MT. CHARLESTON (KTNV) — One year ago, a storm surge stemming from category 4 Hurricane Hilary swept into southern Nevada.
While Las Vegas saw some precipitation, the Mt. Charleston community experienced torrential rainfall, over eight inches in one weekend. Residents were forced to shelter in place — some going weeks without water and safe infrastructure in the aftermath.
Now, there’s been a lot of progress fixing the substantial damage, but there’s still work to be done. Forest Service officials say the goal is to eventually open all recreational areas back up again, once funding is secured.
Current Closures:
- Deer Creek Picnic Area
- Mary Jane Falls
- Cathedral Rock Trail
- Trail Canyon
- Upper Kyle Canyon Complex
- Upper Bristlecone Trail
Newly Reopened Areas:
- 2 miles of Mack's Canyon Road (open for dispersed camping)
- Lower Bristlecone Trail
- Little Falls Trail
- South Loop Trail
- Fletcher Trail & Fletcher View Campground
Hearing from the community:
"It was surreal. We didn’t expect the weather to come here and wreak as much havoc on the community as it did," said Vita Drew, a part-time resident of Mt. Charleston since 2008.
Unlike some, Drew was fortunate to not see any property damage.
“Luckily we didn’t because the way our cabin sits a little higher, so when this huge torrent of water came through here, it was like a rushing river, and it did affect some people that were a little flatter," Drew said.
Another resident, Ron Claggett, had another story.
"We left the mountain the day of the flood, and we came back the next day to see the damage and we spent $23,000 cleaning up the damage," Claggett said.
The most striking change in the town is a new, huge water channel carved into the ground.
“The ditch was six feet; now it’s 26 feet deep," Claggett said. "Hopefully the work they did will bypass the water and have it run to the stream instead of down the properties."
Other construction is still ongoing and recently, Yellow Pine Avenue was re-paved.
Overall impact:
Nationally, Hilary was responsible for $900 million in damage — with tens of millions going toward repairs to roads, infrastructure and recreational sites in the Spring Mountains.
If it feels like we’ve seen more of these extreme rainfall events, its not your imagination. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, they’ve been on the rise since the 1980s. Plus, NOAA reports warming oceans increase evaporation resulting in more water in the atmosphere and a warming atmosphere can hold more moisture. The result is heavier rainfall.
