Introduction
The inventory stage includes the identification, analysis and mapping of all on- site and off-site factors which may affect the development potential of the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard area. The inventory data includes: the land status, climatic, biophysical, and physiographic characteristics of the study area, as well as an analysis of the existing ski area. The study area identified for mountain planning purposes encompasses about 1,106 acres, of which 703 are within the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort Special Use Permit. Through an understanding of the site's existing conditions and natural process, environmentally sensitive areas can largely be avoided and natural development opportunities maximized.
As a prelude to discussing the mountain's characteristics, it is appropriate to familiarize the reader with the basic requirements of ski area development. Ski area development is generally considered to be a non-consumptive resource use of the land. The development of ski lifts and ski trails requires the use of approximately 50 percent of the area in small, heavily developed zones. Ski lift right-of-ways are characteristically 40 to 50 feet in width, while ski trails vary between 100 and 200 feet wide. Subsequent to rough grading by practices selected for each site, the trails require fine grooming and in some cases, seeding to establish a grass cover. This grass cover prevents erosion, helps to minimize hazards and damage to the skiers' and snowboarders' equipment during low snowpack periods and possible damage to the area's snow grooming fleet. Ski lifts are generally aerial cable systems used to transport sliders up the mountain, with steel towers and concrete foundations every 150 to 250 feet. The proposed improvements take into account the sensitive nature of the environment. Since the study area is a biodiversity hotspot, detailed environmental studies are underway and impacts will be mitigated through avoidance if possible, so that the ski facility and nature can co-exist. In fact, recent studies clearly show the ski facility as enhancing habitat for the Mt. Charleston blue butterfly and had it not been for the ski area even existing, this particular species most likely would have disappeared from Lee Canyon long ago.
Ski base area development generally includes a paved access road, parking lots, buildings for accommodation, a daylodge and a maintenance center. Additionally, appropriate power and water supply and sewage disposal facilities are required to support any base area improvements. The physical site characteristics discussed in this section all interact to aid the planning team when assessing the capability of the natural systems to support resort development.