Chacaltaya: From the World's Highest Ski Resort to ABANDONED (La Paz, Bolivia)

J-MASS INSTAGRAM: @jmassofficial
Bolivia, the largest land-locked nation in South America, is home to the world's highest administrative capital city, La Paz, with an astounding average elevation of 11,975 feet (3,650 meters) above sea level. Just north of La Paz, in a very mountainous and rugged region of the Andes, is an even higher landmark: Chacaltaya. At its peak, Chacaltaya is a whopping 17,785 feet (5,421 meters) above sea level, dwarfing even nearby La Paz. And located just below the summit of Chacaltaya is a now-abandoned ski resort, with several deteriorating ruins and buildings sitting idly on the side of a rugged cliff. Chacaltaya Ski Resort, once the world's highest ski resort, first opened in 1939 under the Club Andino Boliviano, serving as a popular recreational retreat for the middle and upper classes of La Paz for many decades. At the time, Chacaltaya was home to an 18,000-year-old glacier, which the ski resort harnessed for its skiing activities for several decades. By the 1980s, however, the glacier began to slowly melt away due to global climate change, and by 2009, the glacier all but disappeared. The ski resort held on for a few more years, before closing permanently in 2018. Today, all that reminds of the once-thriving ski resort are several abandoned and empty buildings and a dry, barren mountain face.
This was my second trip to Bolivia, and while there, I knew that Chacaltaya had to be on the top of my list for places to visit. I was certainly not disappointed! During the ride up to Chacaltaya, which is about 15.5 miles (25 kilometers) and over an hour from downtown La Paz, I was able to witness stunning mountain views and expansive scenic vistas of the Cordillera Real mountain range. Huayna Potosí is perhaps the most prominent and recognizable mountain peak in the area, with the snow-capped summit towering above all the other mountains. While at Chacaltaya, I enjoyed walking around the ruins of the ski resort, seeing the many unique abandoned buildings that were left behind, from the main ski lodge (which still has many remnants and memorabilia from its days as an operating ski resort), to the world's highest restaurant, to a glass pyramid that once served as a laboratory studying altitude sickness. Speaking of altitude sickness, Chacaltaya is very, very high up, and I truly felt every agonizing step as I made my way up to the summit! As someone who grew up at sea level, my lungs were on fire! The summit of Chacaltaya, and the abandoned ski resort itself, is truly worthwhile, and I would highly recommend visiting it if you ever find yourself in the great nation of Bolivia. This truly was one of the most unique urban exploration experiences I have ever enjoyed, as well as my first non-U.S. urbex experience! If you guys liked this video, make sure to stay tuned for more exploration videos all across New England, and beyond!
www.atlasobscura.com/places/a...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chacaltaya
00:00 Introduction to Chacaltaya and the Ski Resort
01:54 Chacaltaya Peak
02:49 Remnants of the Ski Resort
06:39 History & Summary of the Chacaltaya Ski Resort
11:26 Geographic Overview
15:00 Historic Photographs
16:06 Outro