Trees have a buffering effect during snowstorms and they absorb much of the wind force, taking a lot of the snow out of air. Above the treeline, storms can rage with unfettered fury creating unskiable white-out conditions that may last for days - but when the wind dies and the sky turns blue, it's paradise in the Andes.
Las Lenas, is home to extreme, extended snowstorms that produce snow so deep the lifts may need to be dug out before they can run. Sometimes, the Marte chairlift that accesses the upper mountain may not run for days due to very high winds. But, the steep terrain, the endless off-piste areas, and some of of most exclaimed resort vistas in the world makes it worth any waiting.
By the Numbers
The ski season at Las Lenas, which opened in 1983, usually runs from June to October and divides into low, mid, and high season weeks that vary the price of lodging considerably across the five months of operations. The base elevation is 7,349' and this rises to a top of 11,253' producing a vertical of 3,904.' There are 12 lifts serving 35 marked runs of over 40 miles of terrain that is defined as 30% Beginner, 25% Intermediate, 20% Black and 25% Double Black.
The most definitive number on the lift served off-piste possibilities at Las Lenas appears to be 8,000+ acres. The largest ski area in South America, the size is often advertised as being comparable to Vail and Snowbird combined. However, I've read that the total tract allotted to Las Lenas is over 500,000 acres!
Las Lenas is a Ski Village
Las Lenas is a small, self-contained and rather isolated village specifically built around skiing. There are a variety of hotels and condominiums, and based on North America experiences most all of these qualify as ski-in, ski-out. The rooms, services, and prices range from high-end down to budget and are ordinarily booked on a Saturday to Saturday ski week basis. However, of course, for a price, arrangements can be made for midweek stays.
The village amenities include the highest casino in the world, a movie theater, game room and pool tables, supermarket and drug store, snow tubing hill, and several restaurants and night spots. The night life can be a real beat stomping adventure and some clubs stay open to rock the night away - literally.
There is a quiet alternative to staying in the village and that is Los Molles. Only a short, 15 minute shuttle trip away, Los Molles has 3 hotels, 2 shelters, and more than 30 cabins at 40% less than the hotels and apartments in Las Lenas.
In The Know
There's not a lot of web coverage on Las Lenas that doesn't get repetitive, on many counts, and contradictory on some others. Mark Lasseter is the founder of Southamericaski.com vacations and lived in Las Lenas for 3 full seasons. He offers the most straight forward information about Las Lenas at laslenasski.com available. Mark doesn't sugercoat the Las Lenas experience and tells you what you can expect so you're not totally culture shocked.
When checking out resorts for a regular ski trip in the Northern hemisphere it is possible to jump in the car and head down the road to another area. When planning a ski trip to South America, remember it involves perhaps 7,000 miles and at least 10 hours flying to arrive in Buenos Aires, then either a 16 hour drive or 1.5 hours charter flight with a 45 minute ground transfer. From Las Lenas to another great South America resort - Ski Portillo in Chile is a 10 hour drive - when and if driving there is possible! Definitely research as much as you can about the resort, the facilities, and the culture well ahead of booking your trip.
