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Cuesta del Viento

San Juan · Cuesta del Viento · Iglesia · Rodeo

also known as Dique Cuesta del Viento, Embalse Cuesta del Viento, Playa Lamaral, Fincas del Lago

Part of Cuesta del Viento →

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

beginner-friendlymedium crowds

On this page

The spot
Wind
Forecast
Month by month
Water
Level
The scene
Launch
Schools
Tips
Getting there
Photos
FAQ

Riding essentials

Season

Oct–Apr

Months riders and schools name

How windy

20-35 kt

Character: thermal

Room to launch

access rules on record, below

Water

mixed

Freshwater Andean reservoir

Hazards

Reported by riders

Level

Beginner to advanced

With a caveat: see Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Crowds

medium crowds · busy Oct Nov Dec Jan

Schools

named at this spot

From the airport

San Juan Airport (UAQ)

Transfer times under Getting there

often locally linked with Zonda

17:00

Calm mornings; wind builds from around midday/noon and strengthens through the afternoon, often peaking late afternoon around 17:00 in rider reports.

The mark is the clock time the record names, laid on a 24-hour day. The fade after it is not an end time, and not a promise of wind.

Cuesta del Viento has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it, and none other in Cuesta del Viento. straight-line distance

Backup spotsWhere riders go when the wind doesn't work here.

Puerto de Palosno page yet
Playa Lamaralalso a name for this spot
Fincas del Lagoalso a name for this spot
Bahía de los Troncosno page yet
La Isletano page yet
Dique de Ullumno page yet

The spot

Cuesta del Viento is a freshwater reservoir beside Rodeo in Iglesia Department, San Juan, sitting in a dry valley ringed by dark rock and high Andean mountains.

Conditions

Mornings are usually glass, and they go to kayak, SUP and fishing. Then the E/ESE/SE thermal funnels down through the Jachal valley from around midday and turns the lake into a powered afternoon that keeps building until late. The water is flat pockets, chop and small wind swell, flattest around Fincas del Lago and along the west bank.

Riding and events

Riders come for big air and freestyle, and the lake has hosted Argentine and international Big Air events tied to the Red Bull King of the Air pathway.

Access

It is remote, and the usable sectors move with the reservoir level: in 2024 the official zoning pushed kites off Puerto de Palos and Playa Lamaral and sent them to Bahía de los Troncos, with windsurf and windfoil keeping the mid-lake.

Skill level

Not a spot to teach yourself on, and not a spot to arrive at with only a 12 m.

The wind

locals call it thermal southeast valley wind; often locally linked with Zonda/Andean valley effects

Direction

cross-onE

Direction to shore

cross-on

Dominant direction

E, ESE, SE

Kite sizes

4567891011121314151617

metres · typical quiver highlighted

The quiver, in words

Small kites, and one size smaller than instinct.Afternoon wind and sizingThe afternoon settles at 20-35 kt, so a 75-85 kg rider spends the season on two: a 9 m for the 17-21 kt build just after midday, a 7 m for the 22-27 kt standard afternoon, and a 5-6 m once it pushes past 30.Local quiver expectationsLocal quivers run 5-12 m and the 12 m belongs to the morning glass-off, not the session.High wind strategyOn a day that has already touched 35 kt, rig the smaller of the two sizes you are arguing between - the wind here keeps rising after you launch, and mistakes scale faster than sizing does.

Character

thermal

When it fills in: see above ↑

Average strength

More than 300 days per year over 20 kt is the published provincial figure. No independent long-term average table exists for Playa Lamaral, so treat it as a claim rather than a measurement.

Typical strength

20-35 kt in high season, with 15-40 kt given as the local working range. Strong afternoons run 30-40 kt and occasional 50+ kt has been reported.

A very reliable thermal funnel that gets stronger as the day goes on. On the strong days it turns gusty, with big short-term swings.

November-March is the ideal visiting window, while the windy season gets stretched to October-April, or mid-October to early May. Inside any of those days the useful kite window is midday to late afternoon, not the morning.

