Las Lenas, Argentina Conditions Report: "5-Foot Storms Rock"

Morlok the Warlock riding the Banana as the storm arrives

What a week in the Valle de Las Leñas! Our week began with a wet and heavy storm that lasted for three days, dropped two feet of snow on the lower mountain and five feet on the upper mountain. We’ve had a couple days of storm skiing, an incredible Marte powder day, some waiting for the wind, and some partying.

Monday and Tuesday offered up a variety of storm skiing conditions, which culminated on Wednesday with over the head powder runs down Cenidor all day. During the storm, temperatures at the base hovered around freezing, which led to some really wet and heavy powder at times. Marte remained closed, and it was clear that it was snowing really hard up high. Ski patrol worked hard throughout the storm, bombing constantly and preparing for a weather window to open Marte.

Thursday, the skies cleared, and Marte opened, with 100% of the off piste! We reached the upper mountain to find huge amounts of wet snow had plastered on to the steepest of faces, filling in lines and zones that are rarely skiable. Lower down, the snow was too wet to hold, and slid into big debris piles on the aprons.

Morlok the Warlock below Telemacho — Morlok the Warlock below TelemachO

There was enough wind to have pulled some of the moisture out of the snow, and the skiing was incredibly deep in places. The heavier snow was perfect for hucking, and drops and lines that only see tracks once every few years were in condition. It was really a rare and incredible day in Las Lenas!

As inevitably occurs in the Andes, the wind arrived on Friday, preventing Marte from opening. The wind has maintained for the past few days, allowing Marte to open for brief periods only. Looking forward, the forecast is relatively promising. A light snowfall should arrive this evening and persist through tomorrow. Wednesday, spring will return to Las Lenas, with clear skies, rising temperatures, and a variety of wind conditions. This will inevitably yield great powder skiing up high, and great corn skiing everywhere else. This storm has bumped up the base everywhere, especially on the upper mountain. Because the snow came in wet, it will be less likely to blow away. This means we should have enough snow to ski for awhile. The next week should bring some fantastic skiing!