Las Lenas 2006

aaron12345

New member
I'm thinking about going to Las Lenas this summer from Aug. 18 - Sept. 2 with South America Snow Sessions. What do you guys think about this?

Also, what do you think about the price (am I getting ripped off) - $2700 for both weeks, incld. lodging, coaches, food (3 meals a day), lift tickets, flight from Buenos Aires to Melargue + ground transfers, Buenos Aries City Tour, 10hrs/week spanish classes, video review, night activities etc. and does a nonstop flight from DC to Buenos Aires for $1065 incld. taxes etc sound reasonable?

Lastly, I currently have 167 line chronics w/ 80mm waist, are these thick enough or should I pick up something a little fatter before the trip?
 
I think the land price is fine. U.S. to B.A. airfares were very cheap last year ($650RT from LAX) but with fuel cost, airlaine distress, etc. that may have changed.

I haven't heard about any snow down there yet, but of course it's early. An advance booked trip to Las Lenas before snow is on the ground stands about a 15% chance of a wipeout drought. The timing of your trip is on average exactly right for maximizing coverage and staying away from the July holiday crowds, which Las Lenas' lift system is inadequate to handle.

Snow conditions are similar to wind-affected Sierra areas like Mammoth and Squaw. If you are comfortable on your 80mm wide skis at those places you'll do fine at Las Lenas. You don't just want a soft powder ski. If it's a firmer windbuff you want a ski with good stability also. My son Adam who was in the Extremely Canadian top group had Rossignol B3's.
 
Actually, that's a very impressive trip for a high schooler. My kid didn't make it to Las Lenas until he was 21, though he did get 4 ski days in New Zealand when he was 12 :wink:. If you've never skied in the Alps Las Lenas will be a unique experience for you.

I'm not sure you've ever mentioned where you've skied in the West.
 
Tony Crocker":2sy9eoyt said:
Actually, that's a very impressive trip for a high schooler. My kid didn't make it to Las Lenas until he was 21.
Yeck, I didn't make it to the Southern Hemisphere yet and I'll be 41 soon.

Talking about kids, Morgane was asking this morning if we could go skiing in the Alps next time where in France. I don't think I even mentioned to her that we'd hope to go to France next March and get a bit of skiing done. :p
 
Never been out west or to alps. Best places I've skied: Tremblant and Stowe. I can't wait for more than 5 minute runs and real snow! Also I figure it makes alot more sense for me to ski in summer rather than winter because of school. With winter, to get anywhere out of the mid-atlantic I'm confinded to winter break (crowds and early season out west with sky high prices) or this weird 4 day weekend we get between jan and feb (expensive to fly for 3 days max of skiing). I did have to pull a 3.7 GPA this year for my parents to let me go and pay for the trip myself.
 
I read somewhere that Las Lenas has a big early season base again. But the Las Lenas website is inoperative until they open this weekend.

When I met my ex-wife in 1982, she was a teacher with a similarly confined schedule, so our first destination trip was to New Zealand in August 1982. Of course we had previous Mammoth weekends from March through June.

You should consider SLC for your Jan/Feb break. If you're willing to take a redeye on the way home, you'll get 4 full days of skiing. Adam had a similar semester break in high school. One year his exams were done early and he had 6 days off instead of 4. So we flew to Spokane, skied 2 days each at Schweitzer, Red Mt. and Retallack snowcat skiing. You should consider an extended trip like this at senior year semester break when your college apps are done.

As you have no western/Euro experience, I advise you strongly to take some fat skis. I would say the 80mm underfoot is a minimum. And you don't necessarily want a soft noodle for exclusively powder skiing. You also want some stability for the windbuff and at speed. I'm of the view that a deep sidecut is a detriment for crud, breakable crust, heavy powder etc. though some disagree with that (mostly skiers like Adam and Patrick who are better than I am).
 
I was going to bring my Line Chronics, here are the specs:
Dims: Tip 110
Dims: Waist 80
Dims: Tail 103

These are full twins, but by no means squishy park skis. Keep in mind, I'm only 130lbs but these things can definitely carve and hold an edge. I know the dates I was going were the sweet spot, but I had to move it up a week because of school/internship schedules etc so I hope there's enough snow. Also, after a strong recomendation from the group I'm going with, I took the plunge for avy gear, because I figure even if I don't really need it now, it should last and be good for the future. I had an online shop (with a b and m store) put together this package for me for $439 - what do you guys think?

1. Beacon - Mammut Barryvox Opto 3000
2. Pack - LifeLink Rando X
3. Shovel - Orthovox Alaska Shovel
4. Probe - Lifelink Light Probe 196cm

I'm getting pumped for this trip, and yesterday when I checked there website they said they already had 1.5 meters base, 3 meters top!
 
aaron12345":9za33483 said:
I was going to bring my Line Chronics, here are the specs:
Dims: Tip 110
Dims: Waist 80
Dims: Tail 103

These are full twins, but by no means squishy park skis. Keep in mind, I'm only 130lbs but these things can definitely carve and hold an edge. I know the dates I was going were the sweet spot, but I had to move it up a week because of school/internship schedules etc so I hope there's enough snow. Also, after a strong recomendation from the group I'm going with, I took the plunge for avy gear, because I figure even if I don't really need it now, it should last and be good for the future. I had an online shop (with a b and m store) put together this package for me for $439 - what do you guys think?

1. Beacon - Mammut Barryvox Opto 3000
2. Pack - LifeLink Rando X
3. Shovel - Orthovox Alaska Shovel
4. Probe - Lifelink Light Probe 196cm

I'm getting pumped for this trip, and yesterday when I checked there website they said they already had 1.5 meters base, 3 meters top!

At 130 pounds, do you even leave tracks skiing on a ski with an 80 mm waist? 8)

Remember that an avalanche peeper only helps if you're skiing with a group where everyone else also has one and knows how to use it. Otherwise, yours will only serve to help them find the body. I've done a lot of out of bounds skiing in South America. You don't have US-style search & rescue so the smartest thing is to stay off terrain steeper than 30 degrees.
 
I'll be skiing with a guide and a group of atleast 5-10 at all times. The first few days we'll have tons of avalanche training etc, and the guide I'm going with is pretty strict about assessing avalanche danger and only going out when it's extremerly low etc. Thanks for the warning, and yes I do make tracks at 130 lbs :)
 
aaron12345 has never skied out of the East. He should most certainly be on 80mm minimum at Las Lenas. And due to avalanche/control issues it makes perfect sense to be with a guided group all the time if you're going off-piste. Hopefully aaron12345's experience will be similar to that of the Ohio high schooler with whom I skied the Extremely Canadian clinic at Whistler http://www.firsttracksonline.com/whistler2005.htm .
 
I think I'll be okay and find something that challenges me. I haven't been on a slope that truly challenged me for a couple years. I can ski pretty much every mountain I've been on in the southeast (Wintergreen, Whitetail, Liberty, WISP etc) backwards, and when I've been to Stowe and Tremblant I haven't found something that I couldn't do. I had a 31 day winter season of skiing/teaching. All I can do now is hope for the best :)
 
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