Forecast

Live forecast

Windguru Windfinder Windy

Month by month

Jan, riders' month34
Feb, riders' month28
Mar, riders' month34
Apr, riders' month32
May10
Jun13
Jul6
Aug23
Sep48
Oct, riders' month63
Nov, riders' month85
Dec, riders' month69

windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)

Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec.

34%Jan
28%Feb
34%Mar
32%Apr
10%May
13%Jun
6%Jul
23%Aug
48%Sep
63%Oct
85%Nov
69%Dec

windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · season highlighted

Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal.

Every figure, month by monthWindy days · Force 4+ · 12 kn or more · Knots · Wind from · Peaks at · Readings

Month	Windy days	Force 4+	12 kn or more	Knots	Wind from	Peaks at	Readings
Jan	34%	44%	42%	12 kt	E	16:00	62
Feb	28%	47%	33%	11.2 kt	E	16:00	57
Mar	34%	53%	48%	11.8 kt	E	17:00	62
Apr	32%	48%	42%	10.7 kt	E	17:00	60
May	10%	34%	21%	9.8 kt	E	17:00	62
Jun	13%	25%	23%	8.6 kt	E	17:00	60
Jul	6%	24%	15%	8.5 kt	E	17:00	62
Aug	23%	44%	31%	11.1 kt	E	17:00	62
Sep	48%	67%	60%	13.5 kt	E	16:00	60
Oct	63%	84%	76%	14.6 kt	E	17:00	62
Nov	85%	97%	93%	16.4 kt	E	16:00	60
Dec	69%	82%	76%	15.6 kt	E	16:00	62

How this is modelledmodelled · 2023-2024

A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.

A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.

High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024

The water

Type

mixed

Standing depth

not specified

Tides

None; it is a freshwater dam reservoir, so usable water area and shoreline depend on reservoir level rather than tides.

Wetsuit

A shorty covers the main kite season. Water runs 10–20 °C across the year, so carry a full suit for the early and late season and for winter.

Currents

No tidal current; reservoir flow is from Andean snowmelt rivers regulated by the dam.

Conditions

Freshwater Andean reservoir. Glassy in the morning, then flat sections, chop and small wind swell once the afternoon fills in; Fincas del Lago has the flattest water and is the main kite venue. The level has dropped far enough to trigger the 2024 zoning changes.

Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Local schools teach beginners, but an independent beginner should think twice: the afternoon wind is strong, it comes up fast and it gets gusty. Intermediates and advanced riders get the reliable freeride, freestyle and big-air water.

The scene

What riders come here for

big airfreestylefreerideadvancedspeedfoilwingfoildownwind

A remote Andean reservoir with a young beach and outdoor scene around Rodeo and Lamaral. Quiet outside the holidays, and when a national or international competition lands, riders and spectators arrive with music and after-beach events.

Launch and rules

three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you

With a school or a boat

5 schools name this spot

See who they are

On your own

Room to launch: ok

Read the access rules

Somewhere else

No neighbour on record

No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.

Rescue

VHF channel 16

Rescue — full text1 min read

Rescue coverage

No dedicated kite rescue. Provincial nautical safety staff and lifeguards cover the reservoir during official opening hours and during events, and under the 2024 navigation rules you are required to report the start and end of your session and which sector you are entering to Seguridad Nautica, in person or on VHF channel 16 - the same channel that would carry a call for help.

Off-hours safety

Outside those hours this is a remote high-desert reservoir with mountains on every side and no cover at all, so ride with someone, tell a third person the plan, and treat the report-in as the safety system rather than a formality.

Launch

The named riding areas include Playa Lamaral, Fincas del Lago, Puerto de Palos, Bahía de los Troncos and La Isleta. A sandy starting area has nearby car and overnight camper parking; Playa Lamaral has a small pebbly beach; Fincas del Lago is the main kite venue with flatter water.In 2024 official nautical zoning directed kitesurf/kitefoil access to Bahía de los Troncos because of low reservoir level.

Hazards riders report 10 reported

Wind

strong gusty afternoon wind
Strong afternoon thermal wind that can keep building into 30-40 kt or more.
Gusty episodes and reports of large short-term wind swings on very strong days.

