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Meet Josh Bean, Lee Canyon’s favorite son

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Josh Bean
Photo: Wade Vandervort

Josh Bean learned how to ski as soon as he learned how to walk. The 38-year-old third-generation Lee Canyon denizen grew up on the mountain, following in the snowy footsteps of his father and grandfather.

Today, Bean works as the director of mountain operations for Lee Canyon, a position his father held before him. The role encompasses "pretty much everything you see outside," Bean says, including snowmaking, grooming, prepping lifts, solving maintenance issues, operating the Howitzer avalanche control cannon and more. "There's a lot that goes into it."

Just in time for ski season, the Weekly got the latest from the mountain man.

What's your favorite part about Lee Canyon? It's the appeal of being able to bring my kids up here and watch them grow with the sport on a mountain that a lot of us in Vegas have learned to ski on. Lee Canyon offers a unique ability to grow a sport in the desert that we normally wouldn't see.

What does one study to become a director of mountain operations? I found a love for the ski area at an early age, and I just wouldn't let them fire me. I was persistent and stayed here and learned from numerous different GMs along the way. I was lucky to work for some great men, my father included.

What are the most rewarding aspects of your job? It sounds so cliché, but the sunrises and sunsets you see from up here. If you don't stop and look at those, I don't think it's even worth being up here. I could tell you it's the people and the friendships you make, but personally for me it's the views and just being outside.

How does it feel to follow in the footsteps of your father, Jack Bean? You worked together for 12 years. They're big shoes to fill. People tend to compare me to him a lot. And I don't always operate the same way as he has in the past. ... So it's been tough to kind of climb out of the shadow, but at the same time, there's nobody I'd rather have learned from.

What's it like to shoot a giant World War II-era cannon for snow control? That is everything that you could imagine if you like guns. It's breathtaking. It's a lot of responsibility, but at the same time, it does put a smile on your face every time you shoot it.

How does the cannon work in terms of snow safety? We call it a snow stability test. So we're seeing if the snowpack is stable by the explosion going off on the surface and seeing if it does trigger avalanches. So we have an idea of what the snowpack is doing above us. Some years we'll shoot 40-50 times. Some years we'll shoot 200.

What's your earliest memory of skiing? I was skiing with my dad and sister up here in Lee Canyon. It was dumping snow and I was miserable—just your typical kid having a bad day. I had a breakthrough that day of learning to parallel turn, and I just remember the look on my dad's face, of him being so excited. From that day on, I took to it and never looked back. I was probably 7.

What's the most fun part of skiing for you? Getting in the mountains, being away from the hustle and bustle, forgetting about your daily grind and just taking in the nature of being one with the mountain.

How difficult are the runs at Lee Canyon? Are they more suited for beginners or experienced skiiers? The runs here are anything you want to make them. You can go out and really challenge yourself. I would say I'm a pretty proficient skier, and I can still go find some things that scare myself. Or [you can] cruise around with your friends and buddies and just laugh and have a good time. That's really how much you want to challenge yourself and where you want to take your day.

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