LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Lee Canyon is expected to be the second ski resort in the western U.S. to open this year as officials announced the Rabbit Peak chairlift — the bunny slope — will begin operations on Saturday, Nov. 2.
It’s the latest in 2024’s crazy weather story. The resort’s mountain biking season doesn’t end until Sunday, Nov. 3, and the main chairlifts will be taking riders farther up the mountain while skiers and snowboarders use the beginner terrain. That’s a first.
Snowmaking equipment has been taking advantage of cold weather in the Spring Mountains, allowing the resort to get an early start on the winter season for the first time since 2011. That year, the Rabbit Peak lift opened on Oct. 8, making Lee Canyon the first ski area in the country to open.
“Lee Canyon’s investment in snowmaking capabilities lets us deliver this stellar combination of adventures to our guests. We’re also a team of passionate skiers and snowboarders, so an opening is a huge win for everyone,” Josh Bean, Lee Canyon’s director of mountain operations, said in a news release.
The Rabbit Peak lift will run Friday through Sunday, and more terrain will open as weather permits. Additional operating dates will be announced at www.leecanyonlv.com. Current hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Colorado’s Wolf Creek Ski Area opened on Oct. 22, with an estimated 1% of the area in service.
Saturday is also Lee Canyon’s annual Pray for Snow Party from 1 to 4 p.m. inside Hillside Lodge’s Bristlecone Bar. The event is free and family-friendly. Winter season passes are on sale now.
In the past five years, Lee Canyon has invested $17 million in upgrades including two new chairlifts, a downhill mountain bike park, Hillside Lodge and expanded snowmaking and parking. It’s only been about 14 months since heavy rains caused widespread damage in the Spring Mountains as the remnants of Hurricane Hilary swept through the area.
