Arizona Is For Snowbirds

Phoenix may be the Valley of the Sun, but fans of skiing, snowboarding, and similar sports do well to fly north for the winter. Revel in the cold facts.

BY ERIKA AYN FINCH; PHOTOGRAPHS BY DEBBIE WEINKAUFF

December is here, and if it hasn’t happened already, thousands of northern Arizona residents are watching the sky, holding their breath until the first delicate snowflake drifts down. While our friends in other locales – the country’s snowiest city, Rochester, N.Y., comes to mind – might not be as excited at the sight of the white stuff, here it’s an event heralding the opening of our two premier downhill ski and snowboard resorts, Arizona Snowbowl near Flagstaff and Sunrise Ski Park in the White Mountains. Fresh snow also means cross-country skiing and snowshoeing at the Flagstaff Nordic Center as well as sledding, tubing, snowmobiling, dog sledding (seriously), and lots of snowball fights in the Coconino National Forest.

Some folks outside the region might be surprised to hear Arizona receives snow at all. It’s understandable; many people equate Arizona with Phoenix, where the greatest snowfall ever officially reported was in 1933 and 1937: One inch. But it’s different in the northern part of the state. In Sedona our average snowfall clocks in at 8.8 inches each year – just enough to make the red rocks look dazzling and justify the Ugg boots, but not enough to worry about straining your back shoveling out the driveway. So, to our friends in Rochester who receive an average of 94 inches each year, surely you’ll understand why snow in our part of the world makes us more likely to get out and frolic than huddle by the fire thinking about California beaches. Snow in Arizona – it’s a sight everyone should see. Whether you’re training for the Olympic snowboarding trials or just want to teach the kids how to build a proper snowman, we’ve got the lowdown on the best spots to enjoy winter.

ARIZONA Snowbowl
M any people are surprised to learn there’s skiing in Arizona, says Dave Smith, director of sales and marketing at Arizona Snowbowl, the four-lift, 32-trail ski and snow park located seven miles northwest of Flagstaff in the San Francisco Peaks. “When they get here and see what we have they are absolutely amazed…and it’s only going to get bigger and better,” he adds. Snowbowl opened in 1938 and is one of the oldest ski run areas in the country. If you think of the state as nothing more than a vast, waterless desert, head up north and prepare to be wowed.

Snowbowl’s snowfall averages 260 inches each year – 240 inches fell in the 2007-08 ski season – but in 2004-05 the mountain had 460 inches, one of the snowiest spots on earth that year. Dave says the park opened in time for Halloween in 2004, and snow was still on the ground in August 2005. “On a good year this place is legendary,” says Dave. “People come from all over, especially at spring break.”
While 2004-05 may have had the 500 employees at Snowbowl jumping for joy, the 2001-02 and 2005-06 seasons held a different story. Toward the start of the millennium the park was only open four days – the worst season ever – while in 2005-06 it was open a mere 15 days. Snowbowl hopes seasons like those are a thing of the past: In August, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals gave the resort the green light to proceed with upgrades, including the ability to make snow using reclaimed water, the first ski area in the nation to do so. The decision was not without controversy, mainly coming from area Indian tribes that consider the San Francisco Peaks sacred. Dave says if the court’s decision is upheld Snowbowl hopes to be making snow for the 2009-10 season.

“This is huge for the resort,” he says. “Most resorts in the U.S. have snow making. It gives your resort predictability – you know when your season begins and when your employees need to start work [Snowbowl’s season typically begins in mid-December and lasts through mid-April. –Ed.] It also means you can predict revenue so you can budget for additional lifts and upgrade your infrastructure. We hope to expand our lodges. Right now, on Christmas for example, we’ll have people eating on the floor because we just don’t have enough room.”

Snowbowl, with a base elevation of 9,200 feet and peak elevation of 11,500 feet, has two day-lodges on site, Hart Prairie and Agassiz. Both offer dining and a sport shop but Hart Prairie also offers equipment rentals and the Ski & Ride School with programs for adults and children. While snowboarding lessons have been most popular in recent years, there’s been a resurgence in requests for ski lessons, especially as the rise of twin tip, parabolic, and shaped skis have given the sport a new, hipper image.

