Las Lenas

Las Lenas is the largest resort in Argentina and has become a major destination for pro-riders, be they a sponsored rider doing some race training, or an air head getting the latest action with a film crew for a new video we've all seen before. It's no wonder that those in the know, and those with the money, come here when you look at what the resort has to offer. It's steep, offers the rider big mountain terrain and it's high elevation should ensure good deep fluff, while the 14 lifts access 40 miles of piste and an abundance of challenging off piste terrain.

Although this is easily the most challenging area in S.America, Las Lenas also has its bad points. Its high altitude renders it totally above tree line and the snowfall can be very sporadic, but when it dumps you get feet of it (annual snowfall can vary from less than 1m to over 10m). The lift system is also extremely slow, and when theres wind storms (which there often are) the lifts can be shutdown until they pass, which is fine, but usually you're still sat on them shivering away. The later the season the worse things tend to get.

Although more overseas visitors are trying Las Lenas, its still very much the resort for the seriously minted and famous Argentinians. Afraid to lose their designer shades, you can often find off-piste areas untracked for days, weeks if you're lucky enough to get on the snowcat.

You'll also find the nightlife different, clubs don't get going until midnight and stay open to 5am and people are remarkably sober. The exchange rate means that whilst its extremely expensive for Argentinians, you'll be able to enjoy yourselves no matter what budget.