LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — This weekend, hundreds of skiers and snowboarders flocked to Lee Canyon as the resort transitions out of its 7-day-a-week winter operations.
"In effect, that is the closing of our winter operations. However, we will go weekend to weekend with one chairlift open, bluebird chairlift, which is really going to be for the locals to just keep on skiing. We will have limited rental operations, ski school will be in advanced bookings only, but our food and beverage facilities will be open," said Jim Seely, Director of Marketing at Lee Canyon.
Seely said this winter season has been great for skiers and snowboarders in the resort.
This year, the resort received 215 inches of snow and ran a total of 5 lifts.
In early January, resort officials announced the opening of the Ponderosa quad chairlift, which has been used by skiers and snowboarders throughout the season. The Ponderosa chairlift is on the southeast side of the mountain and provides access to runs, including Bonanza Ridge, Foxtail Alley, and Limber Pine Lane.
The new lift is part of a $7 million capital improvement project. Other improvements that were part of the project include a new lift-served downhill mountain park and the Ponderosa parking area, which added another 450 parking spots near Rabbit Peak.
"With this whole expansion of our easier terrain, it's definitely allowed more people to come up, more people to experience Lee Canyon or just skiing in general for the first time," said Seely.,
Lee Canyon also introduced a new program called "Power Kids", which allows kids aged 12 and under to ski or snowboard for free. The resort reported a surge of kids participating in winter sports following the implementation of the new initiative.
"We'll continue that but also obviously next year but also in the summer time too as far as with our mountain biking, so "power kids" means kids 12 and under get to access the lifts and mountains for free, whether it's skiing or mountain biking," said Seely.
The winter season at the resort went out with a bang this weekend.
Lee Canyon officials hosted its "feel good weekender", where people were able to participate in a freestyle triathlon, Biggest Little Air, job comp, and the highest ollie.
On Sunday, visitors will show off their best costumes and tricks at their pond skim.