So what can you expect to encounter during a day carving up the slopes? Snowbowl includes 50 acres and two lifts for beginners. Dave recommends Hart Prairie as an excellent place to start. Sunset lift is perfect for intermediate skiers and boarders while Agassiz lift offers 1,981 vertical feet for those at a more advanced level. Skiers will also find tree skiing, a favorite among locals. Sunset Terrain Park, open to skiers and snowboarders, includes fun boxes, rails, spines, hits and new features each season. A short hike into the Kachina Peaks Wilderness rewards recreationalists with “legendary backcountry and open bowl skiing,” says Dave. Renowned ski photographer Kevin Zacher shot photos for Transworld Snowboarding magazine in the Kachina Wilderness backcountry a few years ago. Backcountry permits are required and can be obtained from the Coconino Forest Service (the Forest Service sets up shop at Agassiz Lodge during ski season on Saturday and Sunday from 9 to 11 a.m.).

Dave says Snowbowl is a family-friendly resort and encourages parents to begin to teach children how to ski at an early age. Dave says he’s heard skiers say Snowbowl offers some of the most consistent terrain but urges everyone to be cautious and safe.

When asked what’s the best time of the season to ski Snowbowl, Dave smiles. “Whenever you’re out on the slopes,” he says, “it’s a good day.”

ARIZONA Snowbowl is located on Snowbowl Rd. off Hwy. 180, seven miles northwest of Flagstaff. Call 928-779-1951 for information or visit www.arizonasnowbowl.com
• Usually opens mid-December and stays open through mid-April 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (no night skiing)
• Unlimited season passes range from $29 for children under 7
to $699 for adults. All-day lift tickets are less than $50 (exact price yet to be determined at press time)
• The park offers skiing, snowboarding, backcountry skiing, equipment rentals, and lessons
• Overnight lodging available at Ski Lift Lodge & Cabins on Hwy. 180 at the base of Snowbowl Rd.

The Flagstaff Nordic Center
Twenty-five years ago, a local resident opened the Flagstaff Nordic Center, nestled in a pristine pocket of forest along Hwy 180 north of Snowbowl Road. The center has changed hands over the years; Arizona Snowbowl owned it for a time, and for the past four years current owners Wendell and Jennifer Johnson have referred to it as their “labor of love.” The Nordic Center features 35 miles of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails as well as a big meadow ideal for sledding, tubing, snowball fights, and building snowmen. The couple has invested in trail maintenance, including new equipment to keep trails groomed, instructors, and a new kids’ program that will debut this season. Last season, visitors came from as far away as the Ukraine, and Wendell says each year he meets guests from Phoenix and Florida who’ve never even seen snow.

“I think the biggest surprise for people is how groomed the trails are,” says Wendell. “It’s like a big white highway running through the woods. The trails are also groomed for skate skiing – many are 16 feet wide rather than just single tracks.”

The Nordic Center, which ranges in elevation from 8,000 to 8,700 feet, usually opens at the beginning of December and remains open until the middle or end of March with an average of 20 feet of snow each year (but don’t mention the 2005-06 season to Wendell – the center was only open in March due to lack of snow). The center offers 90-minute lessons for first-timers as well as ski and snowshoe rentals and sled, tube, and clothing sales. Last year Wendell began offering the Kid Ski Exchange Program, in which parents who buy boots, poles and skis have the option to exchange the equipment for bigger sizes for a nominal fee as their children grow. For those whose children walk on all fours and bark, keep in mind dogs are allowed on all 10 miles of snowshoe trails and one ski trail.

The Nordic Center hosts several popular events throughout the season, including ski and snowshoe races on Jan. 18; a classic ski race on Feb. 1; and Eat, Drink and Ski Merry on Feb. 8, in which skiers and snowshoers enjoy a three-course meal with wine spread out over a one-mile trail. A skate ski race is also scheduled for Feb. 22.

