Skiers and snowboarders love Utah, which is so famous for its light, dry powder that it has trademarked the right to call itself home of the “Greatest Snow on Earth.” But what many winter travelers don’t know is that some of the most reliable, cheapest—and least crowded—powder skiing in the state is in Southern Utah, much closer to Las Vegas than the big-name resorts around Salt Lake City. If that still seems like it’s too far to go, Las Vegas even has its own ski resort, a hidden gem beloved by locals.
A Las Vegas ski vacation? Really?
The typical ski trip is five days on the slopes, with a lot of time spent traveling. To make the most out of your days off on a Friday to Sunday vacation, why not start and end with fun weekends in Vegas, sandwiching five midweek days of fresh powder? You get two complete vacations in one trip—and a lot more bang for the buck. At the Utah ski resorts near Vegas, lift tickets are always well under $100, half to a third the price of Salt Lake City mountains, and kids 12 and under are always free.
Consider these facts: America’s three most popular and crowded ski resorts are all in Colorado, and skiers bound for places like Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen, Crested Butte and Steamboat routinely drive 2 ½-5 hours from Denver, often in bad weather and bumper to bumper traffic. But even in mid-winter, I-15 from Las Vegas is typically dry and traffic free, with speed limits as high as 80mph. Two major resorts are just 3-3 ½ hours away, with a one-hour time change, so you can ski a full day on Friday and easily make a Michelin-worthy dinner reservation, Cirque du Soleil show, magical extravaganza or headline musical residence on the Strip, something you cannot do anywhere else in the U.S.
Bookend your ski week with epic nightlife and dining
There's simply no ski destination that can rival the range of lodging, dining, nightlife and entertainment Vegas offers, and it’s a win-win for pretty much any type of skier, from bargain seekers to high-rollers, beginners to advanced backcountry skiers, families or friends. Golf lovers can even combine the two sports in one epic trip. Foodies have the nation’s best slate of restaurants, nightlife fans can enjoy the nightclub scene, retail junkies and spa-lovers will find a selection that blows away even the poshest ski towns, and sports fans can take in an NFL or NHL game.
Rethinking the ski vacation paradigm with Las Vegas as the gateway just gives you more of almost everything—including flights. And while almost all “ski” airports jack up prices in winter, and face increased cancellations and delays, Vegas is typically among the most affordable and reliable places to fly.
The skiing and snowboarding
Eagle Point, Beaver, UT: With 350-plus inches of annual snowfall—more than Deer Valley—and no lift lines, Eagle Point may be the best ski resort you never heard of. This fun and charming family-owned mountain has 43 marked trails and five lifts, plus extensive guided backcountry skiing beyond its boundaries. It’s also an under-four-hour drive from Las Vegas, making the perfect excursion using Vegas as your home base. There’s an intimate house party ambiance, with all lodging in condos and homes managed by the resort rather than hotels, and social dining, drinking and local bands in the base lodges. With a maximum of around 200 overnight guests, the resort lives up to its slogan “100% Uncrowded Trails,” and outside of heli-skiing, give you the nation’s best shot at a full-blown day of shin, knee or thigh deep powder skiing. With the second highest base elevation in Utah, 9,100 feet, quality snow is a sure bet.
Brian Head, UT: With its base at 9,600-feet, the only resort in Utah higher than Eagle Point is nearby Brian Head, an easy 3-hour drive from Vegas. It’s the bigger of the two and averages over 350 inches—more than every famous ski resort in Colorado. There are 72 trails and eight lifts, plus weekend night skiing, a lift-served tubing hill, terrain park, and beginner’s learning center. It has far more extensive base area facilities, with condos, restaurants, stores and hotels, including the relatively new and well-equipped stone and timber Brian Head Lodge. Eagle Point and Brian Head are close enough to each other so they can easily be combined for a ski week.
Lee Canyon, NV: Las Vegas’ hometown ski area has changed names a few times, previously Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort and Mt. Charleston, but whatever you call it, the slopes sit less than an hour from the Strip and even closer to Downtown. A visit here is more than skiing, it’s an international immersion, as the mountain attracts many Vegas visitors who have never skied—or even seen snow—before. You might hear Chinese, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish over après ski beers on the sunny outside deck. With a base elevation above 8,500 feet and hike or skin-to glades and chutes climbing to 11,000 feet, they get surprisingly good snow. The lifts are modern and uncrowded, with four chairs, including three high-speed quads, serving 31 trails. As the closest to town, you just commute and spend your night among the neon lights.
Après Ski Vegas Style
There is no shortage of places to celebrate post skiing in Las Vegas. In fact, once you consider Las Vegas as a ski destination, it becomes the best après ski spot on earth. But one notable place stands out—even in the heat of summer. 365 days a year there is a crackling fire in the Ski Lodge in the Cosmopolitan, run by the same entertainment group behind the hit shows Absinthe and Atomic Saloon. The après theme is in a winter lodge setting, complete with virtual snowfall outside the “windows,” toasted s’mores and craft cocktails, plus beloved Superfrico pizza.
Gearing Up
Didn’t bring your skis or gear? No worries, all three resorts offer full onsite equipment rentals. But if you want more flexibility or selection or to bounce around between resorts without swapping gear, Las Vegas has you covered. Gravity Sports is one of the city’s biggest shops, with tuning and full rental lineup, including flexible packages aimed at visitors. Stone Sports also has ski and snowboard rentals, while Sin City Snowboards has the largest collection for riding in the area.