Ski & Snowboard in Las Leñas

Named Lifts

• Marte chair (the resort's signature lift, giving access to the upper/expert terrain — often closed due to wind, snow, or avalanche-control work)
• Neptuno chair (main link lift up to Marte)
• Vulcano chair (double chair serving intermediate/advanced terrain)
• Minerva chair (four-passenger chair)
• Caris chair (four-passenger chair)
• Vesta double chair
• Iris poma (short surface lift at the very top, near Marte)
• Urano poma (surface tow, front side/beginner-intermediate area)
• Eros I poma (beginner surface tow)
• Eros II poma (beginner surface tow)
• Beginner magic carpet

Named Runs By Difficulty

Longest Scenic Run

Eduardo — roughly 7 km/7,050 m from summit to base, combining terrain across difficulty levels and often cited as one of the longest continuous ski runs in South America

Terrain Difficulty Mix On Piste

Expert Percent

5

Advanced Percent

35

Beginner Percent

15

Intermediate Percent

45

Note

This breakdown covers lift-served, on-piste (inbounds) terrain only, per multiple guide sources. One operator source instead states only one official black-rated piste on the mountain, with most groomed terrain being blue/intermediate and red/difficult.

Off Piste And Backcountry Access

Distinction

Clearly distinct from the on-piste percentages above — this is terrain reached from lift-served access points but outside marked/patrolled pistes, plus true backcountry beyond the resort boundary.

Cat And Heli

Snowcat-assisted skiing tours are offered as an option for backcountry access; at least one tour-operator source states helicopter skiing is no longer offered at Las Leñas, though the resort is still colloquially described as a place where lift access can feel like 'heli-skiing from a chairlift' because of the terrain the Marte chair reaches.

Guided Terrain

An informal but extensive out-of-bounds route network (roughly 210 documented itineraries) has been mapped by a longtime local guide/skier over decades; this is treated by locals as the reference guide for backcountry lines accessed mainly from the top of Marte.

Terrain Character

The entire ski area, including all off-piste and backcountry zones, lies above the tree line — there is no tree skiing anywhere at Las Leñas.

Reliability Caveat

Access to the best off-piste/backcountry terrain is weather-dependent — the Marte chair is frequently closed for wind, snow, fog, or avalanche-control work, so multi-day/multi-week stays are recommended to have a realistic chance of it being open.

Access Requirements

Skiers/riders wanting to leave patrolled terrain must register with the Slope Security/Ski Patrol office and sign a liability waiver; recommended/required gear includes a helmet, avalanche transceiver (ARVA), probe, shovel, and a backpack — patrol issues a marker band to confirm registration at backcountry gates.

Description

Las Leñas is internationally known for vast lift-accessed off-piste and true backcountry terrain — chutes, open bowls, and natural cliff features — reached mainly via the Marte chair, with additional off-piste lines off the Vulcano chair. Locals often refer to much of the 'off-piste' inside the resort boundary as effectively backcountry in character, requiring the same avalanche precautions.

Avalanche Context

Las Leñas uses the GACEX avalanche-prevention/control system and is described as the only ski center in Latin America (and one of few worldwide) with this specific system, though the terrain is still considered some of the most avalanche-prone in the world and has seen fatal avalanches historically, including a 1999 incident that killed two lift operators.