Los Penitentes (Argentina)

Los Penitentes is a ski resort in Mendoza, Argentina about 25 km off Paso de Libertadores, which marks the border between Argentina and Chile, and 180 km from Mendoza Capital City, at the foot of Mount Aconcagua on Ruta 7.

Etymology
The name Los Penitentes (The Penitents, in English) comes from the curious forms the ice on the mountain sides, which remind the viewers of "penitents" climbing the mountains or praying on their knees.

History
In 1978, Emilio López Frugoni, a ski lover from Mendoza, bought 51 hectares of land and started a project to build a ski centre next to Mendoza City. The ski resort was inaugurated in 1979. Today the ski runs (25 in total) cover a surface of about 300 hectares, for all-level skiers and with ski lifts to reach different levels and runs. About 1950 people can be accommodated in Los Penitentes since there is a variety of facilities provided, such as apartments, apart hotels, and hostels.

Weather
In winter, the average temperature is about 1 °C, ranging between -4° and 7 °C. The weather is dry and sunny on most days.

Activities
This centre has 25 runs of different lengths and drops for beginner, advanced and expert skiers. The season ranges from mid-June to late August. The activities that can be carried out there include ski, snowboarding, and heli-skiing. There are also a number of services available, such as a ski school, snow garden, shopping center, restaurants, hostels, hotels, kindergarten, and disco.