LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The winter wonderland that Mount Charleston has become was a blast for many first time visitors like Las Vegas local Jose Vazquez Monday.
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"It's been really awesome," Vazquez said. "We're enjoying the weather, all of this is new. It's our first time up here."
Along with his family, he brought his little kitten Nimeria to give the tiny fluff ball a different look at the Las Vegas valley.
"So she can have a good time too and experience her first snow," he said, "but we're keeping her warm. Keeping her inside the car."
Like many others, Vazquez's trip hit a bit of a hiccup as, without now tires and 4X4 capability or tire chains, his family was kept by police from reaching the higher summits for their own safety.
"It was our first time not knowing about the chains." he said. "We're definitely going to get some chains so we can get up there."
Nevada Department of Transportation officials said crews worked around the clock on the MLK holiday weekend to clear roadways, and Nevada Highway Patrol officers remained vigilant to help stranded motorists as inches of snow piled up.
"NHP, NDOT, they're doing a great job monitoring the roads, making sure they're safe, making sure the people up there have the proper tools," said Lee Canyon Marketing Director Jim Seely.
Further down the slope, snow turned into rain, small hail, and whistling winds.
The Bureau of Land Management said they were forced to close the Red Rock Scenic loop as a result of the nasty conditions disappointing would-be visitors.
The National Weather Service said the downpours and mountain snow likely wouldn't have a significant impact on the dwindling water levels at Lake Mead.
"It's more like a drop in the bucket compared to the main source which is the upper Colorado River Basin in Western Colorado and Eastern Utah," said NWS official Morgan Stressman. "That snow pack will melt and then run down."
