Las Vegas, Nevada — Perhaps the most anticipated ski resort terrain expansion opening this winter is at Las Vegas, Nevada, out of all places. And no, the expansion isn’t happening at a casino. Lee Canyon is opening a long-dreamed-of expansion into the West Bowl, adding new intermediate and advanced terrain.
Monday marked a major milestone for the new chairlift that will serve the West Bowl. Helicopters carried the lift towers to the future lift line, with workers on the ground setting them in place. While it was a foggy session, there were still some beautiful pictures taken.
This expansion will add five trails during its first ski season, catering to intermediate and advanced skiers and riders. More trails are planned in the years ahead. Guests will reach the terrain pod by riding the Bluebird chair, then skiing over. An egress route will take skiers and riders back to the Bristlecone base area. As with the other pods, there’s hike-to access to expert backcountry terrain.
A SkyTrac fixed-grip quad chairlift will serve the terrain pod. It will have a vertical rise of 800 feet, a length of 1,370 feet, and carry 1,800 passengers per hour.
Since 2019, Lee Canyon has seen $23 million worth of investments from POWDR (the former owner) and Mountain Capital Partners (the current owner). These investments include two new base lodges, two new terrain expansions, two new chairlifts, a couple of surface lifts, a new base area with additional parking, a mountain biking park, snowmaking enhancements and a hiking trail.
Lift Ticket Deals & An Opening Date
To celebrate this major step in construction, the Nevada ski resort announced that lift tickets for the 2026-27 season are on sale now. For a select number of dates, the resort is offering $9 lift tickets, plus $10 in resort credit.
“Affordability and investment don’t have to work against each other,” said Josh Bean, General Manager of Lee Canyon. “We can keep improving the mountain while creating more opportunities for people to ski and ride.”
Lee Canyon aims to open for the 2026-27 season on November 20th. El Niño winters tend to deliver for Lee Canyon, as it averages 215 inches of snow, up from its traditional average of 129 inches.
Image Credits: Lee Canyon
