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Snow Play
For those of you who grew up near a body of water, remember those weekends during the summer when you’d pack a cooler, grab blankets and chairs, and spend the entire day in the sun and sand? Substitute pristine snow for sand and a volcanic crater for the water, and you have an idea of what Wing Mountain Snow Play Area is all about. Just like a Southern California beach on a Saturday afternoon, traffic can back up for miles with carloads of families eager to spend hours sledding down hills of various skill level. Wing Mountain is actually a purple-black cinder cone the rest of the year, but when the snow falls, it’s a winter wonderland. Friends and families set up chairs and wrap themselves in blankets, and a concession stand sells hot chocolate, cider, snacks and plastic sleds (wood, metal and fiberglass sleds are not allowed). The large parking lot is plowed, and there are dozens of portable toilets. There’s also a bonfire surrounded by bales of hay where you can sit and defrost your fingers and toes after making your way down the hills.
Even during the week, the area is full of sledders, cross-country skiers and snowshoers. Peals of laughter, singing and the squeals – and yes, tears – of children echo around the snowy crater. Under bright blue skies, students from nearby Northern Arizona University challenge each other on the steepest hills while patient parents demonstrate sledding techniques to tiny tots. The fun is contagious, but make sure you check the area’s website for snow reports and hours.
Wing Mountain
Hwy 180, 2.8 miles north of Snowbowl Road. Watch for the signs. Open daily (when there’s snow), 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. $20 per vehicle to enter. For more information, call 602-923-3555 or visit www.snowplayaz.com.
Sleigh Rides
If you’d prefer to admire the snow from a distance rather than get up close and personal, head to Hitchin’ Post Stables on Lake Mary Road and take an old-fashioned sleigh ride through the woods. The rides begin in November and happen daily through March 15. Choose from a 45-minute ride that includes a stop for hot chocolate and cider prepared on the campfire or a 90-120-minute dinner ride. Dinner is served inside a heated dining tent at the Cowboy Camp. Sleigh rides take place on the hour and, weather depending, nighttime rides are also available. (In the summer, Hitchin’ Post offers wagon rides.)
During our jaunt, our sleigh was pulled by two huge black draft horses. Each sleigh accommodates two to 16 passengers. While the outfitters do have traditional sleighs with rails, those are only used when the trail is completely covered in snow or ice. During our ride, the snow had begun to melt, which means our sleigh was on wheels. Nonetheless, it was a serene ride through the tall pine trees with the occasional glimpse of the San Francisco Peaks. The snow and ice crunched and groaned under our sleigh as we bundled up in blankets to stave off the blustery wind blowing through the forest. Roger Hartman, whose family built Hitchin’ Post Stables in the 1970s, says the sleigh rides are popular with families as well as couples looking for a romantic activity around Valentine’s Day. Private rides are also available. “It’s a beautiful adventure for everyone who comes out,” says Roger. “We’re 5 miles down Lake Mary Road and 100 years from Flagstaff.”
Hitchin’ Post Stables
, 4848 Lake Mary Road in Flagstaff. Sleigh rides are $45 for adults and $35 for kids. For more information, call 928-774-1719 or visit www.historichitchinpoststables.com.
MORE SEDONA ADVENTURES AND SPORTS: Mountain and road biking, skiing, snowboarding and ice skating, four-wheeling, kayaking, hang gliding and skydiving, hiking, biking, rock climbing and backpacking, baseball, golf
