# Potrerillos - Bajada de los Bomberos — Potrerillos, Argentina

La Bajada de los Bomberos is the kite spot for the village of Potrerillos, at the western tip of the dam, about 50 minutes from Mendoza. You head down the dirt track that starts next to the fire station to the shore, leave the car on the coast and set up on the flat dirt and sand beach. You ride towards the northeast, through the wide part of the lake.

In the morning the lake is calm. After midday a thermal wind enters from the southeast, from the dam wall, between 10 to 20 kt and roughly from 12:30 to 17:00; on this coast it arrives side-onshore, which makes it easy to get back. It is gusty due to the hills and almost always requires large kites, from 12 to 18 m; it is also used for foil and wingfoil. The best times are spring (October to December) and autumn. With Zonda, which blows from the land here, you do not go out.

The water is cold all year round: use a full wetsuit. The lake level changes a lot: with the lake low the shore recedes and the Mendoza river delta, to the northwest, is left with mud and shallow water; with the lake high there are submerged poplars in front of the village. On weekends the coast gets crowded: the Asociación Mendocina de Kite asks to set up away from groups, fires and cars, and recommends not learning alone: there are schools in Potrerillos.

Photos: "Potrerillos, Mendoza Province, Argentina - panoramio (2)" by ANDY ABIR ALAN (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons; "Dique Potrerillos, Mendoza, Argentina - panoramio" by nano4773 (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons; "Lago Potrerillos (228083943)" by Marcos (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons.

- **Sports:** Kitesurf, Wingfoil, Windsurf
- **Difficulty:** Intermediate
- **Location:** Potrerillos, Argentina (-32.95849, -69.18978)
- **Favourable wind directions (where the wind blows from):** E (90°), SE (135°)
- **Wind range (knots):** 10–22
- **Best months:** September, October, November, December, February, March, April

## Wind by month (% of days per strength)

| Month | <7 kn | 7–13 kn | 13–20 kn | 20–35 kn | >35 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 74 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| February | 67 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| March | 73 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| April | 76 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| May | 78 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| June | 89 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| July | 74 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| August | 65 | 32 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| September | 55 | 41 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| October | 59 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| November | 50 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| December | 62 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Local winds

- **Térmico del sudeste** — SE (135°), 10–20 kn. The wind on almost every afternoon: the morning is calm and after midday it enters from the dam wall, along the lake, roughly from 12:30 to 17:00. Here it arrives side-onshore.. It takes you towards the northwest, towards the Mendoza river delta: there the water is shallow, with mud and logs. Return before reaching it.
- **Este** — E (90°), 10–18 kn. Some afternoons, especially in summer, the thermal enters more from the east and blows onshore towards the village coast.. It pushes you towards the shore: keep your distance before turning and do not ride over the setup area.
- **Zonda** — WNW (290°), 15–40 kn. Hot and dry wind that comes down from the Andes, from the west and northwest, with very strong gusts. Here it blows offshore from the land towards the lake. No riding.. It takes you away from the coast with unpredictable gusts. With Zonda, do not go out.

## Zones

- **Launch area** — Launch zone
- **Parking** — Parking
- **Potrerillos - Bajada de los Bomberos** — Navigation zone

## Points of interest

- **Bajada de los Bomberos launch area**: Flat shore at the end of the descent: set up here and head out towards the northeast.
- **Parking at the end of the descent**: Cars are left on the coast, next to the track (approximate position).
- **Potrerillos Fire Station**: The dirt track that goes down to the lake and gives the spot its name starts from here (OpenStreetMap).
- **ACA Campsite**: Automóvil Club Argentino campsite in the village (OpenStreetMap).
- **El Bosquecito Campsite**: Universidad Nacional de Cuyo campsite, with toilets and pools (OpenStreetMap).
- **Public toilets**: In the village, next to the road (OpenStreetMap).
- **Posta Potrerillos**: One of the village restaurants (OpenStreetMap).
- **Mendoza river delta**: When the lake is low there is mud and shallow water; logs on the bottom. Do not let yourself be carried down to here.

## Hazards

- Strong gusts due to the hills surrounding the lake
- Zonda: very gusty westerly wind blowing from the land
- Cold water all year round, with risk of hypothermia: use a full wetsuit
- The lake level changes a lot: with the lake low the shore recedes hundreds of metres and the river delta is left in mud
- Submerged logs and trees near the delta and the village

## Obstacles

- Cars and vans driving down to the water via the Bajada de los Bomberos
- People, gazebos and fires on the coast during weekends
- Submerged poplars in front of the village when the lake is high

## Facilities

- Restaurant
- Toilets
- Parking

## Restrictions

- Costa pública y gratuita, sin horarios.

[See it on Ventus Surf (3D map, zones and live forecast)](https://ventus.surf/spots/potrerillos-bajada-de-los-bomberos-0qVfvvoMeJWGBKddiwqE?lang=en)