Winter in Northern Arizona

Northern Arizona in the winter is a perfect place to spend a winter vacation or a weekend getaway. Whether you embark on one of the open-air tours or hiking trails that affords visitors stunning views of the breathtaking red rocks of Sedona and Grand Canyon all dusted in white, or you spend your days skiing, snowshoeing or cross country skiing on the majestic San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff. With nearly 100 inches of annual snowfall, Flagstaff and the surrounding area offers unmatched alpine activity, making Northern Arizona the perfect playground for outdoor enthusiasts and tourists of all types.

Regardless of your activity level and choice of adventure, the key to staying warm on your  cold-weather visit to northern Arizona is packing 10 winter suitcase essentials.

10 winter essentials for your suitcase

• Long-sleeved mid-weight shirt – pick a base layer that wicks away moisture and keeps you dry

• Fleece or wool sweater – quick-drying and ideal for repelling water and snow

• Waterproof gloves – Shield your hands from cold wind, snow and dampness. Stay away from cotton or woven materials and stick with wool, Gore-Tex or other moisture wicking textiles.

• Scarf – Keeps your neck or head warm outside and acts as a great layer you can leave on when you’re indoors or in sunny, milder temperatures.

• Hat – Essential for keeping your body heat in. Hikers may opt for a wide-brimmed style, while skiiers and snowboarders might choose a knitted skull cap or beanie.

• Waterproof outer layer – Necessary for keeping out wind and locking in warmth while you’re on the slopes or taking photography and sightseeing stops

• Boots with reliable tread – important for keeping you warm and upright!

• Sunscreen – Remember that UV rays are harmful on cloudy and sunny days alike

• Healthy snack – Keep up your energy with protein and carbohydrate-packed nuts, fruit and plenty of water.

• Camera – to capture the the stunning views

Photo credit: heyjohngreen on Flickr.com - View from Cathedral Rock

Sedona is a beautiful destination year-round. The most popular seasons are March through May and September through mid-December. Lodging rates are slightly lower in July and August, but the most economical prices of year are available from the first week of January to mid-February.

December in Scottsdale... Need we say more?

Come to Arizona this winter! Where else can you play golf and snowboard IN THE SAME DAY?!? Read on for Arizona winter vacation tips for Flagstaff, Sedona, Prescott and Scottsdale, including ideas on annual events, what to do, what to pack and typical weather and temperatures for each area.

Flagstaff

Top Reasons to Visit in Winter:

• Skiing and snowboarding! From the time the first snow hits in early December through about March, the Arizona Snowbowl located above Flagstaff on Mount Humphries is abuzz with skiers and snowboarders, locals and tourists, families and individuals.
• The fewest crowds of the year at the Grand Canyon South Rim (the North Rim is closed in the winter.) Picture the Grand Canyon dusted with white – spectacularly peaceful.

What to Pack

As with any snowy destination, a warm coat, boots, hat and gloves are a safe bet. To manage the temperature swing as you move from outdoors in, be sure to wear layers you can peel off and put back on as needed. Expect high temperatures in the 40s and lows in the teens. Flagstaff receives annual snowfall of approximately 99.5 inches – truly a winter wonderland.

Area Events

Be sure to participate in the handful of area holiday events like the Holiday Lights Display at the Little America Hotels; a tour of Riordan Mansion, adorned in turn-of-the-century decor and fragrant boughs; the Grand Canyon Railway’s “Polar Express” from Williams (an easy 39 miles west of Flagstaff) and more.

Flagstaff Winter Weather

Sedona

Top Reasons to Visit in Winter

• The fewest crowds of the year, red rocks dusted with white, but very little snow on the ground in town which makes driving and other outdoor activities easily do-able.
• Sedona’s winter weather still hits relatively warm highs of the mid-50s and 60s with chilly evenings perfect for sitting at your bed & breakfast’s fireplace.
• You can golf and ski in the same day! Play golf at one of Sedona’s picturesque golf courses in the morning, and hit the slopes north of Flagstaff – just 60 minutes away – in the afternoon.

What to Pack

Pack your camera and be sure to take photos of Sedona and Oak Creek covered in ice and snow… at about 5,000 feet in elevation, Sedona is beautiful in winter. Layers are the way to go with long pants, long-sleeved shirts and sweaters, fleece pullovers or sweatshirts. You may want a light jacket as a top layer. Shoes or boots are the best choice of footwear.

