Industry News
While Las Vegas (also known as Sin City) is very popular in terms of bright lights, casinos, and entertainment, they aren’t known for ski resorts. Luckily, there are ski resorts not far from Sin City to satisfy ski fanatics even in one of the driest climates in America.
The closest resort for skiers and snowboarders is about a one-hour drive from the desert city. This resort is known as Lee Canyon and has an elevation of 8,510 feet, according to Travel Nevada. Lee Canyon is home to 3 lifts and 24 runs. The resort offers first-time skiers a free lesson to prepare them for the hill. Not only that, but the resort also offers a ski-in and ski-out bar, perfect for anyone not wanting to take a chunk out of their day and get out of their gear just to drink and eat. Activities besides skiing and snowboarding at Lee Canyon include snowshoeing and show tubing.
While the resort may seem impossible to run when located so close to the blistering heat of Las Vegas, the weather is vastly different from that of Sin City. Travel Nevada exclaims how travelers pass through seven climate zones when driving from Las Vegas to Lee Canyon.
“(The trip) is similar to traveling from Mexico to the Canadian arctic in less than 20 miles,” states Travel Nevada.
If the 24 runs aren’t ideal, travelers can take a longer trip to southern Utah. Utah is home to the “best snow on earth” and conveniently for Las Vegas tourists, Utah’s highest ski resort base elevation is only a three-hour drive from Vegas. This resort is known as Brian Head. Surprisingly, Brian Head brings in an annual 350-360 inches of “perfect snow,” receiving more than every major ski resort in Colorado, as stated by Forbes. The nearly 11,000 feet elevated resort offers 71 trails, night skiing, a tubing hill with a lift, a beginner learning center, and a terrain park. Additionally, the welcoming base areas provide dining, shopping, and housing options.
The second highest elevated ski resort base in Utah is Eagle Point. Eagle Point is three hours from Vegas, just like Brian Head. Eagle Point rents out the entire mountain for private functions. This is very appealing for visitors from Vegas, as many companies host private, large conventions. This mountain presents a twist on normal conventions and outings for companies.
Eagle Point is home to 40 trails over 650 acres and 1,500-vertical-feet. The nearest town to Eagle Point Resort is 18 miles away, so amenities such as hotels and stores at the resort itself are limited. There are however hotel options in Beaver. Within the resort area, there are only about 40 properties for on-mountain lodging, almost all of which are ski-in/ski-out, and the majority of which are operated by the resort which naturally limits the potential for crowded slopes and lift lines. This allows tourists to be blessed with a resort experience that is uncrowded even during peak times, setting up unstoppable powder days
If you ever find yourself having an uneventful day in Las Vegas, take a day trip to these resorts.
