View File photosTop, snowboarders and skiers enjoy the snow last year at the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort. The resort plans to open in early December and will remain open until April. Marcel Barel, instructor with Marcel?s Ski School at the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, leads his group to the ski lift in January.
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Winter weather may be just settling into the Las Vegas Valley, but at the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, ski season is just around the corner.
The Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, located on the way to Mount Charleston on Highway 156, is shooting for an early December opening, weather permitting. Once ski season begins, the resort will be open daily through April.
Scenic chairlift rides will be offered as of this weekend, Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to Curt Sheffield, city office manager for the resort.
"The warm weather is going to delay our official opening, but we'll still have the chair lifts open as of Thanksgiving weekend," said base operations manager Craig Baldwin. "It's a great opportunity for people who might not be familiar with these sports to just come up and enjoy the mountain."
The popular recreation destination has undergone some changes in the off-season, and resort officials are hoping to have the biggest season yet.
One of the most noticeable changes is the addition of new equipment for the terrain park, similar to a skateboarding park facility only geared toward snowboard enthusiasts. With over 70 percent of visitors to the resort coming to snowboard, the improvements were imperative, Baldwin said.
"We call it the Dark Side terrain park," he said. "It has all new rails and boxes similar to the skate parks in Vegas, so there are a lot of kids familiar with that coming up and hitting the park. Snowboarding is our predominant visitation."
The resort also replaced its existing snowmaking water line, installing nearly 1,000 feet of new pipe in order to minimize water loss and improve efficiency. New lines mean more snow, and better-quality snow.
Other renovations include the addition of more lockers and the purchase of tons of new rental equipment, including new Burton snowboards, bindings and boots.
Daily snow reports, the status of all three ski lifts and road condition reports can be found at the resort's Web site, www.skilasvegas.com. Skiers also can call the snow report hot line at 593-9500.
Season passes start at $269 for children 12 and under and go up to $569 for an adult full season pass. Daily lift ticket prices vary.
Ski or board lessons are available for children and adults, including group sessions and private lessons. For more information, visit the Web site or call the resort's city office at 645-2754.
Besides the ski areas, the resort offers food and beverages at the Big Horn Cafe, which serves hot or cold drinks, soup, salad, chili, burgers, sandwiches and snacks in the dining room or on the outdoor sundeck. The resort's sports shop carries a variety of gear from ski helmets to sunglasses.
Ski clothing can be rented as well as equipment, but visitors are advised to plan for rapidly changing weather conditions and bring goggles, sunglasses, sun protection, a hat and wear layered clothing. Socks should be a thin wool or poly blend for skiing or snowboarding, since thick socks are too bulky and don't keep feet as warm. Gloves or mittens also should be worn.
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