Los Penitentes is a high-altitude ski area in the Argentine Andes of Mendoza, strung along the international route toward Aconcagua, with big vertical and dramatic high-mountain scenery.
- 2,584 m Base
- 3,210 m Top lift
- 626 m Vertical
- 5 Lifts
Best known for
Après & vibe
Facilities are minimal and the mood is remote and quiet; nearby roadside lodges and the wider Uspallata valley supply basic hospitality.
The resort
Los Penitentes lies high on Ruta Nacional 7, the great Andean corridor that climbs from Mendoza toward the Chilean border and the flanks of Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas. Sitting well above 2,500 metres, it offers serious altitude and long, direct fall-line runs on stark, treeless slopes, framed by some of the most imposing mountain scenery in Argentina. It takes its name from the penitentes, the blade-like spikes of snow and ice that form on high Andean slopes. This is a raw, no-frills area for skiers who value altitude, quiet and big-mountain atmosphere over amenities, and it makes a natural stop for travellers exploring the Aconcagua region. As a Southern-Hemisphere resort it operates through the austral winter, broadly June to September, snow and operations permitting.
Snow & weather
Live conditions from the mountain, plus the average snow you can expect month by month.
- Feels like
- —
- Conditions
- —
- Wind
- —
- Fresh snow (3-day)
- —
Live data © Open-Meteo.com
Its considerable altitude helps preserve snow, though its position in the arid high Andes means cover depends on the winter's storms and can vary markedly from year to year.
Average monthly snowfall
Snowfall climatology unavailable.
Terrain & aspect
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Slopes mostly face S — 95% on snow-holding, poleward-facing slopes.
Aspect derived from run bearings · OpenSkiStats / © OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Skiing & terrain
Some gentler lower runs, though the area's scale and altitude suit more confident skiers.
Long, open fall-line pistes give rewarding cruising for improving skiers.
Steep upper slopes and off-piste lines offer plenty for strong skiers.
The high, exposed terrain and Andean off-piste appeal to adventurous experts.
Skiing in the shadow of Aconcagua
Set on the highway toward Aconcagua Provincial Park, the area places you amid the towering peaks of the high Central Andes, a stirring high-mountain backdrop.
On the map
Legend
Run difficulty
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced / Expert
- Freeride / Extreme
- Unknown
Run types
- Downhill — groomed
- Downhill — ungroomed
- Downhill — gladed
- Nordic (groomed)
- Ski tour
- ☾Lit (night)
- △Not patrolled
- →One-way
- ❄Snowmaking
Lifts
- Operating
- Operating (private)
- Non-operating
- Lift station
Slope-gradient grading
Downhill / ski tour
- Flat<3°
- Easy3–14°
- Intermediate14–22°
- Advanced / Expert22–45°
- Freeride / Extreme>45°
Nordic
- Easy<6°
- Intermediate6–9°
- Advanced>9°
Aspect (sun exposure)
- N — least sun
- E — morning
- S — most sun
- W — afternoon
Legend after OpenSkiMap
Stay in Los Penitentes
Lodging is sparse and centred on roadside accommodation near the slopes, with the town of Uspallata down-valley and the city of Mendoza the main wider base.
Lifts and pistes from the door — the point of a high, purpose-built resort.
Self-catering residences, the bulk of the beds and the flexible-budget option.
Catered and self-catered chalets for groups wanting the whole place.
From simple to high-end, with pools and spas to thaw out in.
How to get there
Mendoza's airport is the gateway, from where the ski area is reached by driving west up the dramatic Ruta 7 into the high Andes.
A road journey of roughly two and a half to three hours from Mendoza, climbing steadily along the Aconcagua corridor.
Best time: The austral winter, roughly June to September, with the most reliable snow usually falling in July and August.
Nearby resorts
Other resorts within reach.
Los Puquios
- Vertical
- 130 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 10
- Lifts
- 6
Getting to Los Penitentes
Book an airport transfer up to the resort, or pick up a car at Mendoza (MDZ) — search and compare without leaving the page.
Ski data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via OpenSkiMap & Skimap.org. Basemap © OpenFreeMap / OpenMapTiles. Editorial: mynext.holiday. Accommodation via Stay22; transfers via Kiwitaxi; car hire via Travelpayouts.