season in Killington, Vermont I felt the desire to keep riding. After contacting Ian of STEEP-N-DEEP we arranged to meet in Santiago for two weeks in late July and early August. Ian explained he was born in Chile and spoke both English and Spanish. I knew I had made the right choice in choosing a guide. His passion and knowledge of his country and culture brought so much more to the experience. We stayed in the mountains enjoying breath taking sights and beautiful snow. Our hotel was at the base of El Colorado so getting on any of the three mountains was a few steps from our door. I enjoyed many sunsets from 12,000 feet where the sky remained a powerful red and pink glow changing the entire mountains to pink snow. We hiked up a peak to pick a traverse point over to El Colorado with eagles 20 feet about us. We toured the north country enjoying miles of beautiful vineyards and avocado fields. Spending a few days on the coastline staying in Viña Del Mar, a beautiful resort community of the pacific, eating and enjoying awesome seafood and excellent wines at a fraction of what I was accustomed to spending. I was treated like family as we visited with Ian's relatives and friends for lunch and dinner. I came away from this trip with a new lifetime friend whose company I continue to enjoy, beautiful memories and quite the photo album. Ian's ability as an expert rider/photographer is something to see, the camera keeps on going no matter what the terrain. I would strongly recommend SND and Ian Gil to anyone looking for a not-so-mainstream ski or boarding experience of a lifetime. The bus ride up and down the mountain and the view alone are worth the trip. I found everything about the Andes to be God-like, naturally preserved and timeless, truly heaven on Earth.
- Tony Urbano, Owner, Earth Materials
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STEEP-N-DEEP is the real deal. From pow filled gullies, cliff drops, and the Andes Mountains to the graffiti lined streets of Santiago, and the beaches of Viña Del Mar, Ian Gil's tour is on point every time. SUMMER snowboarding at its finest. Get on board soon or you'll be hearing about SND in Transworld before you know it!!
- Colin Boylan, Groomer, Killington Resort