 Mónica Pons  Eduardo Epifanio
The renovated snow park at Primeros Pinos surprises visitors with its small size and good services amidst incredible ancient monkey-puzzle tree woodlands. |
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We reached our snowy destination at sunset. Well-groomed trails, a cozy inn and services welcomed us at Primeros Pinos ski center.
We left Provincial Route 13 behind. Made of gravel, it was covered by snow and featured several slopes that forced us to drive extremely carefully. This let us admire the surrounding scenery and the horizon far away in the distance.
Once we had settled at the inn, we contemplated the clear sky of Neuquén: intensely blue and studded with stars. It was undoubtedly a good omen for the following day, when we were planning to have a ski experience.
Sunset in the Mountain
When we got up the next morning, some low heavy clouds were hanging over the mountain letting just a few sun beams through in order to throw some very special light on the entire ski center.
We approached the service area in the resort, where we could rent our ski and snowboarding gear. Those who cannot ski yet have the chance to rent tobbogans in order to enjoy the adrenaline of the slopes. |
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We made contact with Quelli-Mahuida, the name of the hill where the ski trails are located in the area known as Primeros Pinos. Lying 1,500 meters MSL, it features a relatively small skiable area. Yet, it is an excellent possibility for those who wish to take their first steps as far as ski is concerned. Its two trails have a thirty-meter slope that presents a twenty-three-degree incline.
A small surface lift took us to the top of the hill. There was also the possibility to go up on foot carrying the skis on our shoulders and then slide all the way down. We took a ski lesson to make the most of our day and start this sport with a good technique.
Our instructor’s patience helped us go down and avoid the slope by using a short slalom on the excellent powder snow. |
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As the lesson ended, we resolved to have a rest at the inn and recover our energy to go back to the trails in the afternoon. A good lunch and a short nap made us feel fresh again.
Primeros Pinos Snow Park offered all we needed to feel at ease: painstaking assistance and safety. “We always come along to Primeros Pinos in the winter because it is near our home, it is quiet and just perfect for our kids and for ourselves”, a couple from the High Valley of the Negro River told us.
In the evening, the quietness of the bedroom at the inn guaranteed complete rest. We dreamed that our skis were sliding on the soft slope, the horizon lay far away and the monkey-puzzle trees watched us pass by at full speed on the snow. We woke up without noticing we had been dreaming about our first steps at Primeros Pinos. |
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