With the recent storms, northern Arizona has already received its first snow fall. And that means the upcoming skiing and snowboarding season is just around the corner. Even though it might seem a bit early to start talking about gliding down the mountain on some beautiful, soft powder, Mother Nature doesn’t think it’s too soon; neither does the staff at Arizona Snowbowl.
The stage is almost set for the kick-off to the 2018-19 winter sports season in the Flagstaff area.
So, is it time to hit the slopes yet?
Although it’s not quite time to strap on your booties, the general manager at Arizona Snowbowl, J.R. Murray says, “Everyone at Snowbowl is excited for ski season to begin Nov. 16.”
With daily assessments, Arizona Snowbowl’s mountain operations team are working hard, pushing and grooming the slopes until they deem them ready. As it stands, the mountain is skiable from the Midway lift station to the bottom of the slopes.
Even though predicting the weather can be challenging, the intricate snowmaking system 14-mi. North of Flagstaff has made such predictions much less difficult.
That said, it’s essential that the operations team over at Arizona Snowbowl capitalize on the upcoming cold nights and makes as much snow as they can. Murray states:
“With our state-of-the-art snowmaking system which covers more than 65 percent of trails, Snowbowl is able to be the first to open in the state, provide a consistent ski product, and stay open longer because of all the work we do at the beginning of the season.”
What’s more, Arizona experienced an extraordinary number of showers this fall.
The residual rain from Hurricane Rosa brought record amounts of rain to the Valley this month. To get a perspective on things, the previous record was 2.24 inches of precipitation for the whole month of October, whereas, this year, we received 2.36 inches in just a couple of days.
Nonetheless, the Arizona resort continues to host leaf watching, hiking, disc golf, and other fall affairs up until Oct. 21.
Children Ski for Free!
Yes, sir! Any youngster who’s in the fourth grade or below gets a season pass, free of charge. With this pass, kids can go anywhere on the mountain at Arizona Snowbowl. Not only can kids enjoy skiing all season long at Snowbowl, with no blackout dates, but they’re also welcome at Purgatory, Sipapu, Pajarito Mountain, and Hesperus Ski Area. Not to mention, this perk carries a value of $399.
On Your Marks…Get Set…Go!
With deals like these, Snowbowl makes for a great family destination to ski and snowboard. Of course, there are many other activities to enjoy, including SkiWee lesson, Snowbowl’s yearly Cardboard Derby, a Mini Ropes Course, and much more. Finally, the Hart Prairie beginner’s area is home to a new, high-speed quad, making getting up and down the slopes a breeze.
Important information about Arizona Snowbowl can be found below.
2018 Fall Operations:
Weekend Operations: Fridays-Sundays, September 28-30
Daily Operations: October 5-21, 2108
Scheduled Last Day of the 2018 Summer Season: Sunday, October 21
Fall Hours: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. until Oct. 21. (weather permitting)
Main Ticket Office: Inside Agassiz Lodge @ 9300 N. Snowbowl Road, Flagstaff.
SKIING STARTS NOV. 16, WEATHER PERMITTING.
Prices: Weekdays (Adults) – $19, Weekends (Adults) – $24, Weekdays Seniors & Children (6-12) – $15, Weekends Seniors & Children (6-12) – $19. Kids 5 & Under Ski for Free.
Discounted tickets can be found online but must be bought a 24-hours ahead of time. Check out Arizona Snowbowl’s website for other details at www.snowbowl.ski, or call the team at (928) 774-0729.
Enjoy the 2018-19 season and have a great time out on the slopes!
