Arizona Skiing

[AirheadD8]

q. so, we're headed from SLC to Sedona for a week 4/8-4/15ish to visit my girlfriends folks and do some riding. Going to ski Alta, leave SLC at 3 pm 4/8, camp north of page, check out horseshoe bend early AM 4/9, then drive to snowbowl, ski the afternoon (why not?) then hit flagstaff for dinner and Monday AM work before meeting her folks in Sedona 4/10.
Easy to find a van camp spot near Flag Sunday PM?
good food/drink/work locations?
Snowbowl looks to be having a great season, excited to check it out.

Haven't been to Flagstaff that many times but love! this Mex place

https://www.salsabravaflagstaff.com/

[Trackhead]

Easy to find a van camp spot near Flag Sunday PM?
good food/drink/work locations?
Snowbowl looks to be having a great season, excited to check it out.

Dara Thai and Little Thai Kitchen are both great. Atleast they were when I lived there almost 20 yrs ago. Flag brewing was good as well.

In the summer you can van camp anywhere south of town by Kachina Village, but with the snow this year, gravel roads probably all buried. Sedona has snow free campsites all over.

[BigHerm]

Little Thai kitchen only doing takeout sadly. There is dispersed camping south of town off 89a before switchbacks. Maybe still snowy? Mother Road and Dark Sky good for 🍺 and food.

[raisingarizona13]

You could probably park at the bottom of Snowbowl Road just across the street from the Base Camp lodge. You can also park right at the area in the lower lots. The lowest of those lots has killer views and gets the last afternoon light.

Fratellis has good NY style pizza, Theres a location right on 180 on your way from town to the mountain.

Martannes has some of the best breakfast in town. The chilaquiles, Christmas style is a locals favorite.

For a quick breakfast you can't go wrong with Biffs Bagels.

My favorite place is Las Gorditas. We've been going there for 17 years now. Mrs. Santana makes some damn tasty food. The street tacos, carne, carnitas, adobadas (marinated pork and my favorite) and anything smothered in their enchilada sauces is the shit. You gotta try their green enchiladas and the jalapeño salsa. I can drink that salsa like it's soup.

Dark Sky is dope.

White Lightning is my favorite ski trail. Theres great tree lines all around it. Theres a traverse to the left of the dog leg on WL that can take you back to ridge side just below the GCX. Utilizing that traverse opens up mucho options and combinations. If they get warm or have deep and fresh the south facing trees between Humphreys Chair and Lower Bowl have nice lines and can be a bonus after a full pull down WL.

[Phall]

Thanks RA! Appreciate the recs.


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[MarcusBrody]

I went to Snowbowl for the first time a week ago. I really enjoyed it. It's a fun little mountain and more than I expected. The trees were pretty soft and weren't skied out quickly. They eventually opened up the near hike to terrain off the gondola, and I did one lap. Which I probably shouldn't have as it ended up being largely windbuff and I ended up with a nasty blister (maybe not totally from the hiking in my alpine boots, but it didn't help) that eventually curtailed my skiing and hurt like a bitch.

I liked Flagstaff though, and I'm actually taking my wife and son this weekend. Lessons are super cheap and the temps will be mild, so we'll see if I can't get my 6 year old into it. We tried when he was almost 3, but then the next year Covid shut things down mid-season and then we moved to the desert, so he hasn't been skiing since. I'm hoping it hooks him!

[raisingarizona13]

That's great MarcusBrody. This coming weekends weather should be real nice. I'd meet up for a beer but I'll be up in Utah working. Enjoy!

[Phall]

Great mountain, RA. Was slushy and fun on Sunday, I was battling a cold, but really enjoyed the groomers. Didn't really explore too much off piste due to conditions. Hell of a mountain for a $10 ticket!

[MarcusBrody]

That's great MarcusBrody. This coming weekends weather should be real nice. I'd meet up for a beer but I'll be up in Utah working. Enjoy!

Yep it was a lot of fun. I'm really hoping that my son gets into skiing and my wife likes the town so they're easy to convince to go more in the future. I've skied relatively little since I moved to NV as it's harder to justify the time with a little kid (especially when you can pedal to great mountain biking out your back door and still be back by lunch to switch out with the wife). But if taking the kid skiing is the childcare...

I didn't end up taking the bike on this trip. I drove through and saw where I think the new trails are in Kingman, but I was slightly slow leaving and decided it wasn't worth the inconvenience of having the bike in the my little car for the rest of the trip. I aim to get there soon though! Hopefully someday I catch you in AZ or if you come around the Vegas area to ride.

