Arizona Skiing

[raisingarizona13]

Beauty , when does SB season start?
Looks like a lot of hike to lines untracked .

Thanksgiving weekend or the week before. They've been keeping the place open later than scheduled the last 8 or so years. Often up to the end of April and in big years until the end of May.

[dcpnz]

Fricken eh! Sweet pics and stoke.

[Mike Pow]

The south facing aspects can get burned off really quickly, especially during a drought season but when it dumps it freaking dumps here and yeah, slides happen. They generally happen during storm cycles and major wind events. The pack generally seals up incredibly quickly as systems move on. We usually don't have PWL's like up in Colorado or Utah. It's a very forgiving place for touring and newbies to get their toes wet.

I bet the snowpack behavior here is almost worthy of it's own designation. It's really that odd.

Very interesting

Very similar to Hokkaido, Japan

[skaredshtles]

Very interesting

Very similar to Hokkaido, Japan

Except they get about 1/100th the amount of snow.

[406]

Nice photos, does look like a cool place to ski. Only been to Flagstaff for MTB and watch football, fun town.

[CallMeAl]

I’ve only met one AZ skier in my life and to my surprise at the time he ripped. Name was Uncle Buzzy, patroller at SB. He was probably in his late 50s then.
He was up in Big Sky for a wilderness med conference circa 2010. I was working in a shop and like many tourists he bribed me to bring him out to show him around for a few hours. By the end of my break I insisted that he didn’t pay me anything because we had so much damn fun. Like the NE, inconsistent snow breeds very consistent skiers.

[HobieTony]

What, no Mt Lemmon stoke

Most won’t believe me, but in big snow years the backcountry terrain around Mt Lemmon can be pretty amazing.




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Dude. I learned to ski at Mt Lemmon 52 years ago. Some of my best days ever were there.

[gimpy]

Noice!!!…… consider my opinion of az skiing improved…. Thanks for sharing

[Dromond]

I really enjoyed seeing this photo collection from some unfamiliar slopes. I just checked the average snowfall of AZ Snowbowl - 260” isn’t the most but it’s not bad. On a good year it must have its share of great days. The strong sun must really define the snow climate.

[Shred Baron]

I’ve only met one AZ skier in my life and to my surprise at the time he ripped. Name was Uncle Buzzy, patroller at SB. He was probably in his late 50s then.
He was up in Big Sky for a wilderness med conference circa 2010. I was working in a shop and like many tourists he bribed me to bring him out to show him around for a few hours. By the end of my break I insisted that he didn’t pay me anything because we had so much damn fun. Like the NE, inconsistent snow breeds very consistent skiers.

I knew Uncle buzz for a bit. Worked with him building a lift at snowbowl. That old coot is a serious character. I can’t remember if he still patrols there or not. I think he may have had a falling out with management, or maybe I’m making that part up.


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[CallMeAl]

I knew Uncle buzz for a bit. Worked with him building a lift at snowbowl. That old coot is a serious character. I can’t remember if he still patrols there or not. I think he may have had a falling out with management, or maybe I’m making that part up.


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Yes! I figured somebody on here would've run into him down there. Last I knew he was working on a direct trade chocolate business. He had a bunch of samples in his pocket while we were skiing. Most memorable was a white chocolate drop with a lavender leaf inside. Weird but kind of good.

[BigHerm]

Amazing pics. I grew up skiing/riding Snowbowl as an infrequent daytripper. Met my wife during an El Niño season when I was visiting weekly. I rode there in April a few years back and was pretty stoked on the bumps and flagged "Bunny Line".

We just moved to Flag this spring and I am amped. Weekday pass 👌

[BigHerm]

Any recommendations on a good shop in Flag for base repair? Forgot I took a shot on my Optimistic last season.

Snowbowl WROD was super decent last week. Crowds cleared out around 3 👌.

[AirheadD8]

Any recommendations on a good shop in Flag for base repair? Forgot I took a shot on my Optimistic last season.

Snowbowl WROD was super decent last week. Crowds cleared out around 3 .

I skied with Raisingarizona there yesterday and it wasn’t too crowded not much open.

He’s an awesome ripper ! We had a blast, sun warmed things up a little and the wind didn’t materialize as forecast.

[Xover]

Dude............Arizona never occurred to me............now me thinks a road trip needs to happen.

Well shit, look who you rousted up Raising AZ. Go back into hiding Tim and stay in CO! AZ skiing sucks ass!!

[Trackhead]

I lived in Flag 99-04 and had three decent winters, did a ton of touring, and when the skiing sucks, the climbing in Sedona made up for it. When the skiing sucks on Montana, you're screwed, unless you still enjoy ice climbing.

[Xover]

Was wondering when the OF ^ was going to chime in

[Trackhead]

Was wondering when the OF ^ was going to chime in

My old ass belongs in the desert where it’s warm. Too old for this Montana shit.

[Xover]

My old ass belongs in the desert where it’s warm.

Bwahahahahaaa 72 in the Mojave this past Sunday with the windows rolled down felt damn nice!!!

[Meadow Skipper]

Bwahahahahaaa 72 in the Mojave this past Sunday with the windows rolled down felt damn nice!!!

On the downside, I got blasted in a brutal sandstorm driving from Mojave thru Barstow on Monday.

But yeah, it was warmer than Montana.

[Xover]

Yeah Skipper, I consider any day or night down in that zone exploring or just generally fucking around with little to no wind a gift from the Gods! Plus, it always seems the moonrise down there every night just looks BIGGER and seems closer no matter the time of year (no need for Supermoon) and damn do I love those California Stars

[ak_powder_monkey]

Last time I was in AZ there was enough snow to ski the rim of the grand canyon, which would be cool... But like heck of a close out line.

[AirheadD8]

Yep , Darwin award candidate from Sunday

[raisingarizona13]

I’ve only met one AZ skier in my life and to my surprise at the time he ripped. Name was Uncle Buzzy, patroller at SB. He was probably in his late 50s then.
He was up in Big Sky for a wilderness med conference circa 2010. I was working in a shop and like many tourists he bribed me to bring him out to show him around for a few hours. By the end of my break I insisted that he didn’t pay me anything because we had so much damn fun. Like the NE, inconsistent snow breeds very consistent skiers.

Buzz is still around. My daughter is good buds with his step daughter. Buzz really knows his way around the garden.

[raisingarizona13]

On the downside, I got blasted in a brutal sandstorm driving from Mojave thru Barstow on Monday.

But yeah, it was warmer than Montana.

I was wondering why it was so hazy in Kingman when I got there last hitch.

I can't do that Wyoming/Montana cold shit anymore. It hurts man.