Snowboarding in Mendoza
Arguably one of the best destinations for skiing in the continent Las Lenas stands out for it snow and nightlife
Pushed up against the Andes range, the region around Mendoza has slowly become renowned for its season snowfalls and, subsequently its skiing. Today ranked as probably the best resort in South America, Las Lenas can boast some of the best snow in the continent, along with great accommodation and runs. Penitentes, high up in the Andes, is also worth a mention for those that might be looking for just a few days.
Los Penitentes
Penitentes is a classic winter sports centre in Mendoza is located only 180 kilometres away from the capital city of the province and very close to Chile. Watched closely by Mount Aconcagua, the highest summit in America, its excellent snow quality is even in all its runs, framed by unbeatable scenery
Inaugurated in 1979, Penitentes winter resort currently covers more than 300 hectares of skiable surface. The best dry and compact powder snow during most of the season is distributed in 25 runs of different lengths and drops for beginner, advanced and expert skiers. Several of them have been approved by the FASA (Argentine Federation of Ski and Andinism) and the FIS (International Ski Federation) and they are home to various competitions. In 2009 Penitentes inaugurated a new surface lift (spanning: 300 meters) improving the access to and from the highest area of the resort.
Ski runs: 24
Standard: Medium to advanced, off-piste, cross-country
Average temp: -3 to 12 Centigrade
Las Lenas
Considered by many the best ski resort in Argentina due to the superb quality of its snow, Las Leñas is set amidst the Andes Mountain Range, in the Province of Mendoza 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level.
This modern resort spans across 228 hectares (565 acres) of impressive beauty, with options for beginners, intermediate and well–trained skiers. Las Leñas offers outstanding areas to practice the best off-piste descents and cross-country ski making it a paradise for extreme ski and heli-ski lovers as well.
Las Leñas has a slalom stadium and 28 authorized trails with a maximum skiable surface of 7,050 meters, among which one of the longest intermediate trails in the world stands out. They are accessed by means of13 lifts. Besides the superb skiing, Las Leñas offers a wide variety of options for accommodation, activities for children, restaurants and nightlife.
Ski runs: 28
Standard: Medium to advanced
Average temp: -4 to 7 Centigrade