SAM Magazine—Durango, Colo., July 3, 2025—Mountain Capital Partners (MCP) plans to acquire a controlling stake of Andacor S.A., the longtime owner and operator of El Colorado and Parque Farellones near Santiago and majority shareholder of Pillán (Villarrica) and Volcán Osorno ski areas in southern Chile.

Photo credit: El ColoradoIf all corporate and regulatory approvals are met, the proposed transaction would expand MCP’s Chilean footprint, which includes Valle Nevado and La Parva, and unite interconnected resorts Valle Nevado, La Parva, Farellones, and El Colorado under shared ownership, creating a ski center with more than 7,000 skiable acres.

The Leatherbee family has led Andacor for more than 75 years. Founded in the late 1940s, the company helped pioneer the Chilean ski industry. “You cannot tell the story of skiing in Chile without the Leatherbee family,” said MCP managing partner James Coleman. “If approved, this partnership would honor that legacy, building on three generations of tradition to shape the next chapter of skiing in the Andes.”

According to a press release, Andacor has navigated financial challenges in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and the MCP acquisition will bring greater financial stability to company.

“Our heart, hopes and history have been in this business since my parents founded Andacor in 1949,” said Richard Leatherbee, Andacor CEO for nearly 30 years. “In MCP, we have found a true partner who shares our values, our passion for the mountains and our belief in the future of skiing in Chile. This partnership would not only preserve the legacy of El Colorado, Parque Farellones, Pillán (Villarrica) and Volcán Osorno, it would create new opportunities to elevate and grow the skiing experience for generations to come.”

MCP currently operates 12 ski areas, mostly in the southwestern United States, as well as golf courses and a downhill mountain bike operation.