La Hoya
La Hoya, 13 km from Esquel, starts its season in early June finishing mid October, with lots of powdery snow. It has some 10 lifts and 24 runs for all levels as well as Nordic skiing and snowboarding. It also boasts an area set aside for randoneé skiing, a snowmobile circuit great off-piste deep snow. For more details, tel: + 54 (0) 294 545 1315 or visit Esquel On Line.

Los Penitentes
Los Penitentes is 180 km from Mendoza en route to Chile besides the highway – can be noisy at night. Mount Aconcagua at 6,959 metres, the highest peak in the world after outside Asia, looms over the small resort. Here, where the snow is compact and dry, there are eight lifts to 28 runs of varying levels. Further information go its website Mendoza Ski.

Caviahue
Caviahue resort lies at the foot of Volcan Copahue in a fabulous monkey puzzle forest. It has just three lifts - which take almost to the top of the crater (last erupted in 2000) - and 18 runs. The nearest town is Zapala 150 km to the east. Some 18km north is the small hot springs village of Copahue. For details of facilities visit Caviahue.com or Portal Caviahue, or tel: +54 (0) 294 849 5042.

Cerro Bayo
Cerro Bayo is just 9 km from the upmarket holiday village of Villa La Angostura and looks across the expansive blue waters of Lago Nahuel Huapi. It has 21 runs - some very long - and 12 lifts as well as good off-piste skiing through virgin forest. For further information see Cerro Bayo or tel: +54 (0) 294 449 4189.

Batea Mahuida
Batea Mahuida Snow Park overlooks Lago Alumine and ancient monkey puzzle forests and is close to the small village of Villa Pehuenia. Mahuida is snow-covered for five months from June to October. It has just three lifts and three runs. For further details, go to Villa Pehuenia.

There are a few smaller resorts which have fewer slopes and fewer lifts such as Perito Moreno and Vallecitos.