Lee Canyon · Overview
Lee Canyon, the ski resort on Mount Charleston
Lee Canyon on Mount Charleston: base elevation, lifts and terrain from the resort, the scheduled Nov 20 opening, and links to tickets and rentals.
Updated Nov 1, 2026 · 10 sources
Lee Canyon is scheduled to open for the 2026/27 season on November 20, 2026, according to the resort; opening day depends on snow. Five days earlier, the SnowJam Las Vegas expo on Nov 14–15 gives Members a free weekday Lee Canyon lift-ticket voucher.
Lee Canyon is the ski and snowboard resort on Mount Charleston, about an hour’s drive from the Strip. It runs under a permit on U.S. Forest Service land in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, at the end of Lee Canyon Road. The resort describes itself as “less than an hour from the Strip” and, in its FAQ, “50 miles from Downtown”; allow more time from Henderson and when it snows. A lot of locals are surprised to hear it exists, and it’s a good place to learn: there’s a dedicated beginner area, a free first lesson for adults and rentals at the base.
This page is the overview. Each part of planning a day has its own page, linked below.
Lee Canyon at a glance
From the resort’s mountain statistics page:
| Base lodge elevation | 8,660 ft |
| Summit | 11,289 ft |
| Average annual snowfall | 129 in |
| Terrain | 445 acres: 235 lift-served, 210 hike-to |
| Trails | 36 |
| Chairlifts | 4: Rabbit Peak, Ponderosa, Bluebird and Sherwood |
| Snowmaking | 35% of terrain |
| Normal winter hours | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (FAQ) |
Rabbit Peak is the beginner lift. The resort’s beginner guide says first-time skiers and snowboarders should start there.
What’s new for 2026/27
- A new rope tow for the terrain park. The resort’s home page announces the “Let ‘em Ride” Rope Tow, new for the 26/27 winter season: “Park laps just got a whole lot better.”
- West Bowl. The statistics page lists “NEW for 26/27 season: West Bowl – Details coming soon.” We’ll add specifics when the resort publishes them; don’t plan your opening-day trip around it.
- A new lift card. Every ticket and pass now loads onto a reusable RFID card that you print at a “Pick-Up Box” kiosk at the resort. See Lee Canyon lift tickets.
- Passes. Lee Canyon is part of the Power Pass group, which includes Brian Head in Utah and Arizona Snowbowl. Kids 12 and under ski free with the Power Kids pass. It is not on the Epic or Ikon Pass, per its FAQ.
Trail map
The trail map is on the resort’s maps page. We don’t rehost it. Open it on your phone before you drive up, because the resort says there’s no cell service at the resort.
Plan your day
- Lee Canyon weather and conditions: the National Weather Service forecast for the base area, plus the resort’s snow report and cams.
- Lee Canyon lift tickets: demand-based day tickets, online only, and every 2026/27 pass.
- Ski and snowboard rentals for Lee Canyon: rent at the base or in town the night before.
- Snowboarding at Lee Canyon: the free first-timer lesson, group and private lessons, the terrain park and what to wear.
- Getting to Lee Canyon: the route, free parking, winter parking rules and Nevada’s chain signs.
Where to stay
Most visitors drive up and back from Las Vegas in a day. The resort’s FAQ names The Retreat on Charleston Peak as the closest hotel. During the winter holidays (December 20 to January 6) and after storms, the FAQ warns that traffic on the mountain roads backs up, so leave early either way.
In summer
The lifts keep running after the snow melts. Lee Canyon runs a lift-served bike park and scenic chairlift rides, and in 2026 it opened the new High Pines hiking trail. Our sister site covers Lee Canyon’s summer bike park.
If you want more mountain than Lee Canyon has, compare the ski resorts near Las Vegas by drive time.