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The La Hoya ski resort is located in the northern Patagonian province of Chubut in Argentina. The nearest town to the resort is the quiet town of Esquel. The resort is particularly well known for its excellent supply of fresh powder snow and long ski season due to the orientation of the slopes. The resort is popular with families, mainly thanks to its modern infrastructure which provides a safe and welcoming environment.

Esquel is a lakeside town only eight miles from the ski resort of La Hoya. As well as being a winter base for skiers, the town is also used as a starting point for summer season tours to Los Alerces National Park from December to January. Train enthusiasts will be interested in The Old Patagonia Express narrow gauge steam engine, which runs during the summer months. Services at the town and on the slopes include a snow garden, children’s nursery, ski and snowboard school, restaurants and even a small shopping centre.

The 24 prepared ski runs at La Hoya are serviced by nine modern chairlifts with a capacity of 4,400 skiers per hour. The pistes cover more than 148 acres and have a total length of 14 miles, with the longest run being three miles. The slopes are divided by skill level: beginners 10 per cent, intermediates 30 per cent, advanced 40 per cent and expert skiers 20 per cent.

About 800 hotel rooms are available in the town, while the restaurants and nightlife options at Esquel are surprisingly good and well worth sampling. The only accommodation option by the slopes is a family hostel, while accommodation options at Esquel vary, with everything from camping, cabins and four-star hotels being available. Skiers on a tight budget might like to consider renting a room in a private house.

The larger resort of Catedral Alta Patagonia (Bariloche) is the oldest and most well-developed ski area in Argentina. Skiers may wish to visit both sites for a more complete picture of northern Patagonian skiing. In recent years, La Hoya has worked hard to improve its infrastructure and the once isolated town of Esquel now has a direct road link to Bariloche.

The long ski season at La Hoya normally starts in July and runs through to early October. The resort can be accessed by taking a domestic flight from Buenos Aires to Esquel Airport, a three-hour journey, from where you can then take a bus, taxi or car to the resort.

Skiing in La Hoya

La Hoya ski resort is part of the Patagonian province of Chubut. Situated close to the town of Esquel, the resort is located 1,180 miles from Buenos Aires and nearly 200 miles south of Bariloche. La Hoya is a popular family resort with safe skiing options among the 24 groomed pistes.

Skiing on La Hoya’s 148 acres of prepared runs is available for all levels of ability, with beginner slopes taking up 10 per cent of the total runs, intermediate 30 per cent and advanced 40 per cent, while 20 per cent are reserved for expert skiers. The resort has 24 pistes with a total length of 14 miles, serviced by nine ski lifts with the ability to transport 4,400 skiers an hour. Modern snow cannons are present to enhance the slopes during poor snowfalls or icy conditions. The mountain is 7,000 feet high with a vertical drop of 1,640 feet. Experts will find more extreme skiing, including steep chutes and bowls, unusually close to some of the ski lifts.

Other winter pursuits available on the slopes at La Hoya include Nordic skiing, randoneé, snowboarding, snowmobiling, off-piste skiing and cross-country skiing in Los Alerces National Park. Après ski in the town of Esquel is particularly good considering its small size. The best hotel in the centre of Esquel is called the Tehuelche Hotel and is especially recommended for travellers looking for somewhere close to the entertainment.

The La Hoya ski resort is popular with families looking for a safe experience. The long ski season at La Hoya runs from July to October. The resort is most conveniently reached by taking a domestic flight from Buenos Aires to Esquel, then a bus transfer to the resort.

Transportation to La Hoya

The ski resort of La Hoya is located eight miles from the town of Esquel. Due to its distance from Buenos Aires, flying to Esquel is the best travel option to the resort. For travellers looking for cheaper alternatives, road options are available from Bariloche, Neuquén and Buenos Aires.

By car from Bariloche, you can travel south on National Route 258, before joining National Route 40 and National Route 259. From Bariloche, bus, taxi and self drive options are all feasible means of transfer to the resort.

If you are coming by plane from Buenos Aires, the domestic airport at Esquel is the closest option. The international airport at Buenos Aires is 22 miles from the city, while domestic flights are available from Jorge Newbery Airport in Buenos Aires.

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