Penguin Stories / Our Days in Las Leñas
Mila and Bernardo from Aonitem Adventures are part of our Penguin Guides and share our passion for powder and adventure. This time, they take us to Las Leñas: deep into the snow-covered Argentine Andes.
Mila tells the story…
Our journey began long before we reached the slopes. From Bariloche, we headed north along the legendary Route 40 towards Mendoza. The drive was an adventure in itself: in our pickup, we made our way along the unpaved road through around 40 cm of fresh snow. In the distance, the snow-covered peak of Lanín Volcano towered above us; an impressive first taste of what was waiting for us in Las Leñas.
When Bernardo and I finally arrived in Las Leñas for our six-day trip, the mountain welcomed us in its own way: three straight days of complete whiteout, while nearly a metre of fresh snow fell across the resort. We could barely see beyond our ski tips, but beneath our feet, we could feel the snow getting deeper by the hour.
At that point, the legendary Marte chairlift had already been closed for around 20 days. Heavy snowstorms in the Central Andes had made opening impossible. Then, on our fifth day, word suddenly spread through the resort: Marte might finally open again.
As early as 9:00 AM, the first excited skiers and snowboarders gathered at the base station. Many left their backpacks in line to secure their spot, while ski patrol and guides worked on the mountain, checking the terrain and preparing it for a safe opening.
Everyone waited patiently and respectfully, grabbing a coffee or taking a few warm-up laps in between. Then, at around 1:00 PM, the moment finally arrived: Marte opened.
At that moment, the whole valley came to life. From the lift, we watched some of the best skiers and snowboarders carve incredible lines through steep, completely untouched chutes and wide powder bowls.
The next day, the entire upper sector was finally open – Marte, Las Vegas, Eduardo, Mercurio and Paraíso. Run after run, we explored new lines and different chutes. Along the way, we kept meeting friendly locals who shared our passion for the same things: steep terrain and deep powder.
Navigating such vast and wild terrain requires a great deal of experience and mountain knowledge. For decades, freeriders in the region have relied on the work of Thomas Perren. The passionate Swiss ski instructor spent more than two decades exploring every corner of Las Leñas, starting in 1987.
Perren documented, mapped and illustrated the region’s off-piste terrain in Thomas’ Maps (Mapas de Tomás). They became the absolute bible for freeriders, providing valuable information on access points, routes and lines among the high peaks of the Andes. Exploring these routes with the help of his panoramic maps gave the lines we skied a whole new meaning.
Chasing Argentine Powder?
We’re considering putting together a group trip next season to head back and ski these lines together. Nothing is set in stone yet, but if you’re keen to chase some Argentine powder with us, reply with an email or drop us a message. If there’s enough interest from our community, we’ll start putting the plans together!
Photo credits: Bernardo Bintana | contact@aonitem-adventures.com
