Snowsure: 3.5
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Las Leñas is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Las Leñas Ski Resort
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(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
September 01, 2008
ValdiSkier from
France
ValdiSkier from
France
I have been skiing in Argentina since 1995 and Las Lenas is the best spot for off-piste skier. The terrain is amazing from the top (Cerro Los Fosssiles accessible from chairlift Martes) and much more if you are ready to walk with all equipment. You will get a lot of pleasure when you can ski it: long and steep to very steep runs. (like skiing in Jackson Hole or Chamonix or Val d'Isere).
But there is a high cost for it since infrastructure is the worst in Argentina which by international standard is very low. So low of the low could be a real pain if you are a one or two week skier here.
Las Lenas is a very windy spot. And with wind most of interesting chairlifts are closed and so you are stuck in the base (nothing to do, nowhere to go).
By the way, we had good ski conditions from mid July to the end of July this year, even if we could not ski all days (as you can in most European resorts in winter).
Family skiers, you should prefer Chapelco. (beautiful place, correct on-piste ski, low off-piste). You can afford go to hotel Terra Alta in Las Pendientes (ski-in, ski-out) and very good value.
Students skiers, you should prefer Bariloche.
Those ready to get the best infrastructure in Argentina should go to Cerro Castor but so far away...
August 26, 2008
Alex from
USA - California
Alex from
USA - California
Preamble: Virtually any ski area is awesome if the snow is. Therefore good powder snow generally trumps good (i.e. steep, gnarly) terrain.
Pros & Cons of LL:
Pros
--Amazing terrain. The resort itself offers a sizable massif replete with steep chutes, open bowls, and easy access from the elusive (see Cons) Marte lift.
--More amazing terrain. Behind the resort proper are a series of backcountry peaks accessed with 40-minute to 4-hour boot packs that rival the best of North American terrain.
--Friendly people. The locals are nice and always eager to show foreigners around, mostly out of pride and eagerness to showcase their terrain.
--A lot of English-speaking foreigners. There's no shortage of good, English-speaking skiers with whom to connect and tour. Whether at the few bars or in the apartment houses and hostels, you'll find loads of ex-pat skiers and riders with whom to party.
Cons
--Crappy snow. Though it typically snows significantly once every week on a good year, it's often associated with a lot of wind leaving you with a small window during which to ski soft pow. Within 24 hours you're generally relegated to 2 inches of breakable crust atop heavy powder (it falls heavy being a maritime snowpack). If you're on a snowboard or super fat, stiff skis it's easier to manage but by no means epic.
--Lift closures. Marte, the lift that gives you access to the excellent inbounds and backcountry terrain, is closed the vast majority of the time, at least in my experience. While there for 2.5 weeks, Marte was open a total of 5 days. It was closed the rest of the time due to wind or weather, and sometimes it wasn't entirely convincing that the wind or weather were the culprits.
--Expensive. A beer at pretty much the only "boliche," or disco (i.e. club), in the evening will cost you as much as a beer in a nice Manhattan bar. The lift tickets are as expensive as most US resorts, as well, and the lifts are much less reliable (see above). Food at the one grocery store is expensive. If you're looking for cheap accommodations for an extended period of time, you should expect to pay around $35/night for a bed/cot in a ghetto apartment usually full of other dirtbag ski bums which isn't bad if you don't mind filth.
--Poor infrastructure. If you're staying in an apartment near where the ski instructors live (i.e., the "residencias") you have to take a shuttle ("colectivo") from the base of the resort or walk about 7 minutes. They run regularly, but they look and smell like Cold War, Soviet relics and run on dirt roads that get muddy with the snow. The lifts run slowly (there's one quad and the rest are doubles) and often shut down due to wind.
--Smokers galore. I've traveled all over the world and can say with confidence that I've never encountered more cigarette smokers than in LL. In the bars, in the apartments, in the lift lines, on the lifts, you name it (and will smell it).
--Customer service. In the hotels service is decent, everywhere else it's mediocre at best. Most of the people working there are young and disinterested. The patrollers don't seem to be well-informed about run and lift closures, telling you that something will open at such and such a time and then it won't.
Bottom Line: LL requires a lot of time and patience. I don't recommend going there for a 1-week holiday. The inconsistent weather conditions make it unreliable for powder skiing, and even when it does snow, wind and lift closures hamper pow skiing opps. On the other hand, if you have more than 2 or 3 weeks, don't mind extended periods of groomed skiing and hunting for wind buffed faces during dry spells, have a lot of money to stay in one of the nice hotels or are a dirtbag, ski bum not concerned about staying in squalor, then LL can be cool.
