Lift Blog

Remnants of Hurricane Hilary dumped nearly 10 inches of rain on Nevada’s Mt. Charleston last weekend, causing major infrastructure damage to Lee Canyon. “In light of the limited initial assessment, it is with a heavy heart that we announce the end of our summer mountain operations,” the ski area announced this afternoon. “We understand the anticipation and excitement surrounding this season, and we will be reaching out to our mountain biking day pass and season pass holders with information as soon as possible due to this unforeseen closure. Trails, chairlifts, and essential facilities that encompass our summer offerings have borne the brunt of this unexpected occurrence,” the statement continued.

You can see the underground pipes of some kind have been exposed as well pic.twitter.com/P9R45NFEk8

— Mt Charleston Mountain Man (@mountainman_mc) August 24, 2023

Photos posted to social media showed lift terminals buried up to haul rope level and tower footers undercut. As soon as road access is restored, crews will begin working to repair the ski area for the winter season. Adding to the work load, Skytrac is currently part way finished with the mountain’s new Ponderosa Quad, which is still expected to open this winter.

This is a ski lift at @LeeCanyonLV That clearance used to be six feet underneath it. Other reports are that where it’s not covered in rock, it’s covered in mud. It may take a month or two before we see it again… 💔 pic.twitter.com/HnzuJpBtJU

— Mt Charleston Mountain Man (@mountainman_mc) August 23, 2023