Las Leñas

Las Leñas is a ski resort in Argentina, located in the western part of Mendoza Province. It has reliable powder snow and climate for extreme and off-piste skiing. Construction of the ski center began January 1983, and by July 1983, it opened with a 300 bed hotel.[1][2] The ski area has a good diversity of slopes ranging from very easy to extreme, including a good range of off-piste areas apt for extreme skiing. The skiable area base starts at an altitude of 2,240 m above mean sea level (7,350 feet) and goes up to 3,430 m (11,253 ft) for a total drop of 1,190 m (3,904 ft). The skiable surface amounts to 2.3 km2 (1 sq mi), with 27 runs and a maximum non-stop skiable distance of 7 km (4 mi) (not including off run alternatives). The total ski area reachable by land is the largest in South America.[3] It currently houses Piscis Hotel, the highest casino by elevation in the world.[4][5]

Las Leñas
View of the valley
LocationMendoza, Cuyo, Argentina
Coordinates35.146888°S 70.081139°W / -35.146888; -70.081139
Vertical1,190 m (3,900 ft)
Top elevation3,430 m (11,250 ft)
Base elevation2,240 m (7,350 ft)
Skiable area17,500 hectares (43,000 acres)
Runs40
 Green - 15%
 Blue - 45%
 Red - 35%
 Black - 5%
Longest run7 km (4.3 mi)
Lift system14
Lift capacity9,500/hour
Snowmaking30 cannons
WebsiteLas Leñas

The skiing season usually lasts from mid June to mid October; however, recent seasons have ended as early as mid-September. The center is also open during the southern hemisphere summer for mountain activities including mountain biking, horse riding, climbing and other activities.

The ski center includes a ski and snowboard school for all ages and childcare facilities. Specific workshops are also offered at the school to profit from the huge expanses of off-piste runs offered by the area.

The accommodations available on-site include hotels (mostly up-scale), apartment hotels and sleep houses. There is a small shopping center that includes a bank, ski-related shops, chocolate shops, souvenir shops, and a supermarket. Coffee houses, restaurants, and night clubs complete the town's commercial center.

Far away from large cities, the center is seldom crowded except during weekends, making the lines on the lifts usually shorter than in other ski centers of Argentina.

Las Leñas hosted men's Downhill events for the 1986 and 1987 Alpine Skiing World Cup, women's Downhill and Super-G events in 1990 and the only Winter Pan American Games in 1990.[6]

Geographic location

Las Leñas is located 1,200 km (750 mi) from Buenos Aires, and can be reached by car, bus or airplane. Aeroplanes make use of the Comodoro D. Ricardo Salomón Airport close to Malargüe, some 95 km from Las Leñas, and the Suboficial Aytes Germano Airport near San Rafael (regular domestic flights) where buses make the connection with Las Leñas.

The road to Las Leñas is paved and seldom blocked by snow, although bad weather or poor surface conditions can sometimes lead to its being temporarily closed by the Gendarmería (border guards). Vehicles are required to use snow chains unless they are equipped with appropriate tires for snow and ice.

Elevation
  • Base: 2,240 m
  • Mid-mountain: 2,835 m
  • Top: 3,430 m
  • Vertical drop: 1,230 m

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Las Leñas has a warm-summer mediterranean continental climate (Dsb), as 4 months have an average temperature above 10 °C (50 °F) and at least one month (in its case 3, being June, July, and August) has an average temperature below 0 °C (32 °F). This (continental) climate type is highly atypical of South America and the Southern Hemisphere at large, only found in a handful of other stations like Puente del Inca. Summers are moderate and very dry, while winters are very snowy.

Climate data for Valle Hermoso, elevation: 2293 m (1961–1976)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 28.5
(83.3)		 28.0
(82.4)		 27.7
(81.9)		 24.3
(75.7)		 22.0
(71.6)		 15.9
(60.6)		 17.0
(62.6)		 18.8
(65.8)		 20.1
(68.2)		 19.8
(67.6)		 28.0
(82.4)		 27.1
(80.8)		 28.5
(83.3)
Average high °C (°F) 21.0
(69.8)		 20.7
(69.3)		 19.0
(66.2)		 16.0
(60.8)		 9.1
(48.4)		 3.4
(38.1)		 3.3
(37.9)		 3.5
(38.3)		 6.2
(43.2)		 8.3
(46.9)		 13.8
(56.8)		 17.5
(63.5)		 11.8
(53.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 14.0
(57.2)		 13.3
(55.9)		 11.1
(52.0)		 8.3
(46.9)		 3.2
(37.8)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 −2.2
(28.0)		 −2.0
(28.4)		 0.4
(32.7)		 3.0
(37.4)		 7.9
(46.2)		 11.2
(52.2)		 5.6
(42.0)
Average low °C (°F) 6.6
(43.9)		 5.9
(42.6)		 3.7
(38.7)		 1.6
(34.9)		 −1.7
(28.9)		 −5.3
(22.5)		 −6.7
(19.9)		 −6.6
(20.1)		 −4.7
(23.5)		 −2.2
(28.0)		 1.8
(35.2)		 4.4
(39.9)		 −0.3
(31.5)
Record low °C (°F) −1.0
(30.2)		 −2.9
(26.8)		 −9.6
(14.7)		 −9.0
(15.8)		 −17.8
(0.0)		 −17.0
(1.4)		 −22.0
(−7.6)		 −21.6
(−6.9)		 −19.5
(−3.1)		 −16.6
(2.1)		 −8.2
(17.2)		 −9.1
(15.6)		 −22.0
(−7.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 6.6
(0.26)		 10.1
(0.40)		 13.5
(0.53)		 27.3
(1.07)		 162.9
(6.41)		 249.6
(9.83)		 185.3
(7.30)		 93.1
(3.67)		 65.1
(2.56)		 55.4
(2.18)		 14.6
(0.57)		 5.7
(0.22)		 889.2
(35)
Source: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional[7]

