Marte is Open!
http://www.vimeo.com/6329006It is always important to remember to bring your patience to South America. I have been in Las Lenas for almost a week. The wind has been blowing at 50 km/h and the infamous Marte chairlift broken indefinitely. Rumors have been circulating about when the chairlift might resume operation. It was rumored to open in a couple of days or not all for the rest of the season. As the frustration rose, gringos vented in a few different ways. Some put on their skins and headed to the top of the mountain while others retreated to the casino for late night gambling and dancing. Everyone was checking the weather forecast for the Andes; tentatively making plans to travel somewhere else.
I have to admit, even after 5 years of skiing Las Lenas, I was also entertaining the idea of fleeing. Luckily, I didn’t forget my patience. After five days of battling the wind and multiple days of skinning, Marte opened. It was worth the wait. Game on in Las Lenas!
I spent the first couple of days cruising around the lower mountain. The skiing was good, but not worth the 8 hour plane ride and the overnight bus ticket that it takes to get here. Day three I decided to skin to the top and was pleasantly surprised to find great snow. Above is the footage from Cerro Martin. Always feels good to earn your turns!
