LAS LENAS: Santa Rosa showing up?

Santa Rosa is the buzzword in Las Lenas. As the hikes are getting longer and the snow is getting thinner, everyone is talking about the Santa Rosa storm. Many people have drifted south to Bariloche in hopes of finding more snow. Others have gone back to Chile to catch the tail end of a 60cm storm. The true believers are in Lenas preparing for the Santa Rosa. We are all preparing in our way. Some are hiking to the high peaks of Lenas; others have traveled low to the hot springs and good wine. Nights are spent talking about the Rosa and watching the Las Lenas Film Festival. The one thing all of us have in common is the true belief that the Santa Rosa will bless us.

There is talk of a storm out on the coast. Is it the Santa Rosa? According to Jeff Annets, it must be because he has seen multiple condors circling the high peaks. According to the Santa Rosa legend, the condors only fly high above the peaks when the wind is just right, the wind that brings in the Santa Rosa. The Santa Rosa is one of the largest storm Lenas receives and usually delivers multiple feet of fresh powder. Gringos have flocked from all over to celebrate this storm. Last year the Santa Rosa was late, but still she blessed the true believers with four feet of fresh snow. Will she come this year?

It is spring in Lenas, beautiful bluebird days filled with corn skiing, but where is the Santa Rosa? As a witness to the Santa Rosa, I will stay in Lenas until she arrives. I will spend my days hiking across barren ridge tops in 50 mph hours to ski 4,000 foot couloirs of pure corn. And when the infamous Marte blows down, there is always Fernet to keep my spirits high.

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