Due to climate change, Las Leñas will move part of its slopes to Valle Hermoso.

"It's not a transfer, it's an annex. We want to create a second base for Las Leñas. We aim to be able to go on expeditions, ski, eat there, and even spend the night there by winter of 2026," Daniel Valentini, CEO of Las Leñas, explained to Los Andes.

Why Valle Hermoso? For several reasons. First, legal and commercial. This site belongs to the Walbrook Group, a Malaysian company that also owns the Las Leñas complex, and whose concession for the property to a private company expires in December of this year. The expiration of the contract paves the way for construction work to begin in the area this summer.

The other fundamental reason is the climate of Valle Hermoso. While in the mid-season areas of the ski resort (such as the Cari, Minerva, Urano, and Vulcano slopes) snow is scarce or disappears mid-season, Valle Hermoso offers more favorable natural conditions. It faces the southern face of the mountain range, which allows the snow to remain there longer and guarantees greater thermal stability.

For some time now, day trips have been offered there because of the abundant snow. But, of course, the goal now is to establish a permanent operating center there, where visitors who book their vacation months in advance can guarantee they'll be able to ski, eat, and even spend the night there. According to the project's technical experts, during the winter, the complex will be able to accommodate around 40 people (tourists and staff), and up to 70 in the summer, thanks to a camping area and a motorhome park.

"When you don't have enough snow, like in Las Leñas, the slopes can't hold up for the entire season. In Valle Hermoso, there's a lot of snow because the south face retains the cold. We want to offer a real alternative to this unstable situation," adds Valentini.

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A look at the instability in the area over the last five years is enough to understand the new tourism plan: in 2020, there was a lot of snow, but the ski resort didn't open due to the lack of tourists amid the pandemic; in 2021, there was virtually no natural snow, and machine-made snowmaking was difficult due to the high temperatures. This left the slopes deserted again; in 2023, there was late snowfall, meaning after the winter holidays, and the ski resort once again suffered the consequences of the megadrought; in 2024, there was excessive snowfall and it was a festive season, while this year, snow arrived, but not enough to keep the resort fully operational.

The first stage of the project involves redesigning the area surrounding the Valle Hermoso lagoon. The plan is to use this structure to build a boutique lodge, complete with a dining room, kitchen, bathrooms, and a few beds for winter accommodations.

“Everything is in good condition, it has satellite Wi-Fi, and all that's left is to install the solar panels. It's a basic but functional infrastructure. The plan is to work hard this summer to have it ready for the 2026 winter season. Our lift will be snow groomers. We have two equipped to transport us to the peak, each with a capacity of 10 people,” explained the CEO.

In parallel, a hybrid energy generation system (with solar panels and gas microturbines) is being planned to power the site without connection to the electricity grid. This will allow for heating, lighting, and cooking, although it is not yet sufficient to power lifts such as chairlifts or ski lifts, whose installation will be carried out in a second phase, scheduled for 2027.

While projecting toward Valle Hermoso, Las Leñas continues to invest in artificial snowmaking, which is already being done on the lower slopes. Of course, only when conditions permit, as sub-zero temperatures and a certain level of humidity are required, which aren't always met at the current Malargui ski resort.

“Snow cannons are useless if it's below 0 degrees. We make snow at night, load it into trucks, and deliver it to the slopes,” Valentini explained. Therefore, expanding into naturally colder areas would also be much more profitable.

According to the official project proposal, Valle Hermoso will be a self-sufficient tourist complex with year-round operations, modular infrastructure, and a strong focus on sustainability. The planned area will include a 1,500 square meter covered area, which will include a ski slope, restaurant, lodges, staff space, a machine room, restrooms, storage facilities, parking, and a solar farm.

The infrastructure is designed to withstand extreme conditions and operate in isolation. The wastewater treatment plant, high-quality thermal insulation materials, and a minimally invasive design seek to transform Valle Hermoso into a development model for remote areas, according to the preliminary project presented last week by the engineers and architects in charge of the project.

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"If we want to build a bigger hotel, we also have to think about where to put the power generation. We can't improvise. For now, we know what we want for 2026 and 2027," warns Valentini.

This phrase sums up the challenge facing not only the Malargüe ski resort but also the entire local economy, which has seen its chances of reactivating itself and reversing a development model anchored in climate certainties that no longer exist thwarted. The goal now is to avoid further refunds and frozen vouchers due to the lack of snow in the middle of winter, and to ensure that tourists don't completely lose sight of the Mendoza mountains.

Las Leñas' decision to move part of its slopes to Valle Hermoso responds to a much broader climate phenomenon: the megadrought that has affected Mendoza for the past 15 years. This prolonged drought, combined with global warming, has caused an average 30% drop in snowpack compared to historical averages.

According to hydrologist Ezequiel Toum and glaciologist Pierre Pitte of Conicet Mendoza , 70% of this deficit is due to the natural variability of the climate system and 30% to greenhouse gas emissions. "We are facing a new climate normal," they warn, where drier and less predictable winters directly affect the availability of water for consumption, agriculture, and tourism.

Snow is essential because it feeds rivers in the summer through melting snow. The decrease in snowfall heralds restrictions on water use and forces tourist resorts like Las Leñas to seek alternatives to sustain their seasons. And Valle Hermoso is chosen to be its new lifeline for the immediate future.