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Backchillan Backcountry Guides | Chile

Freeride & Backcountry Experiences

Backchillan Backcountry Guides was founded and its running by a group of 3 friends passionated about the outdoor sports and adventure, and we have a strong commitment to provide a high quality service to our guest, wether your are looking to have fun, to learn or to challenge yourself in your ski trip to South America. We have been running since winter 2012 based out of the magical mountain town of Las Trancas, Chile; at the base of the Nevados de Chillan volcanic complex, formerly known as Termas de Chillán Ski Resort.

Backchillan Team




Manuel Olivares
Co Founder & Lead Guide

Manu is a Chile local skier and guide. He is a certified ANGM Mountain Guide (Asociación Nacional de Guías de Montaña - Chile), CSGA Level 1 Ski Guide (Canadian Ski Guide Association), CSIA Level 3 Ski Instructor (Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance), he holds a CAA Avalanche Operations Level 1 and is a Basic Avalanche Educator Member of the CAA (Canadian Avalanche Association), he is a Certified Hiking Guide in the Torres del Paine National Park in the Chilean Patagonia, a Wilderness First Responder and a member of the Chilean Search and Rescue Organization - Socorro Andino de Chile since 2013, Manu has more than 20 years of experience skiing different mountain ranges and 15 years of ski mountaineering in the most beautiful volcanoes of the Andes in Patagonia. Internationally he's been exploring the beautiful snowy peaks of Rogers Pass, in BC Canada, Cordillera Blanca in Peru, and the Chugach range in Valdez, Alaska. During his "summers" he spend time guiding powder skiing in Hokkaido, Japan. If he's not skiing, he enjoys rock climbing, hiking, playing music with friends or planning his next adventure along with a good cup of coffee.


Felipe Sepúlveda
Co Founder & Lead Guide

Felipe is a mountain lover; this mountaineer dad lives with his family in Valle Las Trancas year-round. Passionate about mountain sports, Pipe is a Level 1 ski instructor certified by ENISSCHAG (Chile's National Ski School). He is Certified Level 1 PMBI Professional MTB Instructor (Canada) and a PMBIA Kids instructor. Additionally, he has completed the Wilderness First Aid Course (WFR), Glacier Travel, Crevasse Rescue and Rope Work Techniques Courses (ENAM - Escuela Nacional de Montaña), and the Leave No Trace program by NOLS. He holds an AIARE Level 2 Avalanche Certification (2014) and has been a member of the Chilean Search and Rescue Organization (Socorro Andino de Chile) since 2013. Pipe is currently training to become a Certified Ski Guide in Chile with the ACGM (Asociación Chilena de Guías de Montaña y Escalada). Pipe has over 15 years of experience skiing in various locations and backcountry skiing on the volcanoes of the Andes. He is the president of a community club responsible for trails, MTB school, and a ski school. When he is not skiing, he enjoys spending time with his family, mountain biking, Big Mountainbike rides, or bikepacking through Las Trancas in search of new routes. He also enjoys woodworking and playing music with friends. Instagram @pipe.sepulveda.a        


Francisco Bocaz
Co Founder & Lead Guide

Panchi is a graduated Technician in Mountain Adventure. His home mountain is Las Trancas town, where he spent most of his time gaining experience and crafting his love for the mountain sports. Panchi is a Certified Level 1 Ski Instructor from ENISSCHAG (Chile`s National Ski School). He holds an ANENA (France) Level 2 avalanche certification, AIARE Level 1 avalanche certification, AST 2 avalanche course, also a Wilderness first responser course and backcountry skier with more than 15 years of experience. Professional Mountain Bike Instructor (PMBI) Level 1. When is not winter, Panchi spends his days guiding mountain biking, doing enduro bike packing, exploring the valley with long hikes into the wild, trail builder and enlarging the trail network on days off. Fluent in English and in the Aprés



