Monica Harter was raised in Iowa where wide open yards made it easy to become friendly with neighbors. She feared things would be different in Las Vegas. However, choosing to live in Skye Canyon proved to be just like home. Morning aqua fit classes, resident trips or dining out with neighbors, Harter, is an adventure junkie taking advantage of the Skye Canyon Life.
SC: Tell us a little bit about you and your family?
Monica: My husband Lynn and I grew up together in Iowa. Lynn is a lineman and works on power lines. I used to work in HR but have recently “retired” to stay at home and take care of our new puppy Scout. Lynn and I both enjoy spending time outdoors, staying active, and socializing with our neighbors.
SC: Why did you choose Skye Canyon?
Monica: For two years, Lynn and I traveled around the country residing in Florida, Georgia, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before deciding on Las Vegas our final destination, and choosing Skye Canyon as the community in which we wanted to live and build a life. We fell in love with the area and knew Skye Canyon was for us when we realized it was exactly 18 miles from many of the trails in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area and 18 miles from The Strip.
SC: Wow, you’ve lived in quite a few places. Tell us a little more about your travels.
Monica: It’s a funny story. Lynn has a job where he can work anywhere. We decided we wanted to explore different areas of the country, so for a while, we rented houses and condos, but then thought it would be easier to purchase an RV and live in there while we explored. We stayed in RV parks but the RV was only 400 square feet, and after a year, we needed more space. And, we wanted a dog. We looked at Skye Canyon when it was solely blueprinted and decided from the plans this is where we wanted to settle.
SC: Now that you’ve moved into Skye Canyon, is the community what you thought it was going to be?
Monica: It is so much more. We were informed the community was going to offer resident activities, but we assumed that activities would consist of a once a month gathering. But instead, Skye Canyon offers fun events such as kayaking on the Colorado River, snowshoeing the Bristlecone Trail in Lee Canyon, stargazing with the Las Vegas Astronomical Society, yoga at Mt. Charleston and they recently offered a ‘dive-in’ movie night out by the pool. But even more than that, there is a sense of community. We have become friends with our neighbors and spend time with them outside of Skye Canyon events. We even enjoy spending time with the Skye Canyon staff. Lynn and I recently returned from a trip and one of the first things we wanted to do was grab a cup of coffee at Skye Bistro and catch up with the Skye Center staff. We not only participate in these cool resident events but we also got involved with Skye Serves, which does philanthropic work in the community
SC: Which charitable organization are you involved with?
Monica: Skye Canyon has a program called Skye Serves that allows residents to get involved with various non-profits. I enjoy the work we do with the Goodie Two Shoes Organization. There are about 12-15 Skye Canyon residents that go to schools and fit underprivileged kids with new shoes. It was eye-opening for me to learn that so many school-age kids don’t know the feel of wearing the correct size shoe. They have always owned hand me downs that are either too big or too small for their feet. The smile on their faces when they receive their new fitted shoes melts my heart.
SC: We’ve seen that adorable puppy in resident photos. Tell us about that little guy.
Monica: Our puppy Scout is celebrating his first birthday this month. We don’t know the exact date of his birthday because he was a rescue from the Animal Foundation. I take him hiking, and since he only weighs 8 pounds, I can just carry him if he gets tired.
SC: Which home community did you choose?
Monica: We chose Teton Cliffs by Woodside Homes. The two-story Calico model was exactly what we had in mind.
SC: What recent news has you excited about living in Sky Canyon?
Monica: We have seen so much growth in Skye Canyon. The next thing to be built is Skye Canyon Marketplace. With the arrival of the marketplace, some of the residents are talking about opening shops in there. We can’t wait to see it come to life.
SC: What do you do outside of Skye Canyon?
Monica: Both of our families still live in the Midwest. When family comes to visit, we enjoy taking them to Red Rock, dining at the Mt. Charleston Lodge or to Lee Canyon to see the wild horses. My sister and her boyfriend participate in the rodeo back home, and when they came to visit this past December, it was awesome to show them a fun vacation attending the PBR rodeo.
In the spring and fall, Jessica Henkins, another Skye Canyon resident and I enjoy hiking at Red Rock. In the summer, it’s all about hiking at Mt Charleston and escaping the heat.
SC: Aside from Skye Canyon, what else do you enjoy about Las Vegas?
Monica: One of our favorite pastimes since moving to Las Vegas is trying unique restaurants. Spring Mountain road, alone, has amazing Asian food. Our neighbors Jessica and Josh have taken Lynn and me to Dim Sum at the Rio. We also enjoyed eating at Hobak Korean BBQ, Swish Hot Pot, Cubby Cattle Company and a few Pho restaurants. We’ve dined at so many places that I can’t remember them all. We have never been pegged as adventurous eaters, but thankfully we enjoy living an active lifestyle since we are making it a point to experience the diversity in dining that Las Vegas is known for!
SC: What would be something people would be surprised to learn about you?
Monica: If I won the lottery, I would still live in Skye Canyon. I might buy a second house in Maui, but Skye Canyon would still be my home.