Ski resort near Las Vegas plans major upgrades

By McKenna Ross Las Vegas Review-Journal

1 year ago

Parker Wasiak, 9, of Las Vegas, is ready to ski on Monday, Dec. 26, 2022, at the Lee Canyon res ... — Parker Wasiak, 9, of Las Vegas, is ready to ski on Monday, Dec. 26, 2022, at the Lee Canyon resort 35 miles northwest of Las Vegas. (Chitose Suzuki/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)

Lee Canyon announced a $7 million capital improvement project to add ski lifts and a 450-space parking area to the resort, creating the beginner/intermediate area that is highlighted in the image. (Courtesy of Lee Canyon)

The restaurant is idle on a maintenance day at the Lee Canyon ski resort on on Thursday, April 13, 2023, outside of Las Vegas. The resort has been sold from POWDR Corp. and the Thomas family to Mountain Capital Partners. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

One of the lifts is idle on a maintenance day at the Lee Canyon ski resort on on Thursday, April 13, 2023, outside of Las Vegas. The resort has been sold from POWDR Corp. and the Thomas family to Mountain Capital Partners. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Signage for Lee Canyon, where the ski resort was sold from POWDR Corp. and the Thomas family to Mountain Capital Partners, on Thursday, April 13, 2023, outside of Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Visitors to Lee Canyon can expect a few upgrades geared toward novice snow sport athletes next season, thanks to a $7 million capital project announced at the Spring Mountains-area ski resort.

Lee Canyon will add a new quad chairlift, a 500-foot “Sunkid” conveyor lift and 450 extra parking spaces, according to a news release Wednesday.

The improvements come to address the site’s increase in visitors who are new to snow sports, according to the release.

“Lee Canyon is seeing more visitors, especially first-time and youth skiers and snowboarders. Collectively, these investments mean we can better serve the needs of those populations,” General Manager Dan Hooper said in a statement.

Guests will take the “magic carpet” lift in the Rabbit Peak chairlift area to get access to the new chairlift, or access it through trails off the Sherwood triple chair. The new parking spaces will also be located near the new chairlift area for easy access.

Called Ponderosa, the new quad lift will be on the mountain’s southeast side to give access to three intermediate runs: Foxtail Alley, Limber Pine Lane and Bonanza Ridge. The trails are ideal for skiers and snowboarders progressing from beginner to intermediate terrain, the resort said.

“This is an investment in Lee Canyon’s guest experience,” Hooper said in the release. “The Ponderosa chair makes popular trails easy to reach while also allowing skiers/riders to be more (dispersed) throughout the property.”

The capital improvement project comes about four months after Durango, Colorado-based Mountain Capital Partners purchased the ski resort. The firm owns and manages 12 ski resorts and bike parks including Lee Canyon. Season pass products offer reciprocal days at other Mountain Capital resorts, including in nearby Brian Head, Utah.

Lee Canyon’s last capital project was the Hillside Lodge, a 10,000 square-foot ski-in, ski-out facility with food and beverage outlets, which opened in the 2019-2020 season. The resort also debuted a downhill mountain bike park last summer, according to the release.

Construction projects are not expected to interfere with summer operations, the resort said.

McKenna Ross is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. Contact her at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on Twitter.