Crowds and zones

Swimmers and other water users can be present.

Bottom

rocky mountainous terrain around the lake
Small or pebbly launch areas at some beaches; rocks are reported for the Fincas del Lago listing.

Other

Remote, with no lifeguard and no rescue service outside official hours.
Low reservoir level and changing shoreline/usable-water sectors prompted official 2024 zoning for navigation safety.
Remote high-desert location; emergency assistance may be limited outside official safety coverage or events.
High altitude, dry sun exposure and large temperature range.

Rules & access

1 min read

Opening hours and navigation rules

2024: San Juan nautical authorities set opening for Cuesta del Viento at 08:00 and closure one hour before sunset; night navigation is prohibited.

In 2024, due to low reservoir level, windsurf/windfoil were assigned to Puerto de Palos and Playa Lamaral to mid-lake, while kitesurf/kitefoil were restricted from that area and directed to the rest of the lake with access via RP150/Bahía de los Troncos. Users were told to report start/end of navigation and entry area to Seguridad Náutica in person or on VHF channel 16, and to follow Ley 826-G and its nautical safety decree.

Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.

Schools that ride here

Rider tips

Ride midday to late afternoon; the mornings are glassy and belong to SUP, kayak and fishing.
Rig the smaller of the two sizes you are arguing between. The afternoon keeps building and 30-40 kt is a normal peak here.
Check the current lake zoning before you rig, because the 2024 low-water rules moved kite access to Bahía de los Troncos.
Report your start, your finish and the sector you are entering to Seguridad Náutica, in person or on VHF channel 16.
Bring a car. Buses and combis reach Rodeo and no further, and the lake has several beaches worth moving between.
Pack for 10-20 C water: a shorty for the main season, a full suit for the shoulders and for winter.

Getting there

Airport

San Juan Airport (UAQ) is the closest airport cited by San Juan tourism sources; Mendoza Airport (MDZ) is also used for regional transfers.

Route

From San Juan city the road north is RN40 to San Jose de Jachal, then RN150 to Rodeo and the reservoir. A car makes the difference, both for the gear and for moving between beaches; buses and combis reach Rodeo and stop there.

Transfer

About 180 minutes from central San Juan to the Rodeo/Cuesta del Viento area; other estimates give 3-5 hours from San Juan or Mendoza depending on airport/route.

Cost level

mid

Staying

Rodeo and the lakeside have camping, groceries, paradores, guesthouses, hostels and cabañas. Rancho Lamaral has private and shared rooms, camping, glamping and motorhome pitches 400 m from the reservoir.

No-wind days

Kayak, SUP and fishing on the calm mornings, rafting on the Jachal River, mountain biking, hiking, climbing, and the towns of Rodeo and San Jose de Jachal with the wider San Juan wine and landscape circuit.

Photos

FAQ

When is the best time to kitesurf at Cuesta del Viento?

The season runs October to April, sometimes extended to mid-October through early May. Mornings are typically calm; wind builds from around midday and strengthens through the afternoon, often peaking near 17:00.

Is Cuesta del Viento suitable for beginners?

Local schools teach beginners and all levels, but the afternoon wind rises quickly, is powerful and can be gusty, so independent beginners should treat the spot cautiously and ride with instruction.

What is the wind like?

Wind is east, east-southeast or southeast, typically 20 to 35 knots in high season, with stronger afternoons reaching 30 to 40 knots and occasional reports above 50 knots.

Are there rules for launching?

Due to low reservoir level, a 2024 nautical rule assigned windsurf/windfoil to Puerto de Palos and Playa Lamaral and directed kitesurf and kitefoil to the rest of the lake via Bahía de los Troncos; riders must report the start and end of navigation to Seguridad Náutica.

Are there kite schools at Cuesta del Viento?

Several operate at the lake, including Cuesta del Viento Kite School, Boa Vida Cuesta del Viento, Yugaret Wind School and Kite School San Juan.

The bigger pictureEverything about Cuesta del Viento

Last updated: August 2026