Introduction
Ski resort in Mendoza, Cuyo, Argentina Las LeñasView of the valleyInteractive map of Las LeñasLocationMendoza, Cuyo, ArgentinaCoordinates35°08′49″S 70°04′52″W / 35.146888°S 70.081139°W / -35.146888; -70.081139Vertical1,190 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)Trails40  Green - 15%  Blue - 45%  Red - 35%  Black - 5%Longest run7 km (4.3 mi)Lift system14Lift capacity9,500/hourSnowmaking30 cannonsWebsiteLas 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. 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 (7,350 feet) above mean sea level 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 mi2), 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. It currently houses Piscis Hotel, the highest casino by elevation in the world. 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.