Las Leñas is one of the largest Andean ski resorts in Argentina, located in the western part of Mendoza Province, together with Cerro Catedral in San Carlos de Bariloche, Rio Negro province. It is well known for its powder snow, good climate and excellent opportunities for extreme and off-piste skiing. Construction of the ski center began January 1983, and by July 1983, it opened with a 300 bed hotel. The ski area has a good diversity of slopes ranging from very easy to extreme, including a good range of off-piste areas apt for extreme skiing. The skiable area base starts at an altitude of 2,240 m above mean sea level and goes up to 3,430 m for a total drop of 1,190 m . The skiable surface amounts to 2.3 km2 , with 27 runs and a maximum non-stop skiable distance of 7 km . The total ski area reachable by land is the largest in South America. It currently houses Piscis Hotel, the highest casino by elevation in the world.The skiing season usually lasts from mid June to mid October; however, recent seasons have ended as early as mid September. The center is also open during the southern hemisphere summer for mountain activities including mountain biking, horse riding, climbing and other activities. The ski center includes a ski and snowboard school for all ages and childcare facilities. Specific workshops are also offered at the school to profit from the huge expanses of off-piste runs offered by the area. The accommodations available on-site include hotels , apartment hotels and sleep houses. There is a small shopping center that includes a bank, ski-related shops, chocolate shops, souvenir shops, and a supermarket. Coffee houses, restaurants, and night clubs complete the town's commercial center. Far away from large cities, the center is seldom crowded except during weekends, making the lines on the lifts usually shorter than in other ski centers of Argentina. Las Leñas hosted men's Downhill events for the 1986 and 1987 Alpine Skiing World Cup, women's Downhill and Super-G events in 1990 and the only Winter Pan American Games in 1990.
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