Lee Canyon (NV)
Skiing in the Spring Mountains near Las Vegas
Skiing in Las Vegas
Snow skiing, like, on a real mountain…. in Las Vegas!? Yup, that’s a thing! No gimmicks here. Lee Canyon, formerly known as “Ski Las Vegas” and “Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort” is a medium sized ski area that is located in the Spring Mountain wilderness about 49 miles from the Las Vegas strip on the very Southern tip of the State of Nevada.
Lee Canyon offers lift served Alpine skiing and snowboarding for 4 to 5 months each Winter and serves as a mountain retreat for the nearby Las Vegas metropolitan area. Despite its high desert location, Lee Canyon usually sees ample natural snowfall and has sufficient snowmaking to ensure quality ski conditions each season.
Ski the Spring Mountains
Hard to believe that a quick 45 minute drive can see you gain over 6,500 feet in elevation and take you from the flat and warm expanses of the desert to a cool and snowy paradise with jagged peaks and stunning scenery. The Lee Canyon Ski Area starts at a base of 8,510ft and has a lift served vertical rise up to 9,370ft. For those experienced skiers and riders looking for a little more adventure and some sweet powder turns, the ski area offers an additional 1,919 vertical feet of “hike in” side-country terrain just above the lifts that is regularly avalanche controlled by the resort and offers some exceptional Expert Skiing terrain.
Lee Canyon exists on a mostly Northeastern facing aspect on the tallest portion of the Spring Mountains and is essentially in a large bowl with two distinct ski zones each serviced by it’s own chairlift.
Lift TIckets & pass alliance
Lifts tickets can be purchased online or on site and start at $69+ and are dynamically priced depending on the day. Lee Canyon has long been owned by the Powdr Corporation, who has been infamous for never really creating their own branded multi-resort pass like Vail and Alterra. They do however have season pass reciprocation with most of their other ski areas, plus a few partner resorts. 23 partner resorts to the tune of 70 free days for passholders here.
Transportation
No shuttles from the city exist here, nor from the nearby resort hotel. The only transportation provided by Lee Canyon itself is a short shuttle bus from the overflow parking lot. As the cell service is limited on the mountain, ride sharing and taxis are not recommended unless a predetermined pickup time is set for return trips. Drive yourself or grab a rental car to get here, and check the LC Facebook page for weather and road updates. Parking is $10 per vehicle here.
Amenities
Lee Canyon boasts a brand new base lodge, with 3 options for food and drink including quick bites and coffee, to proper sit down dining and a bar/grill. There are 3 fixed grip chairlifts here, plus a surface tow, and the day lodge offers ski and snowboard rentals plus a merchandise shop. The mountain has moderate snowmaking capabilities and avalanche mitigation for the hike in terrain above the lifts. When the snow is good, a medium sized terrain park is also featured here.
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129″
Annual Snowfall
26
Named Runs
860′
Vertical Feet
445
Skiable Acres
Lee Canyon photo gallery
Going Places
Just up Hwy 95N from Las Vegas is the mountain turnoff for Lee Canyon, the town of Mount Charleston and the Spring Mountains wilderness. From here the elevation gain happens quickly and steadily and within 45 minutes of leaving the strip, you can find yourself with over a 6,500 foot elevation gain!
Ski Las Vegas
Home to several names over the years, the resort has most recently settled on “Lee Canyon” and after parking, you will see this rustic sign on your walk through the snowy gates to gain entry to the ski area. Parking passes are $10 per day and can be purchased online or at the toll booth on your way up.
Chairlifts
Lee Canyon has 3 fixed grip chairlifts, each representing it’s own specific zone of the ski area. 2 chairs divide the resort South to West from it’s base and a third chair is lower down the mountain for the beginner area. Rumors of further expansion up the mountain and additional lifts have swirled for years, however the ecosystem in this region is especially fragile and permits have been hard to come by for the ski area.
Welcome to Paradise
A snowy getaway would be a distant thought for most folks living in desert towns, but the residents of Las Vegas are lucky to have this quaint mountain resort just a stone’s throw away. Good skiing, cheap tickets and a laid back vibe make Lee Canyon a welcoming place to visit.
The Spring Mountains
The Spring Mountains are actually a pretty impressive and scenic mountain range that will make you forget all about the bright lights and loud sounds of the Vegas strip. With surrounding peaks reaching as high as 11,918ft (3,633m) on Mount Charleston, the ski area can be as much as a 40 degree difference from downtown Las Vegas.
Tree skiing
Perfectly spaced trees with not much undergrowth and light/dry snow is the perfect formula for some awesome tree skiing. Try your luck on “Kings,” “Queens,” or the “Slot Alley” trails for some of the best high desert tree runs around!
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The Resort on Mt. Charleston
Just a short 13 miles drive around the horn of the Mountain is one of the coolest and most laid back hotels you’ll ever stay at. The Resort on Mount Charleston is a rustic mountain lodge with a great restaurant, full bar with gaming and a coffee shop plus convenience store. They’ve recently been rebranded as: The Retreat on Charleston Peak.
Relax and unwind in the Mountains
The rooms at the Retreat on Charleston Peak are recently renovated, but the hotel has managed to maintain it’s rustic charm, and with mountain views all around and a true feeling of isolation, it makes for a very relaxing ski destination spot.
Las Vegas strip ski bar
If you’re looking for a taste of the mountains before you even leave the strip, check out this awesome hidden ski bar that’s right in downtown Vegas. It’s kind of a secret, so you gotta know to go. Click the link for a video on how to find it from Midwestskiers.com
Location and hours
The following is the hours and location for Lee Canyon Ski Area during normal Winter operations:
6725 Lee Canyon Rd, Las Vegas, Nevada. 89124
Snow Season is Mid-December to Late March.
Winter Hours are 9am – 4pm, 7 days per week.
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Snow Skiing in Las Vegas at Lee Canyon