Things to Do

There are relatively few visitors to Sedona in the winter months, but there’s no reason to stay away! In fact, Sedona couldn’t be better when you have the destination practically all to yourself! Do spend your holidays in Sedona… let the hosts of a quaint Sedona bed & breakfast wow you with festive decorations, food and hospitality. Be sure to participate in the handful of holiday events like the Red Rock Fantasy festival of lights, the lighting of 6,000 luminarias at Tlaquepaque, Christmas caroling, or the Verde Canyon Railroad’s Santa Claus-themed train ride (in Clarkdale; 23 easy miles southwest of Sedona) and more.

Sedona Winter Weather

Prescott

Top Reasons to Visit in Winter

• Prescott is known as Arizona’s Christmas City, so winter visitors will delight in seeing the white granite courthouse sparkling in snow and twinkling lights.
• With gentle snowfall averages of 5 – 6 inches per month in December, January and February, Prescott is an ideal winter playground. Winter visitors can anticipate average high/low temperatures of 55/22 in December, 51/21 in January and 54/24 in February.
• January and February are a great time to come to Prescott. The crowds are fewer and there are some great lodging deals to be had.

What to Pack

Be sure to pack for winter weather, including thin, warm layers and a waterproof outer layer. You’ll want boots or shoes with a decent tread to allow you to walk around downtown or even do some light hiking in safety and warmth.

Things to Do

There are plenty of days filled with sunshine and crisp temperatures, an ideal combination for hiking, mountain biking or riding your motorcycle up to Jerome and Sedona. Nearly every weekend year-round, visitors and locals delight in the incredible special events in Prescott. Prescott is becoming known as a special events city, largely due to a month’s worth of December events in Prescott, “Arizona’s Christmas City,” including a huge annual Christmas Parade, lighting the tree on Courthouse Plaza, the Acker Musical Showcase, and “Dickens of a Christmas,” and continuing weekends packed with music, art, food, cultural, and car and aeronautical festivals on Courthouse Square.

Prescott Winter Weather

Scottsdale-Phoenix

Top Reasons to Visit

• Weather! Scottsdale’s winter weather is the stuff of legends. 75 degree, sunny, perfect days are the norm – quite the welcome respite from Midwestern snow drifts and Nor’Easters.
• Signature annual events are parties such as the P.F. Chang’s Rock n’ Roll Marathon, the Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction, the Phoenix Open and other golf tournaments, and many, many more. Participate or spectate; either way, you’re almost guaranteed to have a great time and return to work with a tan

What to Pack

Locals take the winter months as an opportunity to dig out sweaters and boots, but you’ll be happy to leave those at home and pack shorts, pants, short sleeves and light layers (and don’t forget a swimsuit and coverup!). Expect crisp mornings, sunny, warm afternoons and chilly evenings that will have you adding and subtracting layers all day long. Scottsdale – though an upscale resort town – rarely requires anything more than casual “resort wear” attire.

Things to Do

In addition to the aforementioned annual events, believe it or not, you’ll probably want to log some time at your resort or hotel’s pool or (better yet) spa. Take time to stroll around Old Town Scottsdale, for kitschy souvenirs to fine art; you can spend an afternoon shopping and peeking in galleries, grabbing meals at some top-notch eateries. Check out Scottsdale Fashion Square for luxurious and upscale retail therapy, or (need we say it?) play 18 or 36 holes at one of the 100 area championship golf courses.

Scottsdale Winter Weather

Take your kids sledding in AZ! Photo credit: Tony the Misfist on Flickr.com / Creative Commons

Got a great question on our Facebook page today, but thought I’d post the reply here for everyone to read. If you still have questions, or have any other recommendations to add, please feel free to comment here.

Dear Arizona Travel: Where do we take the kids sledding on a day trip from Phoenix?
Maria – Phoenix

Hi, Maria! Try these:

Flagstaff Nordic Center

• The Flagstaff Nordic Center offers snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowman building and pull-behind sledding and night play on Fridays when conditions allow. Downhill sledding is available at Crowley Pit, just 1 mile past the Flagstaff Nordic Center. The center is open daily and had 20 of its 40 kilometers of trails.
• Getting there: The center is about 15 miles northwest of downtown Flagstaff and 160 miles from central Phoenix. Head north on Interstate 17, which leads into Milton Road in Flagstaff. Follow Milton Road downtown to U.S. 180 north. The parking lot is along the highway at mile marker 232.
• Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily and 6-9 p.m. Fridays if conditions allow.
• Skiing: Reservations for equipment rentals must be made by 3 p.m. three days before your visit. Skis and rental packages range from $10 – $20/day, and trail passes are priced at $10 – $18/day.
• Snowshoeing: The center has about 9 miles of marked snowshoe trails, and dogs are allowed if kept under control. Reservations are suggested to ensure equipment availability. Trail passes and snowshoe rentals are $10 – 18 per day each.
• Sledding: A sledding area is near U.S. 180 at Crowley Pit, about 1 mile past the Nordic Center. The pit’s parking area is not maintained, but portable toilets and a garbage can are available. Several hills with various grades and lengths are available. Learn more about Crowley Pit, a Forest Service site, at flagstaffnordiccenter.com/snowplay.php
• Details: 928-220-0550 or flagstaffnordiccenter.com