August 13, 2008
Marco from
Peru
Marco from
Peru
Las Leñas has good terrain, medium to small size compared to large US ski areas. The main issue is their managment which has to be the worst in the world. Absolutely no respect for the tourist who comes to this place. On any given day at least 50% of the lifts will be closed for no reason. Lifts are 25 years old, slow and lack maintenance. The Marte lift almost never opens and if it opens the lines are at least 1 hr long. Prices are astronomical, even for US standards. Food at most of the restaurants is of very low quality and definitely overpriced. On one of my two trips to this place my snowboard jacket was stolen by a lift employee. Filed charges with the local police office, nothing happened. Avoid this place. Bariloche is a much better choice on a good snow year (not this year unfortunately). Or try Cerro Castor in Ushuaia which is much better also and has more consistent snow.
July 22, 2008
Paulino from
Bolivia
Paulino from
Bolivia
I recommend Las Lenas. I've been in Chapelco and Valle Nevado and Las Lenas is the best of all. The lifts were opened because there was a good climate. Loved the lift Marte and the track Apolo. If you are searching for acommodations very near to the tracks go to hotel Acuario. The snow in Chapelco is very poor compared with Las Lenas, however the lifts are very good. Las Lenas is a paradise for beginners, recommending the tracks Venus and Minerva
August 29, 2006
Scramby Egglestein from
USA - California
Scramby Egglestein from
USA - California
I suppose I got lucky, based on many of the poor reviews here, but I had an outstanding time riding in Las Leñas over the past week. Here are the positives: The bright skies and sun were relentless for all but the last day I was there, and it served to soften up the icy morning conditions to make an incredible surface by noon daily. The back country is all it's cracked up to be. The lifts were all open everyday. The Wine Bar rocks, as do the cafés on the mountain. There are natural gullies off the Volcano lift which make for interesting half-pipe-like riding. The people are quite friendly. Here are the negatives: The lifts are every bit as slow and antiquated as you'll ever care to know. Vegetarian options in the restaurants are scarce and the servers seem to take great pride in that. The clubs openly and crassly discriminate against North Americans by charging them ludicrous prices (US$14) to get in while South Americans are kindly welcomed for free (this nearly resulted in a number of brawls at the door). ... Perhaps I got lucky, but overall I had a stunningly good week in Las Leñas.
April 29, 2006
roger blairs
roger blairs
i have skied in argentina for the last 7 years from ushuaia in the far south to penitentes in the north last year was my first at las lenas.My stay coincided with the heaviest snow fall and best snow depth for years ,late august.Yes the skiing is magnificent especially under the martes chairlift however things to consider,it is not a beautiful place only rocks and snow the lake district with places like chapelco are a much better place if you go as a couple and want some ambience.The prices for everything is astronomical by argentinian standards though forigners will still find it cheaper than the US or europe.The lift system is antiqauted and frequently stops after snowfall or wind they close most of the mountain for days at a time.I prefer chapelco its so much more beautiful though the skiing is not as challenging if you have to go to las lenas you can stay in the nearby town 1hr of marlague for 20 dollars a night and get the bus up for 5 dollars also if you stay in the town of marlague you get at whopping 50 % discount on the lift tickets at las lenas.
January 15, 2006
Franz from
Austria
Franz from
Austria
I´ve being going to Las Lenas for 12 years now, and I can tell you, since I have skied almost every where, that Las Lenas is somewaht spectacular. It´s true, the lifts are very old and they close them all the time, but believe me it´s worth it, once you are at the top of Marte, you realized that there is no other place like it.
Go to Las Lenas and check it out, you wont regret it.
August 28, 2005
Dave from
USA - California
Dave from
USA - California
I ski in South America every summer. This is the second time I've been to Las Lenas, the first time was terrible and I thought I'd give it a second chance. This time has been no better. They don't seem to keep chairs open, the whole resort was closed today except a couple of Puma's. There isn't wind but it is snowing, if I was in the US this would have been a great powder day for some reason they can't seem to keep the lifts open here. The food isn't very good either. I've skiied both Valle Nevado and Portillo in Chile and they have much better restaurants and variety of food. The wine list at Las Lenas is also very poor. All in all, very expensive for what you get, I won't be returning to Las Lenas again ever. If you think Las Lenas is good, you really should try other resorts they are MUCH better.
August 22, 2005
from
Argentina
from
Argentina
The conditions of snow and pistes of LL are one of the best of Sud America. But the company that is in charge of this resort is probably the worst you can find. I finished arriving from one week in LL. Every day they closed lifts without reason. After a 1,00 mts. in base and 2,00 mts. in the top snow falling, we had a sunny, clear day without wind, but TERRIBLE for skiers and sonwboarders, because we had to wait in lines of 40 to 60 minutes, because they didn´t pack pistes neither clear snow under lifts, so these didn´t run. A lift tower was turned but nobody went to repair it, another lift closed. It seems to be that this business is near the bankruptcy, or the employees are making a plot, because there are no clear reasons to understand such disorganization. Advice: spend your money in another resort different from Las Leñas, at least until it changes its management.
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