Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort
Draft Master Development Plan

Mountain Design Methodology and Planning Parameters

Ski Lift and Ski Trail Design

When designing a system of lifts and ski trails, the ultimate development should be planned in order that future lifts and additional ski trails will not create conflicts, congestion, crowding or worn-out snow conditions. Utilization of various lift loading and unloading patterns, as well as ski trail grading can direct skiers onto preferred ski trail systems to improve trail utilization or avoid major congestion areas.

Ski trails and slopes should be designed to provide the best skiing opportunities and then, subsequently, lifts located to best serve these ski trails since lifts are merely a means of access. The type of lift may vary, depending on the natural terrain it must cross and serve, as well as the required hourly capacity and type of skier being served.

Lifts should not be located simply because good upper and lower terminal locations have been selected, or to minimize construction costs. There are many lift design alternatives available to accommodate a wide variety of sites. Lift construction costs, although important, should normally be a secondary consideration when compared to skiing quality, aesthetics or environmental factors. Ski lift loading and unloading terminals are preferably located in protected areas on slopes less than 20 percent. Adequate space must be allotted for lift queues, safe stopping, unloading areas and general congregation areas at both the upper and lower lift terminals.

As a general rule, Ecosign allows between 15 and 25 square feet per skier for these congregation areas, depending upon anticipated queues and the capacity and type of lift.

During the resort design process, Ecosign has found that it is critical to balance all facilities, so that guests receive the same quality of experience regardless of which facility they use. Ecosign uses the unit "skiers per day" to more easily compare the capacities of these diverse facilities. Facilities which must be balanced include: lifts, ski trails, grooming equipment, skier service building floorspace, food service seating, lift staging capacity, parking and base area accommodation capacity.

Ecosign has utilized a number and letter code to indicate the type of lift installations proposed. The coding is illustrated below.