Lake Tahoe-like summit planned for Mount Charleston

SUN WASHINGTON BUREAU

Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2005 | 11:19 a.m.

SUN WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., plans to hold a summit in the next two months to focus on an array of Mount Charleston issues. The time, date and place will be announced soon, Reid aides said.

The meeting is planned as to serve as a sounding board for Reid and other officials, spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said. She said Reid, the Senate Democratic leader, wants to use the public meeting to gauge whether federal legislation could be helpful in protecting the mountain's environment or creating a plan to deal with growth.

Commissioner Chip Maxfield, who represents the area on the Clark County Commission, said the tentative date for the conference that would bring together local, state and federal agencies is Feb. 22.

Mount Charleston is often revered as an alpine getaway from urban life in the Las Vegas Valley. Visitors flock there for picnicking, hiking, skiing and snowplay.

But like the valley below, the mountain population has seen growth in recent years. Development of the valley has expanded to the entrance to Kyle Canyon. In past years environmental groups have fought commercial development proposals. Some Mount Charleston residents have complained about increased traffic and litter, and Maxfield has said for months that the mountain needs more attention.

Maxfield said the idea for the summit came last year as growing numbers of visitors were taxing the mountain's resources.

"Mount Charleston receives millions of visitors each year," he said. "The number of visitors increases as the Las Vegas population increases, and it's being taxed to its limits."

The U.S. Forest Service has been holding regular meetings of various stakeholders, including the residents of the area, emergency services providers, businesses and recreational users, to gauge needs and issues affecting the mountain, Maxfield said.

"We need to figure out how to improve the recreational opportunities while avoiding negative impacts on the existing population," Maxfield said.

The summit could be a kickoff to creating a plan to preserve Mount Charleston, similar to an effort to save Lake Tahoe, Hafen said. That effort has been organized and paid for by a coalition of local, state and federal leaders that mapped out a comprehensive plan to reverse the environmental decline of the lake and surrounding forest.