Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort
Encyclopedia
The Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, also known to locals as Lee Canyon, is located in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area
, about 45 minutes' drive northwest of Las Vegas
, Nevada
via US 95. It is owned and operated by Powdr Corporation
. The best snow is usually found in February and early March, although occasionally sufficient snow cover exists as early as November.
The area offers 11 alpine skiing
and snowboarding
trails and four lifts, including three chairlift
s and one surface lift
.
In the 1940’s the Las Vegas Ski Club operated a short rope tow and a warming hut.
Lee Canyon Ski Area is born in 1964 when the US Forest Service issues a Special Use Permit in order to provide winter recreation options in Southern Nevada.
During the 60’s the Las Vegas gaming industry is booming, winter sports enthusiasts find desert snow in this high alpine environment only one hour away. A T-Bar is installed, the A-Frame Chalet is completed and in 1968 the first chairlift, Chair One, is installed to access higher elevations along with a rope tow on the beginner hill.
The main lodge building is completed in February, 1970.
In 1980, Chair Two replaces the T-Bar and the runs are improved for better skiing conditions. In '82 the beginner slope receives Chair Three, replacing the rope tow. In 1987 snowmaking comes to Lee Canyon, providing 60% coverage on the main trails. Snowboarding was not allowed until the late 80's. 1988 saw outdoor lighting to brighten the slopes for the first time, bringing night skiing to the area.
Lee Canyon Ski Area officially became Las Vegas Ski And Snowboard Resort in 1995
During the 1990’s snowboarding forever changes the LVSSR with a freestyle terrain park, half pipe and local competitions.
Big changes occurred in November 2003 when Park City Utah based Powdr Corporation acquires the resort. LVSSR joins Park City Mountain Resort, Alpine Meadows, Mt. Bachelor, Soda Springs, Boreal as a Powdr Corporation owned ski resort. Improved snowmaking, rental equipment, a Magic Carpet surface lift, expanded terrain park, and improved terrain on beginner slope.
In 2005 a triple chairlift is installed to replace the yellow double chairlift, Chair One. Further improvements are made to the snowmaking system. Powdr purchases Killington in Vermont. The future of the ski area is submitted to the USFS in new Master Plan proposal. In 2009, Powdr acquired Copper Mountain Colorado.
Also in 2009, the resort had its earliest opening ever on October 7. This was the second resort in the United States to open for the 2009-2010 season, the longest season on record at LVSSR with over 180 days of skiing and snowboarding.
36.3016376°N 115.6807593°W
Spring Mountains National Recreation Area
The Spring Mountains National Recreation Area is a U.S. National Recreation Area, administered by the U.S. Forest Service, and lies west of Las Vegas, Nevada. It covers over 316,000 acres of land. The area runs from low meadows at around 3,000 feet of elevation to Mount Charleston at 11,918...
, about 45 minutes' drive northwest of Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
via US 95. It is owned and operated by Powdr Corporation
Powdr Corporation
Powdr Corporation is one of the largest ski resort operators in North America, along with Boyne Resorts, Intrawest, and Vail Resorts. Unlike its competitors, Powdr focuses on ski area operations rather than real estate development. It is owned by the Cumming family and headquartered in Park City,...
. The best snow is usually found in February and early March, although occasionally sufficient snow cover exists as early as November.
The area offers 11 alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
and snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
trails and four lifts, including three chairlift
Chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel cable loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs...
s and one surface lift
Surface lift
A surface lift is a type of cable transportation system used to transport skiers and snowboarders where riders remain on the ground as they are pulled uphill.Types of surface lifts include the Poma lift, J-bar, T-bar, rope tow, and magic carpet....
.
History
Since the early 1930's, Las Vegas locals and visitors alike have enjoyed the snow on these wind protected, North facing slopes.In the 1940’s the Las Vegas Ski Club operated a short rope tow and a warming hut.
Lee Canyon Ski Area is born in 1964 when the US Forest Service issues a Special Use Permit in order to provide winter recreation options in Southern Nevada.
During the 60’s the Las Vegas gaming industry is booming, winter sports enthusiasts find desert snow in this high alpine environment only one hour away. A T-Bar is installed, the A-Frame Chalet is completed and in 1968 the first chairlift, Chair One, is installed to access higher elevations along with a rope tow on the beginner hill.
The main lodge building is completed in February, 1970.
In 1980, Chair Two replaces the T-Bar and the runs are improved for better skiing conditions. In '82 the beginner slope receives Chair Three, replacing the rope tow. In 1987 snowmaking comes to Lee Canyon, providing 60% coverage on the main trails. Snowboarding was not allowed until the late 80's. 1988 saw outdoor lighting to brighten the slopes for the first time, bringing night skiing to the area.
Lee Canyon Ski Area officially became Las Vegas Ski And Snowboard Resort in 1995
During the 1990’s snowboarding forever changes the LVSSR with a freestyle terrain park, half pipe and local competitions.
Big changes occurred in November 2003 when Park City Utah based Powdr Corporation acquires the resort. LVSSR joins Park City Mountain Resort, Alpine Meadows, Mt. Bachelor, Soda Springs, Boreal as a Powdr Corporation owned ski resort. Improved snowmaking, rental equipment, a Magic Carpet surface lift, expanded terrain park, and improved terrain on beginner slope.
In 2005 a triple chairlift is installed to replace the yellow double chairlift, Chair One. Further improvements are made to the snowmaking system. Powdr purchases Killington in Vermont. The future of the ski area is submitted to the USFS in new Master Plan proposal. In 2009, Powdr acquired Copper Mountain Colorado.
Also in 2009, the resort had its earliest opening ever on October 7. This was the second resort in the United States to open for the 2009-2010 season, the longest season on record at LVSSR with over 180 days of skiing and snowboarding.
External links
36.3016376°N 115.6807593°W