Cycle
Local outdoor industry guests gathered for press conference and ribbon-cutting event where Lee Canyon announced details on its upcoming fall mountain bike season
Yesterday, at a press and ribbon-cutting event, Lee Canyon’s General Manager Dan Hooper announced the public soft opening of the resort’s new downhill mountain bike park. Starting Wednesday, Sept. 7, mountain bikers can ride the park, served by the Bluebird chairlift, daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., conditions permitting. Daily passes will be available for purchase online.
“Lee Canyon’s goal is to create more diverse and inclusive ways for Las Vegas to engage in outdoor recreation while minimizing the impact on the Spring Mountains. Our mountain bike park reflects Lee Canyon’s commitment to Play Forever through responsible recreation.
– Dan Hooper
Wednesday, Sept 7, also marks the start of Lee Canyon’s fall season when the resort will be open seven days a week, offering all services, including dining. “The move to a four-season, seven-day operating schedule means Lee Canyon will add 50 full-time, year-round positions,” said Hooper.
This season Lee Canyon’s bike park offers two trails designed for advanced-level mountain bikers. Summer 2023, the resort’s park will offer over seven miles of beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert mountain biking terrain, including excavated and jump trails and single track.
This year, people must bring their mountain bikes and gear. Starting next summer, Lee Canyon will also offer bike and gear rentals. Summer 2023, Lee Canyon will also provide a full range of programs for youth and adults, including daily introduction programs, kids’ multi-day session and advanced development programs, and technical coaching clinics for adults.
“Today’s ribbon-cutting at Lee Canyon is a great milestone for Southern Nevada’s growing outdoor recreation industry. I’m impressed by the alignment of government agencies and private business in creating a mountain bike park to serve our residents and attract new visitors to Clark County.”
– Lieutenant Governor Lisa Cano Burkhead
Lee Canyon worked with partners the US Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife to make the bike park a reality.
After the ribbon-cutting, six local mountain bikers took the first official ride on the park’s trails. They included Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones, North Las Vegas Councilman Scott Black, Josh Bean, Lee Canyon’s director of mountain operations, Heather Fisher, Save Red Rock president, Escape Adventures and Las Vegas Cyclery Founder Jared Fisher, Rob Hutchinson, Southern Nevada Mountain Bike Association board member, Tom Thomas, and local mountain biker Ami Moreno Kempf.
Other speakers included Deborah MacNeil, area manager, Spring Mountains National Recreation Area/US Forest Service; Scott Black, who is also an advisor for Southern Nevada Bicycle Coalition; Colin Robertson, administrator, Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation, and Ross Miller, Clark County Commissioner, District C, who presented Hooper and his team with a proclamation acknowledging their achievement.
“The operators of Lee Canyon are to be congratulated for creating this spectacular new amenity and putting Las Vegas on the mountain biking map. It’s thrilling to see it open. I encourage residents to visit and give the nation’s newest mountain bike park a try.”
– Commissioner Miller
Recently, the local mountain bike population has exploded, creating a need for managed recreation areas like Lee Canyon to offer more mountain bike trails designed by experts that consider environmental impact and cater to the needs of specific ability levels.
“There’s been a complete transformation of the local mountain bike demographic. Las Vegas Cyclery has seen a massive uptick in youth mountain bike sales, along with more families and first-time riders of all ages. As a managed recreation area, Lee Canyon’s mountain bike park will foster community, learning, and fun.”
– Jared Fisher, founder of Las Vegas Cyclery and Escape Adventures
