On a weekend afternoon in January, the liftside scene at Nevada's Lee Canyon ski resort is a lot like any other in the western United States, abundant sunshine reflecting on packed white powder, a hubbub of happy skiers headed to and fro, an outdoor deck at a lively bar and grill overlooking the entire scene below—and scenic, white-capped peaks high above.
There’s one key difference here, however—Lee Canyon is the only ski resort in the western United States located just a short hop from the Las Vegas Strip. If you hadn’t driven the forty minutes here from The Strip yourself, out the northern end of town and up the road that takes you from the valley floor's 2,000 feet-ish to Lee Canyon’s base lodge elevation of 8,660 feet in no time at all, you wouldn’t have believed it.
And yet, here you are, thrilling to your changing surroundings, watching as desert scrub gives way to stands of Joshua trees and finally to verdant pine forest, a four-season playground known for cooler summer temperatures, that at this time of year beckons locals to its cross-country trails, sledding hills, and the aforementioned ski slopes.
Las Vegas is a large city, but it isn’t immense—in almost any direction you go from The Strip, it’s not long before you’re diving into your choice of all-natural, high desert environment in no time flat. But if it’s true altitude you’re after—and true winter weather, with piles of snow to play in—a day on Mt. Charleston is the way to go. Storms here may not always match up to the Rockies or the Sierras to the west, but the Spring Mountains, that impressive collection of peaks you see from every west-facing hotel window in Las Vegas, sees plenty of snowfall, considering its location in close proximity to a place where snow hardly ever falls. And this year, the range's highest elevations have seen an abundance of the white stuff, all just waiting to be explored. Here are a few ways to spend the perfect winter day on Mt. Charleston.
Ski sunny Las Vegas
Lee Canyon’s new trails (for a total of 31), new lifts (plus two makes seven) and upgraded snowmaking capabilities for this season compliment a near-complete revamp of the base lodge complex in recent years, making it even easier to enjoy a mountain that’s small but mighty, with 129 inches of annual average snowfall, 300-plus days of sunshine (of course) and a summit of 11,289 feet. Daily lift tickets start at just $14 in advance, making the experience accessible to all. Parking is free and easy.
This is what they mean by elevated cocktails
Lee Canyon’s not just for skiers. Locals love driving up here for lunch or a cocktail at 8,600 feet—or even just a coffee, in three on-site food & beverage outlets, all buzzing with outdoors-y types throughout the day. Mornings, it’s strong Illy coffee and breakfast sandwiches at Brewin’ Burro, while in the afternoons, the action moves up to the Bristlecone Bar for beers and flatbread pizzas, though the equally charming patio over at the Bighorn Grill, a popular stop for burgers, works well all day, too. During the winter, the action winds down around sunset.
Las Vegas trips are for…sledding
Las Vegas in English means “The Meadows,” but nothing down below comes close to the high-elevation expanses along the road up to Lee Canyon, tucked in among the tall pines. When you see scads of cars parked alongside the road, with lengthy snowfields just beyond, you’re in the right spot. This is where everyone comes right now, kids and sleds in tow, for serious winter play. (It turns into a popular picnicking destination come summer.) Don’t worry—even on the busiest weekends, there always seems to be room for everyone.
Spend the night
Located opposite the Cathedral Rock trailhead—usually popular with day hikers but snowed in and closed up tight for the winter—Mt. Charleston Lodge & Cabins for years had one of the finest watering holes in Las Vegas, a simple pub centered around a circular fire pit, with floor-to-ceiling views of piney surrounds. While fans await the construction of a new bar and restaurant to take the place of the old after a tragic fire, the lodge’s cozy cabins are still open for bookings. Just down the mountain a piece, past a small residential village—the coolest suburb of Las Vegas, both literally and figuratively—you’ll find the Retreat on Charleston Peak, a modest hotel with both a bar and a restaurant on site.
