Snowboarding In Vegas?

Skiiing And Snowboarding Near Las Vegas

Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort. Southern Nevada's skiing headquarters is a mere 47 mi northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Depending on traffic and conditions, it can take as little as an hour to go from a 70°F February afternoon on the Strip to the top of a chairlift at an elevation of 9,500 feet. "Ski Lee," as it's affectionately known (for its site in Lee Canyon), is equipped with three double chairlifts, a ski school, a half pipe and terrain park, a ski shop, rental equipment, and a day lodge with a coffee shop and lounge. Clothing rentals are even available for those who left their parkas in Poughkeepsie. There are 40 acres of groomed slopes: 20% of the trails are for beginners, 60% are intermediate, and 20% are advanced runs. The longest run is 3,000 feet, and there's a vertical drop of more than 1,000 feet. You know you're at the closest ski resort to Las Vegas when you see the slope names: Blackjack, High Roller, Keno, the Strip, Bimbo 1 and 2, and Slot Alley. The lifts are open from about Thanksgiving to Easter for skiing. Lift-ticket rates are $30. To get here, take U.S. 95 north to the Lee Canyon exit (Hwy. 156), and head up the mountain. A telephone call will get you snow conditions (PHONE: 702/593-9500); driving conditions can be had through the local road report (PHONE: 702/486-3116). Mt. Charleston, Hwy. 156, NV, USA. PHONE: 702/646-0008.

Meanwhile, Down In The Valley

The truth is that the skiing season on Mount Charelston ( over 4,000 feet above the Las Vegas Valley and an average of 30 degrees cooler year round ) depends on a completely different climate. Down in the Vegas Valley it rarely snows as the following statistics kept by the National Weather Forecast in Las Vegas show:

"Snow accumulation is rare in Las Vegas. Flurries are observed once or twice during most winters, but snowfall of an inch or more occurs only once every four to five years. However, freezing temperatures do occur with some regularity each year with a 30 year average of 24 days with low temperatures at or below 32 degrees. Snowfall is rather common in the mountains surrounding Las Vegas with the Spring Mountains receiving between 5 and 10 feet annually."

Snowfall Comes Occasionally To The Vegas Valley

     NORMALS (1971-2000)           

     JAN.....0.9                            
     FEB.....0.1                              
     MAR.....0.*                             
     APR-SEP.....      ( NEVER OCCURRED )
     OCT.....0.0       ( TRACE...OCT/1956 )
     NOV.....0.0                                
     DEC.....0.*                             
     * LESS THAN 0.1
     ANNUAL AVERAGE.....1.0



     6 SNOWIEST MONTHS   MOST SNOW IN 24 HOURS

     16.7.....1/1949     9.0.....1/4-5/1974
     13.4.....1/1974     7.5.....1/30-31/1979
      9.9.....1/1979     5.0.....1/11-12/1949
      4.1.....2/1939     4.4.....1/1/1974
      4.0.....11/1964    4.1.....2/3-4/1939
      2.0.....12/1967    4.0.....11/15-16/1964

     GREATEST SNOW DEPTHS (INCHES)  MOST SNOW IN A SEASON

      8.....1/05/1974               16.7....1948/49
      7.....1/12/1949               13.4....1973/74
      6.....1/31/1979               10.2....1978/79
      4.1....1938/39                 4.0....1964/65

     BIGGEST SNOW STORMS    
      9.7.....1/10-12/1949
      9.0.....1/04-05/1974   
      7.8.....1/30-2/2/1979   
      4.7.....1/25/1949      
      4.4.....1/01/1974      
      4.1.....2/03-04/1939   
      4.0.....11/15-16/1964
      2.4.....1/28/1979      
      2.3.....1/19-20/1949   
      2.0.....12/15/1967              
      1.5.....1/12/1937 AND 1/7/1955   
      1.4.....2/19/1990    
      1.0.....1/20/1945...1/29/1957


      EARLIEST SNOW EVER (Trace or Measurable)

      11/15/1964.....3.0" (1" more on the 16th)


      LATEST SNOW EVER

      Trace..........4/4/58
      Measurable.....3/3/76.....0.1"