International events

Winter Pan American Games

In 1987 members of the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) determined that the first Winter Pan American Games should take place in Las Leñas, Argentina in 1989 and be held every four years thereafter, but the lack of snow forced the inaugural Games to be postponed until 1990. The first Winter Pan American Games were held from September 16 to 22, with 97 athletes from eight nations participating: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and United States. The Games consisted of six events for only one sport, Alpine Skiing, with three disciplines: Slalom, Giant slalom and Super-G.

The participant nations of the first and only Winter Pan American Games, held in Las Leñas.
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 United States (USA)42511
2 Canada (CAN)2417
3 Argentina (ARG)0000
 Bolivia (BOL)0000
 Brazil (BRA)0000
 Chile (CHI)0000
 Colombia (COL)0000
 Mexico (MEX)0000
Totals (8 nations)66618

Alpine Skiing World Cup

On August 16 and 18, 1985 Las Leñas became the first Argentine ski resort to host an event for the International Ski Federation's Alpine Skiing World Cup. The first two Men's Downhill races of the 1985-86 season were held in Mendoza and the results were as follows:

PlaceNameCountryTotal Points12
1Karl Alpiger  Switzerland502525
2Markus Wasmeier West Germany251015
3Helmut Höflehner Austria24159
4Doug Lewis United States21201
5Bruno Kernen  Switzerland1385
6Daniel Mahrer  Switzerland11-11
Franck Piccard France1111-
8Rudolf Huber Austria10-10
Peter Müller  Switzerland10(12)20
9Gerhard Pfaffenbichler Austria8-8
10Stefan Niederseer Austria6-6
11Pirmin Zurbriggen  Switzerland77-
Todd Brooker Canada734
13Atle Skårdal Norway55-
14Giorgio Piantanida Italy3-3
15Harti Weirather Austria2-2
16Werner Marti  Switzerland11-
17Anton Steiner Austria(2)(2)-
18Peter Wirnsberger Austria(3)(9)(12)
19Franz Heinzer  Switzerland(4)(4)-
20Marc Girardelli Luxembourg(13)(6)(7)

The following year Las Leñas held again the first two Men's Downhill races of the 1986-87 season, this time on August 15 and 16, 1986. The results were as follows:

PlaceNameCountryTotal Points12
1Peter Müller  Switzerland402515
2Leonhard Stock Austria311120
3Franz Heinzer  Switzerland301515
4Marc Girardelli Luxembourg18126
5Peter Wirnsberger Austria1688
6Pirmin Zurbriggen  Switzerland15(10)25
7Karl Alpiger  Switzerland1020(10)
8Sepp Wildgruber West Germany99-
Igor Cigolla Italy927
10Erwin Resch Austria55-
Helmut Höflehner Austria5-5
Markus Wasmeier West Germany5(6)11
13Atle Skårdal Norway44-
Anton Steiner Austria4-4
15Danilo Sbardellotto Italy33-
Alberto Ghidoni Italy3-3
17Gustav Oehrli  Switzerland11-
Stefan Niederseer Austria1(1)2
19Daniel Mahrer  Switzerland(16)(7)(9)

The Alpine Skiing World Cup was once again held in Las Leñas for the 1989-90 season. This time the events that took place in Argentina were the Women's Downhill (Race 1), on August 8, and Women's Super G (Race 2), on August 9. Once again both races started the season. The results were as follows:

PlaceNameCountryTotal Points12
1Michaela Gerg West Germany31256
2Anita Wachter Austria25-25
3Michela Figini  Switzerland221210
Petra Kronberger Austria22715
Cathy Chedal France22220
6Regine Mösenlechner West Germany21912
7Heidi Zeller  Switzerland2020-
Veronika Wallinger Austria20155
9Carole Merle France14104
Karin Dedler West Germany1468
11Catherine Quittet France12-12
12Maria Walliser  Switzerland1111-
13Deborah Compagnoni Italy9-9
14Barbara Sadleder Austria88-
15Edith Thys United States7-7
16Sabine Ginther Austria55-
17Stefanie Schuster Austria44-
Claudine Emonet France44-
18Vreni Schneider  Switzerland3-3
19Heidi Zurbriggen  Switzerland2-2
20Lucie Laroche Canada1-1
Kristi Terzian United States1-1
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See also

References
  1. Times, The New York (7 December 2012). "12 Months of Skiing, From Chile to China". nytimes.com. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  2. "Overview page for Las Leñas". OnTheSnow.com.
  3. Nelson, Janet (20 August 1989). "Choice of Slopes in South America". New York Times. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  4. "Las Lenas Ski Resort -- Argentina, South America". laslenasvacations.com. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  5. Gross, Matt (2006-07-09). "Chasing Snow South in Argentina". New York Times. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  6. Lochner, Bob (1989-03-25). "Skiing : Skiers Are Running Out Before the Snow Does". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  7. "Características de las precipitaciones orográficas de invierno sobre los Andes Subtropicales Centrales" (PDF) (in Spanish). Servicio Meteorológico Nacional. Retrieved March 13, 2018.

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