MOUNT CHARLESTON (KTNV) — Last August, Southern Nevada was hit by Tropical Storm Hilary, affecting many parts of our valley — but for the residents of Mount Charleston, they were hit the hardest.
WATCH: One year later, Mt. Charleston still dealing with impacts from Tropical Storm Hilary
15 months later, the U.S. Forest Service is updating locals with information on the state of Mount Charleston's most popular hiking trails that were damaged by the storm surge.
"We knew that we were going to be impacted. We had no idea the extent. It seems like the hurricane kind of stalled over the mountain and rained huge volumes — maybe nine to 10 inches in about six or seven hours," said Ray Johnson, a fire prevention officer.
Johnson said despite the passage of time, the area is still dangerous. Mary Jane Falls, Upper Bristlecone Trail, and several other areas of the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area remain closed due to unstable rock walls that continue to fall and cave in. Going to these areas is a citable offense.
Closed areas (from Go Mt. Charleston)
- Deer Creek Road (Nevada State Routes 158): Deer Creek Picnic Area
- Kyle Canyon (Nevada State Routes 157): Mary Jane Falls and Trail Canyon Trailheads and Trails*, Cathedral Rock Trail*, Echo Road* and Powerline Access Road
- Lee Canyon (Nevada State Routes 156): Upper Bristlecone Trailhead and Trail
*Upper Kyle Canyon Complex
For more closure information, visit Go Mt. Charleston's website here.
WATCH: Rebuilding the mountain: Mt. Charleston repairs will take years
Officials said these trails and areas will not be closed permanently and plans are in place to reopen or reroute them, but there are some challenges involved.
For instance, Johnson said they cannot bring heavy equipment to the affected areas, especially the ones in wilderness areas. He said they can't even bring chainsaws.
"The effort is going to be a very large effort to get these trails reestablished and open and safe is the main thing; safe for everybody," Johnson said. "We do feel that this can happen, it's just a matter of time."
RELATED STORY | Recommendation to permanently close Lundy Elementary School expected
