Snow surprises Silverado Ranch

Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Home News

Ten-year-old Blake Forte smiles all the way down the snow-covered hills while sledding at Anthem Hills Park Thursday morning.

By Ashley Livingston (contact)

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008 | 6:16 p.m.

Spread out all over Silverado Ranch Park, roughly 20 students from Liberty High School enjoyed their class-free day by throwing, dodging and getting smacked with snowballs.

“I already got blasted and trampled,” said Haley Duffy, a ninth-grader at Liberty. Duffy said she had already had a great time playing in the snow after school Wednesday.

“We made snow cones with some snow and strawberry syrup,” she said. Fellow freshman Taeler Rambo said she had also had a great time during the snow storm.

“I’ve never been snowed on. It was pretty sweet,” she said.

Kris Beaird, a freshman who was also at the park to have some fun throwing snow, said she spent the evening doing something she had never done before.

“I had to shovel snow so my mom could get in the garage,” she said.

As for having one more final day of school tomorrow before going on winter break, student Megan Patras, a freshman, said she didn’t expect too many people to show up.

Her friend Rachel Evans said she figured the ones who did come to school would just be all excited and not get too much done.

Giggling, 6-year-old Jazlyn Cadiente ran through the snow at Silverado Ranch Park.

“We’re going to play a snowball fight!” she shouted with a smile as her dad, Gerry, let some snow fly her way.

Gerry Cadiente said he and his daughter, who is on track break from school at John R. Hummel Elementary, spent the whole day yesterday playing in the snow and were out for some more.

A couple of European tourist who were sipping coffee at the Starbucks on Las Vegas Boulevard and Windmill Road said the snow storm caught them by surprise. Marten and Phillip Opermatt said they arrived earlier in the week from Switzerland.

“We actually came here to get away from the snow,” Marten Opermatt said.

A few plans had to be changed around, she said. Rather than visiting Red Rock Canyon for a hike, she said they would instead be heading to San Diego.

“Hopefully it will be warmer there,” she said.

A tourist hailing from San Diego, Steve Hooyman, said he didn’t come to Vegas prepared for cold weather.

“All I brought were shorts and T-shirts,” Hooyman said.

Ashley Livingston can be reached at 990-8925 or ashley.livingston@hbcpub.com.