Fabián "Harry" Flores
Guide

Fabián "Harry" Flores is a graduate of Technician in Mountain Tourism. Harry has the certifications of Professional Mountain Bike Instructor PMBIA Level 1 (Canada), Ski Instructor Level 1 ENISSCHAG, Avalanche Certification AST 2 - Avalanche Skills Training (Canada), Remote Area First Aid Certification WFR - Wilderness First Responder, He has training in Glacier Progression, Crevasse Rescue and Technical Rope Work, he is an active member of Chilean Search and Rescue organization since 2017, Harry is also a Level 1 Professional Skiman AESKIMAN - Spanish Skiman Association. Passionate about sports and mountain life, Harry can be found in his workshop preparing equipment, planning new adventures or climbing with his partners. When it is not winter he is working hard in the mountain bike trails in las trancas and teaching this sport to the new generations.


Jose Neira
Guide

José Neira León studied Expeditions and Ecotourism Engineering at Universidad San Sebastián. Today he teaches at the same school. A native from Santiago, he always wanted to live in the mountains, a childhood linked to sports between the sea and the mountains. He defined Las Trancas as the perfect place between mountain, nature, sport and community. He works as an expedition guide, ski mountaineering and mountain biking guide. José holds certifications in the field of wilderness safety WFR and WAFA. He has done expeditions along the Andes mountain range in countries such as: Chile, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia. Lover of high altitude and high mountains. He has participated in training in Vertical Rescue (RANDIS), Glacier progression and ski mountaineering. In his spare time Jose likes to work with tools, he is a construction enthusiast, he maintains and creates trails in the valley with his mountain club. Skiing and biking for him is the perfect combination to spend the year always on the move

What Our Customers Says


  • Thank you so much for inviting me along on the heli adventure.  It was one of the highlights of my trip.  I'm looking forward to our next meeting.  If you land something in the mountains then please let me know so I can bring some friends.
    Regards Ski Family!
     
    Bily Biscoe
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    Virgin Islands - USA
  • You took us on awesome adventures, made us feel very calm and relaxed and no pressure. You both have a very accommodating vibe which makes the day very enjoyable. I loved that you where able to split the group up on our first day so that some people could go home and some could do another run. It worked really well. Also the photos were an added bonus, everyone loves them. I will be returning next winter hopefully with more groups and I hope we can work together again.
    Rachel Findler
    CEO
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  • It has been now a year that we travelled to beautiful Chile. One of the things that made our time so special in Chile was our Splitboard Tour with lovely, funny and kind Francisco of BackChillan. The tour was very professional and well chosen for beginners. But at the same time not at all boring, just amazing and beautiful. Francisco had answers to all of our many questions and taught us so well how to behave in case of an avalanche. We still love to remember this amazing tour always facing the ash spitting volcano. It didn't felt like being on tour with just some random Guide, it nearly felt like spending time with a good friend. Thank you Back Chillan, Thank you Francisco for this special part of our trip.  
    Jenny & Manuel
    Germany
  • An incredible adventure you’d only get with a knowledgeable local guide!. As an experienced skier, this is the first time in many years that I’ve hired a guide, and it was MORE THAN worth it!! Felipe was quickly able to assess my skiing and mountaineering level, and as a result, we went for a proper adventure! Not only did we access terrain that only a local would know, but he taught me a range of new techniques with the ice axe and crampons, making me a lot more versatile for future trip. A quick but beautiful traverse and skin up from the top of the ski center allowed us to drop into some fresh snow and descend before a dip in a natural hot spring river, miles away from anyone else! We then put the skins back on and hiked to a ridge, where we changed into boot crampons and axes to reach the summit and drop down into Valle Hermoso (this was really something!) before a final descent through a tight and technical tree section. A proper adventure, a once in a lifetime experience. Thanks Felipe and the BackChillan team!
    Josh Anderson
    UK
  • Excelentes días en el valle Las Trancas, a los pies del Nevado de Chillán, junto a nuestros amigos de BackChillan conocimos Valle Hermoso, Valle Aguas Calientes y las montañas nevadas de la región del Bio Bio. Lindo Lugar.

    Fernando Armani, Bariloche, Argentina
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