Sleigh bells ring in Mount Charleston winter wonderland
Luke and Spartacus are dressed in their long winter coats, patiently waiting for the people who will ride with them. Ta-Uch, their driver, greets everyone warmly.
Heather and Joe Kaschak, along with their friends Cheryll and Tom Gordon, all from Summerlin, climb into the 100-year-old sleigh and the ride begins.
While not as well-known as skiing and snowboarding, sleigh rides are among the many activities available on Mount Charleston in the winter.
During the sleigh ride, Ta-Uch explains that the horses are Percherons, bred for work and very gentle. He talks about his background, noting that he’s a Native American of the Chumash tribe in California, near Santa Barbara. He says he’s always loved horses and came to Las Vegas for his dream job — driving a sleigh.
On this day, the snow on the path is melting and it’s getting muddy. Ta-Uch says that when there’s not enough snow, the sleigh is replaced with a traditional carriage. When the ride is over, the passengers all say they had a wonderful time and were, in fact, very pleased that they could ride on snow in a sleigh so close to home when "home" is in Las Vegas.
Now, Las Vegas is the largest city in the Mojave Desert and, as such, it has a lot to offer — dining, entertainment, shopping. But it is in the desert, so it’s often hot and dry with mild winters. But, a real winter — the kind you can experience in other parts of the country — actually is an easy car ride away.
That nearby winter is in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, the region most of us refer to simply as "Mount Charleston." It is part of the Humboldt-Toiyabe ("Toy-ah-bee") National Forest, now the largest in the lower 48 states. Explorer John C. Fremont named the area after German naturalist Baron Alexander von Humboldt. "Toiyabe" is the Shoshone Indian word meaning "mountain."
To reach the sleigh rides and other winter activities, travel north on U.S. Highway 95 from Las Vegas. Pass the Paiute Snow Mountain Reservation and look for the sign for Lee Canyon/State Route 156. Turn left there and travel the several miles to Lee Canyon.
The sleigh and carriage rides, as well as trail riding on horseback, are offered by Mount Charleston Trail Rides in Lee Canyon. Sleigh and carriage rides run until May 1. They are $30 for people 16 and older; $25 for children younger than 16; and free for children younger than 3.
The sleigh rides are at the Sawmill Trailhead, approximately 12.9 miles up Highway 156. Reservations are necessary by calling (702) 596-6715. Additional information is available by visiting www.mtcharlestontrailrides. com.
Also along Highway 156 is the Foxtail Snow Play Area, where sledding is fun and safe.
In the canyon, five miles up the road from Mount Charleston Trail Rides, you’ll find the Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort. It rents equipment and clothing with rates varying by the age of the individual, the day of the week and whether it is a holiday. There are several snowboarding options and there is a place to buy sundries and snacks. Call (702) 385-2754 or visit www.skilasvegas.com for details.
But not every winter activity on Mount Charleston costs money.
Jasha Zeitlin, recreation specialist with the U.S. Forest Service — the agency overseeing the area — says there are organized activities, but people also can do things on their own.
"You can go snowshoeing and cross-country skiing," he says. "You can do this on your own or take advantage of the interpretive snowshoe hikes the forest service sponsors."
He suggests entering the area via Highway 156 and then use Deer Creek Road to connect to State Route 157 where the Mount Charleston Lodge is found.
The area is home to more than 50 sensitive plants and animals, some of which are only found there. During the winter, the forest service offers snowshoe hikes on weekends that are guided by a naturalist.
For a schedule of forest service-sponsored events in the Spring Mountains, visit www.discoverspring mountains.org.
Highway 157 (known as the Kyle Canyon Road) also has a forest service visitors center, various trails and the Resort at Mount Charleston.
"This is a great recreational area all year-round but, in the winter, it offers activities that you cannot find anyplace else near Las Vegas so it is a very special place," Zeitlin says.