When North Americans are at the beach and other summer vacation spots, the winter skiing season in Chile is underway. Ski and snowboard fanatics will tell you this is one of the best places to get a snow fix in the middle of the summer

1. Step 1

   Decide when and where. Remember the winter sports season in Chile runs from mid-June to early October. The snow resorts are on the edges of the Andes Mountains. Volcano Nuevo is over 10,000 feet high and as the name suggests, is a place for winter sports on the sides of a volcano. Las Termas de Chillan has the longest runs.

2. Step 2

   Start early. If you are not familiar with places to ski in Chile, you will want time to gather up details on the various resorts, proximity to the best runs or even to book a back country ski trip.

3. Step 3

   Learn some geography. Get a detailed map of the country, and mark it as you go along. The country's main airport is located in Santiago, with transportation needed to the mountain sites. Some resorts offer transportation to and from the airport.

4. Step 4

   Visit resort websites for accommodations and packages. Chile has several websites that will lead you to resort listings. All the main ski and snowboard resorts in Chile have good websites in English.

5. Step 5

   See a travel agent. Even if you end up booking your own flights, accommodations and tour arrangements, a travel agent knows places with good reputations and places to avoid. If you are unfamiliar with travel to South America, a travel agent is a good idea the first time you take a trip.

6. Step 6

   Read some online articles by travel writers. Many travel writers are ski and snowboard enthusiasts and have been to places all over the world, so they can offer comparisons to areas you know.