I am looking to book a fantastic trip for our family (parents 60, sisters mid 20s, dh and I 30, 18 m.o. son) for next August. We love to ski and are thinking that a summer ski vacation would be ideal. Doing initial research. I think it comes down to these two. It seems that Las Lenas is bigger both in terms of mountain and resort, but Portillo seems so friendly and welcoming as well as easier to get to. Any ideas?

Both Chile and Argentina have great skiing, but there are pros and cons:

Price wise, Argentina is a lot cheaper than Chile for moving around, going out to eat, drinks, wine, etc. The ski resorts were a lot cheaper for a while but places like Las Lenas have really raised their rates for 2008, yet they have not invested in better services.
So if you are looking at a ski package, to say, Portillo, Chile, v.s. Las Lenas, Argentina you will not see much difference, and Portillo has a higher quality of service. However if you were to venture down on your own, rent a car, go out to eat, shop, and have a selection of local hotels, b & bs etc, Argentina will be less expensive due to the exchange rate.

For access, Santiago beats Buenos Aires. Land in Santiago and in 2 hours you can be skiing Valle Nevado, La Parva, El Colorado, or Portillo. Fly to Buenos Aires, and you have to change airports (across the city),and fly to either Malargue (Las Lenas), Bariloche (Catedral ski resort) or smaller areas like San Martin de Los Andes. By the time you connect and arrive you lost a half day of skiing compared to Chile, plus the additional expense of the national flight in Argentina.

Town atmosphere and beautiful landscapes? You cannot beat Patagonia, Argentina. Visit Bariloche, San Martin de Los Andes, or Villa La Angostura. Not only are these places stunning, the food, red wine, apres-ski, and nightlife is the best in South America.

To sum it up, Chile wins for access, but Argentina takes it for budget and everything else you are looking for.

Avoid mid to late July if you can. Prices are high and the lift lines are longer than the rest of the season.

Plenty of 7 day ski packages can be found on line or you can take an all-inclusive tour to ski South America. www.powderquest.com has been recommended in the latest Fodor's Chile guide.