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Las Leņas
Trails:
Just over 70 kms of groomed runs provide skiers and snowboarders with descents of varying difficulties, from a height of 11,253 feet above sea level to the base at an elevation of 7,349 feet. The vertical drop of the lift-served in-bounds area of Las Leņas ski resort is a hefty 4,035 feet, with gradients ranking from 12% to 53%. The lift serviced area is sufficiently vast to cater to both intermediates and to a lesser extent pure novices. There is no doubt the field favours middle experience to advanced, with a plethora of red and black runs and massive swathes of easy access back-country.
By some accounts, in excess of 500,000 sq hectares of wild back-country is readily accessible from the top and west of the Marte and back routes. Farther afield you can actually cross country a mountain ridge top and then descend to the road that leads into Leņas about 8kms down the valley.
Chairlifts:
Built in 1983, Las Leņas has the most modern lift system in South America, yet its lifts are a little slower and somewhat old-fashioned compared to US & European infrastructure. Lift lines are all but non existent at Las Leņas; 12 ski lifts boast a total uphill capacity of 9200 skiers per hour, while only 3500 beds are available on snow at the resort. Ski lifts are named after Roman and Greek Gods: Venus, Eros, Minerva, Vesta, Vulcano, Jupiter, Apolo, Neptuno, Mercurio, Caris, Selene, Juno, Iris, Marte, Urano, and Cenidor. Lifts run nonstop from 8.30am to 5pm daily.
Quick Facts:
Season: June 14 to October 11, 2008
Ski Week: Saturday to Saturday
Lifts: 12
Runs: 35 Marked Runs
Hours of Operation: 9:00-5:00pm
Elevation: Top: 3,340 m (11,253 ft)
Bottom: 2,240 m (7,349 ft)
Vertical Drop: 1,110 m (3,904 ft)
Annual Snowfall: 250 Inches/ 635 Cms
Time: Atlantic 1 Hour ahead of New York
Tourist Visa: All foreigners do not require a visa to visit for Argentina
Currency: Argentinean Peso $1 USD = $3.00 Argentinean Pesos
Electricity: 220V, 50Hz
Language Spoken: Castellano (Spanish), little English Spoken
Terrain: 30% Beginner, 25% Intermediate, 20% Black, 25% Double Black
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