Nevadans heading out for holiday in droves

Stephen Curran and Mary Manning

Friday, Sept. 2, 2005 | 10:53 a.m.

If Thursday's already steady thump-thump of wheelbarrows stocked with food and drinks careening their way to the dock at Callville Bay was any clue, law enforcement on Nevada's roads and on its waters will have their hands full.

The region's love for all things gasoline-powered comes as the country faces record-breaking fuel costs, but that's not expected to keep more than 300,000 Nevadans from leaving town this weekend, AAA estimates.

And it's also not expected to slow down the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to pack onto Lake Mead this weekend. It's a late summer ritual that Highland, Calif., residents Jeff and wife Mynda Ohs enjoy.

For the couple, on their way to spend the weekend at Mynda's father's houseboat docked at Callville, the lake's warm weather and relative peace was a welcome break for the busy family.

"We've had a very long summer," Jeff Ohs said. "Look around. It's beautiful here."

The Ohs, who frequently go rafting on the Colorado River and have had extensive water safety training, are the kind of family that Kay Rohde, the National Park Service's chief of interpretations, likes to see.

The family, along with more than 100,000 visitors, are expected along the popular waterway this weekend, Rohde said.

It will take more than 40 law enforcement personnel to make sure revelers out on the lake have life jackets aboard, don't "drink and boat" and keep themselves out of harm's way.

Labor Day Weekend is the lake's third busiest holiday, packing in more than 161,000 people last year, according to the Park Service.

So if the three-day weekend is expected to resemble a flood of mostly out-of-state visitors, Thursday at noon was more like the calm before the storm as watercraft-toting trucks and SUVs lined the parking lot back on land.

"We want to remind people that we want you to come out and have fun, but we want you to be safe," Rohde said.

Not being safe comes at a cost, Rohde said. The cost for a citation vary depending on the offense, but the fine for not having appropriate life-saving equipment can cost up to $200.

"It's not like a little parking fine," she said.

Drivers can also expect to be under tighter scrutiny as they leave the lake. Twelve additional officers from Metro and North Las Vegas Police's traffic section are expected to patrol the valley for traffic violations and signs of driving under the influence.

A number of DUI checkpoints are expected throughout the valley on Friday and Saturday at unannounced locations, officers said.

Traffic this morning flowed smoothly through the valley's busiest arteries, but the roads were expected to become clogged later this afternoon, said Trooper Kevin Honea, a Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman.

"So far, so good," he said. "We're just expecting a regular Friday commute today and will see the influx this evening."

On the lake, Rohde said her colleagues responded to 2,632 separate incidents ranging from reports of serious injuries for help to lesser offenses on the water last year, up dramatically from 900 the year before. The jump, she said, likely sprang from stepped-up activity along the lake.

"We're really out here to educate," Rodhe said of the rangers responsible for issuing citations to irresponsible boaters.

While the thousands of out-of-state visitors flock to Southern Nevada, whether it's for the blue waters of the lake or the green felt of casinos, more than 300,000 Nevadans are expected to get out of town, according to a new survey from AAA Travel.

For motorists taking to the roads, AAA has some tips to save money on their trips.

"We understand the high price of gas can really put a strain on consumers," Michael Geeser, a AAA Nevada spokesman, said. "But many families have been planning on a final summer weekend together. It isn't something they're willing to give up. Plus, there are ways to cut costs and still have a good trip."

Research for Labor Day travel is based on a national telephone survey of 1,300 adults by the Travel Industry Association of American, which conducts special research for AAA.

Those staying closer to home and visiting Lake Mead are reminded of being careful to observe safety measures.

Darla Cook, a spokeswoman for Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Forever Resorts, which operates roughly 200 rental houseboats off Calville Bay, said the firm requires a brief water safety class before inexperienced customers can take to the water. Most of the firm's up to 70-foot boats along Lake Mead were rented at roughly $1,000 for the weekend, she said.

The most common problem, she said, is inexperienced operators scratching the craft's paint along the dock.

"We just like to make sure the customers know the rules of the road, and there are rules of the road," Cook said.