Snow falls on mountains near Summerlin

The mountains that frame Summerlin recently received a dusting of snow with the advent of cooler weather.

The master-planned community, located along the western edge of the Las Vegas Valley, is situated at a higher elevation than most of the valley, which contributes to cooler temperatures, according to Dave Weide, professor of geology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The temperature drops three to four degrees for every 1,000-foot increase in elevation. Much of the community is situated more than 1,000 higher than downtown Las Vegas.

Stew Gibbons, who oversees Summerlin development for The Howard Hughes Corp., said the higher elevation means the community and the mountains to the west are often the only places in the valley to receive snowfall.

"A greater variety of naturally occurring vegetation is also a by-product of the community's higher elevation," Gibbons said.

Summerlin has ranked as the nation's best-selling master-planned community eight of the past nine years.

The community is home to two Tournament Players Club golf courses, Bear's Best Las Vegas and five others. It is also home to nearly 100 neighborhood and village parks, more than 90 completed miles of trails, 16 public and private schools, houses of worship, shopping centers, medical centers, cultural facilities and nearly 130 model homes.

Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000. Custom lots from one-quarter acre to three-quarters of an acre are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $3 million. Predesigned custom homes are priced from $500,000 to several million dollars. Apartments offer monthly rents starting from the $700s.

To visit the sales center, travel west on Sahara Avenue, past Hualapai Way, to Town Center Drive. Or, take Interstate 215 to the Sahara exit. The center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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