Ski areas: Arizona Snowbowl
Population: Flagstaff 38,000
Road and weather conditions: (602) 638-7888; Arizona Snowbowl report: (602) 779-4577 or visit their online ski conditions.
Annual snowfall: 250"
Ski season: Mid-December-mid-April
Flagstaff Visitors Center: (800) 842-7293
Average cost 1-bedroom apartment: $450
Cost of adult 1-day lift ticket: $48
Local newspaper: Arizona Daily Sun, (602) 779-4189

Arizona Snowbowl Area Profile

From the top of Snowbowl Ski Resort you can take in the spectacular view of one of North America's most amazing natural creations: Grand Canyon National Park. Or if it's urban stimulation you crave, downtown Flagstaff is a mere twelve miles away. The city is home to Northern Arizona University, so you can find all the usual college hangouts including bars, good restaurants, and funky bookstores. To quote a native, Flagstaff is "a tree-hugger town with gun racks."

Winter Activities

These spectacular outlying areas are also home to Snowbowl, a mountain with a vertical drop of 2,300 feet that receives ample snowfall to sustain excellent ski conditions throughout the season.

Although many people travel to Arizona solely for its therapeutic climate, you can enjoy the best of both worlds within a matter of hours. Snowbowl boasts thirty-two trails totaling over 196 acres for skiers and snowboarders alike. Of the runs, 30 percent are beginner, 40 percent intermediate, and 30 percent expert.

Although snow covers the mountain until spring, there are plenty of chances to enjoy the area without freezing temperatures. Nearby Sedona has an interesting New-Age feel with a mysterious "vortex" that allegedly contains earth's energy center. Sunset Crater Volcanic, Walnut Canyon, and Wupatki National Monuments (on the way to the Grand Canyon) contain prehistoric Native American dwellings, excellent hiking trails, and rare geological formations.

Summer Activities

The area is extremely scenic and has a variety of indigenous plants and animals and unique historical and geological artifacts. Summer is great for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing, mule trips, river tours, whitewater rafting, and kayaking, to name a few. Don't miss Slide Rock Recreational Area and National Monument. Accommodations are limited, but camping information for the Grand Canyon National Park is available by calling (602) 638-2401 or (801) 586-7686. Wupatki National Monument permits camping from April 15 to November 15. For information contact Sunset Crater Visitors Center at (602) 556-7042.

Apr�s-ski

Have a drink at the lodge or drive into Flagstaff for dinner and a leisurely walk to the galleries and bookstores in town. Alpine Pizza, (602) 779-4109, comes highly recommended.

Transportation

Snowbowl is located 500 miles from Los Angeles via I-17, and 150 miles from Phoenix on I-17. At Flagstaff, turn off on Highway 180 to get to Snowbowl. The nearest airport to the resort is in Flagstaff, fourteen miles away.

The Pine Country Transit System provides convenient transportation around Flagstaff. Call (602) 779-6624 for schedule and destination information. This system does not provide access to the Snowbowl Ski Area, so it is best to have your own car.

Housing

Unfortunately, housing is limited at best. Ski employees compete with college students for decent accommodations. Contact campus and local newspapers for details on rental prices.

Arizona Snowbowl Employment

Flagstaff is a college town, so depending on your timing there are potentially tons of job opportunities. If skiing is your focus, read the following listings and contact the appropriate office for employment information. Subscribing to the local paper and responding to the classifieds is also a good idea.

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