[raisingarizona13]

Great mountain, RA. Was slushy and fun on Sunday, I was battling a cold, but really enjoyed the groomers. Didn't really explore too much off piste due to conditions. Hell of a mountain for a $10 ticket!

Awesome. It's not too bad! There isn't much in the way of features but the top 1500 vert has a damn good powder skiing pitch and lots of nice trees. Ridge to Agassiz is a ripping groomer run with good head walls and rollers into fun g outs and flats. There's usually some good bumps here and there and White Lightning would be my favorite marked ski run.

I've learned to embrace bump and groomer skiing here, it's what we got and the touring can be really good too.

[MarcusBrody]

Awesome. It's not too bad! There isn't much in the way of features but the top 1500 vert has a damn good powder skiing pitch and lots of nice trees. Ridge to Agassiz is a ripping groomer run with good head walls and rollers into fun g outs and flats. There's usually some good bumps here and there and White Lightning would be my favorite marked ski run.

I've learned to embrace bump and groomer skiing here, it's what we got and the touring can be really good too.

I thought that it was nice that they left a good number of runs/sections somewhat bumped up. Even on a mostly groomer run, you could cut across and have a few ungroomed pitches to liven things up. I imagine they'll have to groom those at some point if it is freeze thawing as refrozen bumps aren't that fun, but hopefully some stick around as I love slush bumps.

[cdlv]

RA, looks like we're sister resorts now: https://www.saminfo.com/news/sam-hea...res-lee-canyon

[MarcusBrody]

10 days after going for the first time myself, I took my wife and son to Snowbowl and we had an absolute blast, especially my son (and so me by extension). My son is 6, almost 7, now. I last tried to get him out on real skis when he was almost 3? Then Covid hit, we moved to the desert, we had fairly bad snow years in the SW, and I hadn't taken him since. Lessons/rentals/tickets were cheap at Snowbowl and the weather was looking warm, so I figured "what the heck? Even if he isn't interested once he gets there, it's no big deal and the weather will be nice to be outside." But he did love it. Started in the never-ever lesson on Saturday morning and was lapping Grand Canyon -> the Bowl by Sunday afternoon. Skied until last chair both days and was annoyed to be told that we couldn't keep walking back up. It was just really nice conditions for a beginner: no worry about being cold. The snow warmed up into being soft, heavy, and slow, but wasn't completely saturated for most of the mountain. I was really glad we went and am considering going another time before it closes....

[raisingarizona13]

RA, looks like we're sister resorts now: https://www.saminfo.com/news/sam-hea...res-lee-canyon

I saw that! I think that's pretty cool. The purchase makes sense for Coleman since Brianhead is his as well.

Lee canyon must be crazy busy on the weekends and holidays eh? I bet it could be very profitable. Snowbowl is just killing it.

[raisingarizona13]

10 days after going for the first time myself, I took my wife and son to Snowbowl and we had an absolute blast, especially my son (and so me by extension). My son is 6, almost 7, now. I last tried to get him out on real skis when he was almost 3? Then Covid hit, we moved to the desert, we had fairly bad snow years in the SW, and I hadn't taken him since. Lessons/rentals/tickets were cheap at Snowbowl and the weather was looking warm, so I figured "what the heck? Even if he isn't interested once he gets there, it's no big deal and the weather will be nice to be outside." But he did love it. Started in the never-ever lesson on Saturday morning and was lapping Grand Canyon -> the Bowl by Sunday afternoon. Skied until last chair both days and was annoyed to be told that we couldn't keep walking back up. It was just really nice conditions for a beginner: no worry about being cold. The snow warmed up into being soft, heavy, and slow, but wasn't completely saturated for most of the mountain. I was really glad we went and am considering going another time before it closes....

Awesome! That dust storm sure mucked up the natural ungroomed snow surfaces but damn, I got up three days this past week and the corned up groomers in the AM were so good!

[raisingarizona13]

I'm currently contemplating not making a pass purchase with MCP and possibly skipping ski season all together. If I do ski and I can make it work I'd prefer to get a Taos pass and spend six-eight weeks there next season. I'm waiting to see what transpires.

[Djongo Unchained]

[QUOTE=MarcusBrody;6846112]

But he did love it. Started in the never-ever lesson on Saturday morning and was lapping Grand Canyon -> the Bowl by Sunday afternoon. Skied until last chair both days and was annoyed to be told that we couldn't keep walking back up.

]

Love it.

Strong work, Dad.