So what about the notion that cross-country skiing is for older folks with funny accents? Wendell quickly dispels such notions. With a two-mile downhill run, he says the Nordic Center offers “speed and thrills” for those looking for it. If you really want fun, rent a pair of skate skis – Wendell compares skate skis and classic skis to mountain biking vs. road biking. And is it true that cross country skiing gives you much more of a workout than downhill skiing?

“You really do set your own pace with cross-country skiing,” he says. “It can be hard or it can be easy if you do it properly and learn how to glide. And just remember, out here there are no lift lines.”

The Flagstaff Nordic Center is located 15 miles north of Flagstaff along Hwy 180 – the parking lot sits at mile marker 232. Call 928-220-0550 for information or visit www.flagstaffnordiccenter.com
• Usually open the first of December through March
• 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily with night skiing on Fridays from
6 to 9 p.m.; special events held throughout the season
• Season passes range from $100 for children to $565 for families; day passes range from $12 to $50 for a package that includes instructions, passes, and equipment rentals
• The center offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, tubing, and snow play

Sunrise Park Resort
Owned and operated by the White Mountain Apache Tribe and nestled at the base of three peaks in the picturesque White Mountains of eastern Arizona, Sunrise Park Resort just might offer the most diverse wintertime activities in the Southwest. Not only does the park offer 65 trails spread out over 800 acres, there’s also opportunity for ice fishing, sleigh rides, horseback riding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding, and tubing. It’s no wonder more than 180,000 visitors, most heralding from Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico, flock to the resort each year.

The White Mountain Apache tribe began developing Sunrise Lake in the 1960s and decided the area needed winter activities. Sunrise ski area opened on Christmas day 1970 with one mountain: Sunrise Peak. Sunrise Park Lodge opened in 1972 (a fire delayed the original opening, which was supposed to coincide with the ski area) and by 1983 the park had added Apache Peak and Cyclone Peak to the mix. Today the resort includes five day lodges, restaurants, two equipment rental shops, a terrain park for skiers and snowboarders, eight chair lifts, and one high-speed quad. Bill London, the resort’s operation manager who’s worked at Sunrise for nearly 20 years, says the trails are a decent mix of difficulty. “I’d say we’re about 40 percent beginner, 40 percent intermediate, and 20 percent advanced,” estimates Bill. “The terrain park offers something for all levels of skiers and snowboarders with rails, jumps, fun boxes, and some odd obstacles like a propane tank.”

Sunrise Ski School not only provides a variety of instruction levels for kids and adults, it also offers child care so parents can spend a day on the slopes without worrying about leaving the kids at home (the facility can handle children as young as two months). The course for beginners includes usage of a three-tower ski lift so novices can practice one of the more challenging aspects of the sport: Mastering the lift. Bill strongly encourages those new to the sport to invest in lessons rather than rely on a friend or spouse to show you the ropes. “I think skiing and snowboarding lessons have been the demise of many a relationship,” says Bill. “Take the time to take lessons.”

Sunrise received 300 inches of snow last year – a bit less than the resort’s early 1980s’ heyday, when 350 inches and 230,000 visitors weren’t unusual. The season typically begins the first weekend in December and lasts through the first weekend in April, though the resort has been open as early as mid-November. Bill says Sunrise has been making snow since the late 1970s but snowmaking is limted to Sunrise Peak only, and makes up about 15 percent of the mountain’s snow, mainly to supplement high-traffic areas. The resort sits at an elevation of 9,300 feet with a peak elevation of over 11,000 feet and 1,800 vertical feet. It all adds to up ideal conditions.
“We have good snow because of our high elevation and low humidity,” says Bill. “It’s usually light and dry. Being in the Southwest the sun provides a warmth you won’t find further north, in the Rockies.”

