Argentina Guide
Mendoza, San Juan and La Rioja
Las Leñas
Though no Gstaad or St Moritz, Las Leñas is an aesthetically pleasing resort with excellent skiing and snowboarding – when there is enough snow – and a breathtaking backdrop of craggy mountain-tops, of which Cerro Las Leñas is the highest (4351m) and Cerro Torrecillas (3771m) the most daintily pinnacled. The whole area covers more than 33 square kilometres, with 28 pistes, ranging from several gentle nursery slopes to a couple of sheer black runs; cross-country and off-piste skiing are also possible.
All accommodation booking in Las Leñas is organized centrally through Las Leñas resort, whose office is in Buenos Aires at Cerrito 1186, 8th floor ( 
011/4819-6000, 
www.laslenas.com ). Usually booked as weekend, five- or seven-day packages, sometimes with ski lifts and half- or full-board meals included, all the hotels are within tramping distance of the slopes and most cost around $500 per person per night in the peak weeks of July and August, though prices tend to drop by about fifty percent at either end of the season.