Living in Las Vegas

35 miles northwest of Las Vegas is Mount Charleston. It is Nevada’s 8th highest mountain peak and is located in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. The average annual snowfall is 120 inches a year with over 300 sunny days.

The Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort is located about 17 miles up the mountain at the end of Highway 156. They are open from 9am to 4pm during ski season. You can rent skis, boots, poles, snowboards, bibs or jackets.  They have 11 trails and 4 lifts. The longest run is 3000 feet.  There are also table-top jumps, rails and a 500 foot intermediate half-pipe.  When you are ready to relax, you can stop by the Big Horn Cafe or Bristlecone Bar.

On your way up the mountain, you will pass by the Mount Charleston Lodge. The Lodge has 23 cabins and a lounge that is open nightly until midnight.  It’s located at the end of Highway 157.

The Mount Charleston Hotel is farther down the mountain and only about 30 minutes away from Las Vegas.  It is newer and they recently renovated the guest rooms. There is also a conference room, wedding facilities, a restaurant and a spa. 

If your looking for a way to get away from Las Vegas without going too far, Mount Charleston is the perfect spot.  Winter or summer, it’s always about 20 degrees cooler with lots of skiing, hiking and camping.

Camping at Sequoia was a blast and it brings back memories of the time we camped at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area a few years back.  Now forgive me, but honestly, I don’t remember exactly where we camped, but the bathrooms were clean and we had an awesome time!!

Lake Mead is the largest man made lake and was created by the Hoover Dam. Like the rest of Las Vegas, it is open 24/7, except for some beach areas that are only open from dawn to dusk.  The visitor center is open from 8 - 4:30 daily.  The price is $5 per car for 1 - 5 days or $20 for an annual pass.   The America the Beatiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass will set you back $80, but that pass covers it all, including Sequoia National Park. 

Lake Mead has over 700 miles of shoreline and offers a countless number of activities in and around the lake.  Along with the usual fishing, boating, and water skiing a visit to Lake Mead could include a hike in the backcountry or a scenic drive down Northshore Road.  For a true vacation, I would definitely check into camping or renting a house boat.  To get all the latest information, Lake Mead has its own newspaper, the Desert Lake View, available  for free to help you start planning your own awesome vacation!!