Vallecitos (Argentina)

Are you close to Mendoza, in winter, with a yen for a bit of powder? Head for Vallecitos, a 3,200 m high ski station, at the foot of  Cordón del Plata in the heart of the Andes. No matter what the period of the year, Vallecitos is a charming place. In summer, mountaineers who hope to climb Aconcagua come to train, and in winter, once there is enough snow, you can ski or snowboard. Vallecitos has about 100 hectares that is skiable.

I went to Vallecitos in spring when it was impossible to ski, but there's nothing to stop you exploring the region on horseback, or by bike, or doing a tour of the surrounding bodegas. In winter, Vallecitos is a lot less expensive than ski stations like San Carlos de Bariloche or San Martin de los Andes.