To get to the fifth ski center in Neuquén you have to take the road to paradise: the Route of the 7 Lakes. From Lago Hermoso they say that there is already snow, they look at the weather forecast, it shows them that the snowfall will continue and they are excited: “It will be a very good season, in quantity of snow and tourists” they say to boot.
Lago Hermoso Ski Resort is located 25 minutes from San Martín de los Andes, and will open its doors on July 1, in the middle of a dreamlike landscape.
“We are very happy, withn this qualification that Lanín National Park gives us, we stop being a snow park to become a complete ski centerespecially when putting into operation and in value the quadruple chairlift”, said Rodrigo Oriolo marketing manager of Lago Hermoso Ski.
In the next few days they will publish the rate and they will launch an innovative system when issuing passes. The hill has three means of elevation, In addition to the quadruple chairlift, they have two so-called drag means, a poma and a magic carpet on the base designed for beginners.
“The first steps are taken there, the second step is a new product that we brought from Europe that is towed and takes them to a slightly more angled slope of slightly greater complexity and then the third section of skiing and snowboarding. It occurs in the quadruple chair called the Intermediate area. You have different tracks, of different colors for the level of each person”, said Rodrigo.
They always recommend if there is no experience, take a class, to avoid getting hurt or to avoid being on top and not knowing what to do with the equipment “We recommend consulting customer service, we have the ski school for those who take their first steps,” he said.
Information on hotel reservations both in the center of San Martín de los Andes and in Villa La Angostura show that the winter season will be very good. For this reason, they seek to be operational earlier, in the first week of July, and since they have an artificial snow making system, they do not depend so much on the weather.
“We have the situation of a microclimate, a little colder and by having water we can make snow, because we have a state-of-the-art snowmaking system. What we do is what is called snow stock, we manufacture it and when we need snow with the machine, we move it”.
They also offer excursions to the peaks with snowmobiles and cross-country skis. You can climb the slope of the mountain with special equipment, called seal skin that is placed under each ski to be able to ascend slopes: slide forward but hold the ski backwards.
“With your skis on when you get to the top you take off that skin and start skiing down. It is very funny because you use your own body as a means of elevation. You can slide to a refuge. There drink, eat something. youA shelter awaits, a warm place,” Oriolo said.
He explained that in the last decade, the investment that they carried out in tourism is the most important in the province of Neuquén and that it is one more option for San Martín de los Andes.
To get to the ski center:
It currently has an entrance through a portal with a wooden sign. You advance along the Camino de los 7 lagos, after the entrance to the road that takes you to Meliquina, calculate five minutes and turn right, turn that you will be welcome.