Have some winter fun in Flagstaff’s Snowbowl

We skiers and snowboarders dwelling in Southern Nevada mostly haunt our beloved and handy Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort. But sometimes we want a change of slopes and scenery for just a few days. One of the best getaways for that purpose is the Arizona Snowbowl near Flagstaff. It’s not only close enough for easy access but also has the advantage of excellent nearby nightlife.

Located at the base of Arizona’s highest mountains, the San Francisco Peaks, the Snowbowl is an ideal destination for anyone new to the slopes and for intermediate skiers and riders, yet it also offers challenging terrain for experts. The mountain base elevation is 9,200 feet, and the Agassiz Peak is at more than 12,000 feet. The slopes average a yearly snowfall of 260 inches.

There are 777 skiable acres with 40 runs, served by four chairlifts and two surface lifts in the beginner area. The Snowbowl is home to two day lodges, Hart Prairie and Agassiz. Hart Prairie is a full-service lodge where you’ll find a sports and rental shop, restaurant and bar and the main offices. This is also the place to sign up for ski or ride lessons, buy lift tickets or seek first aid.

Arizona Snowbowl, which opened in 1938, has an upbeat atmosphere. All ages come here, including many youthful skiers and riders from nearby Northern Arizona University. There is great skiable terrain for intermediate and advanced skiing or boarding. The beginner area, for adults just learning to ski and for small children, is incredibly roomy and safe compared to many ski areas I have been to across the country, a luxury for people just starting out.

Many snowboarders and skiers these days like to step up the slope experience by heading to a man-made terrain park, of which there are three. Easiest is the Prairie Dawg, featuring low-profile boxes and other thrills about right for children or beginners of any age. Once you have dominated the Dawg, you can court the Southern Belle Pocket Parks, where there are medium jump rails, boxes and such. The superbly confident go to the Sunset Terrain Park, where experts and hot shots tackle the obstacles, spines, rails and fun boxes. Even if you aren’t up for this level of challenge, it’s fun to spend a few minutes watching the smooth moves of the highly skilled and, yes, the spectacular fails when ambitions exceed abilities.

After a day on the slopes, Flagstaff awaits you with a wide assortment of cafes, brew pubs, entertainment venues and fine dining. Travel and Leisure magazine named Flagstaff No. 8 among America’s Best College Towns. My family and I usually set our sights on the historic downtown area, a five-block district compact enough to allow a pedestrian prowl of its shops and galleries, which we usually top off with a great meal at a reasonable price. Because Flagstaff’s beginnings were intimately entwined with the transcontinental railroad now part of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, the historic district lies around the railroad station, near which you can see an old steam engine and other reminders of that relationship. Flagstaff was also a main stop on the fabled Route 66 highway, and nostalgic references to that iconic American travel experience still adorn restaurant menus and the names of businesses.

A nighttime attraction unique to Flagstaff is the Lowell Observatory, home of the giant telescope that discovered Pluto, and surprisingly welcoming to visitors. For a schedule of events and hours, visit lowell.edu.

Should you have a day to spare from snow sports, Flagstaff is centrally located among some of the Southwest’s best visual attractions. The beautiful red-rock country of Sedona is a half-day to the south. And the Grand Canyon is less than an hour and a half to the northwest and makes a good side trip on your way home.

All-day lift tickets at the Snowbowl are $62 for ages 19-64, $55 for ages 13-18 and $35 for ages 8-12 and 65-69. Kids 7 or younger and people 70 or older can ski free every day. On Thursdays, anyone older than 50 pays $35 for an all-day ticket, which includes a free clinic. Arizona Snowbowl is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. It is scheduled to stay open seven days a week through March 29 and then weekends in April, weather permitting. Call 928-779-1951 or visit arizonasnowbowl.com.

The closest lodging available is the Ski Lift Lodge & Cabins, which have 25 units, primarily cabins and many with gas fireplaces. There is a small restaurant and bar that serves homemade dinners nightly and a complimentary continental breakfast. Rates start at $89 a night Sunday through Thursdays. The lodge offers Snowbowl lift tickets at a 25 percent discount when you check in. Call 928-774-0729 or visit arizonasnowbowl.com.

Flagstaff also offers dozens of other lodging choices from small motels to historic hotels from the railroad era, to bed-and-breakfast accommodations. For more information, call the Flagstaff Visitor Center at 800-379-0065 or visit flagstaffarizona.org.

Directions:

From Las Vegas, take U.S. Highway 93 south for 105 miles to Kingman, Ariz. Go east on Interstate 40 for 148 miles to Flagstaff.

Deborah Wall is the author of “Great Hikes, A Cerca Country Guide” and “Base Camp Las Vegas: Hiking the Southwestern States,” published by Stephens Press. She can be reached at deborabus@aol.com.