[MarcusBrody]

We went back again this past Friday-Saturday. My wife tweaked her knee literally on the bunny hill as we went over to pick up our son from a lesson, but other than that, things were good. We were skiing in tshirts and needed to run the AC on the way to the mountain. Love spring skiing.
We got absolute last chair on the Gondola lift Sunday. My son had eyed the pitch off that chair above where you come into the bowl from the Grand Canyon lift and wanted to try to do it (or wanted to ride the gondola). We tried it. He fell multiple times on the upper section and REALLY wanted to do it again. Patrol was lining up for their ride up to sweep when we got down. My son fell face first in the lift line trying desperately to shuffle fast enough to beat them to the chair. The liftie scooped him up and let us go for one more ride, on which he skied the upper section much more confidently. It was a good end to the season.

My wife loves Flagstaff. None of us had ever been there a month ago and now she'd probably move if I could get a job at NAU. She's a hippy from a college town at heart, so the NAU influenced feel of the town is right up her alley. She enjoys skiing (especially when it's warm), but isn't really super into it, so the town being an attraction makes for a good trip overall.

[MarcusBrody]

just got an email that Snowbowl is staying open until the end of May, so maybe it wasn't my son and my final run of the season afterall...

I'm really tempted to buy a pass for next year now that Sunbowl/Lee Canyon/Brian Head are all on one pass and my son is finally into it too. But I feel like if I do, it's going to barely snow and my son will give up skiing for basket weaving or something...

[raisingarizona13]

just got an email that Snowbowl is staying open until the end of May, so maybe it wasn't my son and my final run of the season afterall...

I'm really tempted to buy a pass for next year now that Sunbowl/Lee Canyon/Brian Head are all on one pass and my son is finally into it too. But I feel like if I do, it's going to barely snow and my son will give up skiing for basket weaving or something...

We've had a few drought years since Cody has been skiing and Snowbowl did a great job with snowmaking and grooming. She didn't know any different and had fun regardless. When there's no natural snow the available terrain becomes limited and the main ski runs are packed. It gets downright dangerous and I won't ski weekends or holidays so there's that.

Flagstaff is a great city to visit. The crowding, traffic and overall cost of living has been pushing us out and we are currently looking at other options/opportunities. The payin just isn't worth it for us now.

[MarcusBrody]

We've had a few drought years since Cody has been skiing and Snowbowl did a great job with snowmaking and grooming. She didn't know any different and had fun regardless. When there's no natural snow the available terrain becomes limited and the main ski runs are packed. It gets downright dangerous and I won't ski weekends or holidays so there's that.

Flagstaff is a great city to visit. The crowding, traffic and overall cost of living has been pushing us out and we are currently looking at other options/opportunities. The payin just isn't worth it for us now.

I was browsing real estate prices (which I found most any place I travel) and thought "wow, that's a lot of money for some largely uninspiring homes." It was funny, though. I was riding the lift talking to a lady who said they'd moved there for lower cost of living. I was surprised by this, but apparently she previously lived in Jackson so I guess there is always worse.

I've never taken my son to Lee Canyon due to crowding on weekends, but as he gets better it will let him get away from the bunny hill crowds a bit more so it might be better. Brian head is also equidistant. I'm mostly thinking now as if I buy before May 5, I get some free bike park days at both.

[AirheadD8]

We've had a few drought years since Cody has been skiing and Snowbowl did a great job with snowmaking and grooming. She didn't know any different and had fun regardless. When there's no natural snow the available terrain becomes limited and the main ski runs are packed. It gets downright dangerous and I won't ski weekends or holidays so there's that.

Flagstaff is a great city to visit. The crowding, traffic and overall cost of living has been pushing us out and we are currently looking at other options/opportunities. The payin just isn't worth it for us now.

Yikes .....Over 400K for an Umpah Loompa house .....LOL
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...5_M10311-55982

[MarcusBrody]

Awesome! That dust storm sure mucked up the natural ungroomed snow surfaces but damn, I got up three days this past week and the corned up groomers in the AM were so good!

I just bought a 12 day pass, which is actually unlimited at Brian Head. Lee Canyon, Brian Head, and Snowbowl are basically the three closest mountains to us, so a rotating between them should keep things interesting enough. If my son gets really into it and improves, then in a few years we can consider if it's worth it to make the 5.5 hour trek to Mammoth.

I was on the fence, but the three bike park days at Lee Canyon/Brian Head tipped me toward it being a good value for me.

[AZskibum]

Anyone skiing in AZ probably already knows this, shit I did too, but do not let Ski Pro touch your skis.

I recently pulled some bindings they mounted on my Moment Wildcats (before I did my own mounts) and I discovered that they miss drilled half a hole and covered it with the binding without mentioning it. Pissed to say the least. Happened three years ago or I'd be demanding new planks.

[raisingarizona13]

So ski techs in Phoenix aren't all that reliable eh? You don't say, I would've never thunk that.