The park also offers activities for those not interested in strapping on skis or a snowboard. Located at the base of Sunrise Park Resort, Snowy Mountain Stables offers horseback riding in the winter – rides last anywhere from 30 minutes to a full day. The outfitters also offer romantic 20- and 40-minute sleigh rides. Sunrise General Store rents snow tubes – basically large inner tubes used instead of a traditional sled – with a tubing hill located behind Lake Ono, off the main entrance to the ski area. Sunrise includes more than 13 miles of groomed trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing (lessons available). You can also venture out onto Sunrise Lake for some ice fishing or, if you’d rather try your luck at the blackjack table, Hon-Dah Resort and Casino is only a short drive away. •

Sunrise Park Resort is located in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona, on Hwy 273 near the town of Show Low. Call 928-735-7669 for information or visit www.sunriseskipark.com
• Usually open the first weekend in December through the first weekend in April
• 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily; night skiing is offered four or five
weekends each season, especially during holiday weekends
• Season passes range from $375 for children to $645 for adults; all-day lift tickets cost $49 for adults, $42 for ages 13 to 17, and $28 for children 12 and under
• The park offers skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing,
snowshoeing, horseback rides, sleigh rides, ice fishing, sledding and tubing, lessons, and equipment rentals
• Overnight lodging available at Sunrise Park Lodge, located on Sunrise Lake

Snow Play

Wing Mountain
Seventeen miles of trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing across gently rolling terrain but it’s also the perfect spot for sledding and tubing. The area is part of the Coconino National Forest but it is managed privately by Recreation Resource Management – it includes amenities like plenty of plowed parking, restrooms, and snacks, hot chocolate and sled sales (on weekends and holidays).
Wing Mountain is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from the first snowfall (usually mid-December) through March. There is a $10 per vehicle fee. Take Hwy 180 north 2.8 miles past Snowbowl Rd. and turn left onto FR222B near mile marker 226.

Crowley Pit
Though there are no marked or managed trails, the Crowley Pit area offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and plenty of snow play. Restrooms are available. The parking area is plowed but it’s not a priority area, which means if it hasn’t been plowed and you don’t have a four-wheel drive, head to Wing Mountain instead.
There is no fee for recreation at Crowley Pit. Take Hwy 180 north one mile past the Flagstaff Nordic Center, turn left at the parking sign at mile marker 233, and continue to the parking area. There is no sign for Crowley Pit so keep an eye open for the mile marker and parking sign.

Peakview
For a beautiful view of the snow-covered San Francisco Peaks head to Peakview Parking Area along Hwy 180, just south of Snowbowl Road. The area is open to cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, tubing, and snow play. There’s also a restroom, picnic tables, and a paved parking area.
There is no fee for recreation at Peakview. Take Hwy 180 north to mile marker 222, one mile south of Snowbowl Rd. If the parking lot is full, do not park on the side of the road or you could receive a ticket.

Walker Lake or Kendrick Park
Watchable Wildlife Area
Filled with sunny meadows, the trails in this area are not marked or groomed so stop by a Forest Service office for a map before embarking on any cross-country skiing or snowshoeing adventures. Otherwise, enjoy lots of snow play, views of the San Francisco Peaks and Kendrick Mountain, and the chance to spot some local wildlife.
Walker Lake is 14 miles north of Snowbowl Rd, along Hwy 180. Turn left into the parking area at mike marker 235.

Kendrick Snowmobile Trail System
With 54 miles of designated snowmobile routes and three trailheads, this is the best place in northern Arizona for snowmobile action. It’s also a great spot for dog sledders and cross-country skiing. Keep in mind there’s wildlife (including cattle) in the area so avoid revving engines and DO NOT chase animals.
The trail system has three trailheads along Hwy 180 at Wing Mountain, Crowley Pit, and Walker Lake. See descriptions above for directions.
For further information about any of these areas, including snow conditions, call the Coconino National Forest at 928-527-3600 or visit www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/
recreation/peaks/rec_peaks.shtml.

Ice Skating
Jay Lively Activity Center Ice Skating Rink
This ice-skating rink offers public skating, figure-skating lessons, and ice hockey. Open seven days a week. Skate rentals available. Located at 1650 N. Turquoise Dr. in Flagstaff.
For info call 928-774-1051 or visit www.flagstaff.az.gov

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