Wing Mountain Snow Play area

This area offers small sledding hills and moguls for tots, as well as areas for skiing, snowshoeing and other snow play. Food and hot drinks are available.

• Getting there: It’s about 150 miles from central Phoenix. Take I-17 north to Milton Road into downtown Flagstaff, then U.S. 180 north. At mile marker 226, 2.8 miles past Snowbowl Road, turn left onto Forest Road 222B.
• Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.
• Admission: $12 per vehicle. Sleds are available for purchase.
• Details: 928-226-0493 or snowplayaz.com.

Sunrise Park Resort

Known for its downhill ski runs, Sunrise also offers tubing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

• Getting there: It’s about 220 miles from central Phoenix. Take Arizona 87 (Beeline Highway) north to Payson, then Arizona 260 east through Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside to Arizona 273, on the Fort Apache Reservation. Turn right (south) on Arizona 273. Sunrise Park Lodge is about 4 miles south, and the Sunrise Ski Area is about 3 miles past the lodge.
• Tubing: It’s like sledding, only you fly down the hill on an enormous inner tube. A tubing hill is behind Lake Ono, off the main entrance. Tube rentals are $8 a day, or you can bring your own tube.
• Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing: More than 13 miles of groomed trails are available. Trail passes cost $7 for adults and $4 for juniors. Equipment rentals are $10 a day.
• Sleigh rides: $22 per person for a 30-minute ride, and $30 for a 60-minute ride.
• Details: 928-735-7669 or sunriseskipark.com

Elk Ridge Ski and Recreation Area

Named for the ridge line south of the ski area, this site once was known as the Williams Ski Area. Tubing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding are available. The lodge has been renovated and is under new management. Check their website for schedules and holiday closures.

• Getting there: It’s about 180 miles from central Phoenix. Take Interstate 17 north to Flagstaff and Interstate 40 west to Williams. Go south on Fourth Street, which turns into Perkinsville Road, then Ski Run Road to Elk Ridge.
• Hours: 10a.m.-5:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
• Prices: $13 Adults ages 13+; $10 Kids ages 4-12; $35 Family (2 adults, 2 children under 13); Free for children younger than 4 with an Adult.
• Details: 928-814-5038 or elkridgeski.com

Enjoy the snow! Let us know how it goes and feel free to share pictures through email and/or on our Arizona Travel Facebook page!

– Christina

Okay, your turn folks… any other questions or suggestions to add?

Dear Arizona Travel:

I am visiting my son in February who lives in Phoenix, my sister and daughter are coming along and have never been to Arizona.  We are only there 4 days and I want to give them a crash course of the area.  We will be in Sedona for a night and would like to drive to the Canyon from there.  If we arrive at around 11:00am can we see some of the overlooks by just spending the day??  Say from 11:00 to 5:00?? Can’t find anything that gives me the distance we need to travel once we arrive? Realize this is all weather permitting but none of us have seen it and this could be our last shot. My son graduates in June!!
Any help our suggestions would be appreciated.  I have a triptik from AAA showing how to get there from Sedona, just don’t know how much time to allow, or if doable in a day?   Thank you for your time.
–Marlene

Read my suggestions for an hour-by-hour timeline on seeing the South Rim in just an afternoon, after the bump.

snowy tree by vandelizer on flickr.com/creativecommons

Hi, Marlene.  You absolutely can spend 11am – 5pm at the South Rim viewing different overlooks.  It’s hard to tell you how much you’ll be traveling once you get inside the park, as it’s up to you how much you want to do.  However, I highly recommend parking your car at one of the many parking lots and then riding the very easy hop-on-hop-off shuttle around the South Rim area also known as Grand Canyon Village.  You can also walk to several viewpoints along the Rim Trail…you can walk as little as 0.5 mile or up to 11 miles from one end to another.

If you like guided talks and information from park rangers, I highly recommend that you call  (928) 638-2771 before you even arrive to reserve spots for the Kolb Studio talk, which is limited to 12 participants only.  More on that later…

11:00 am

I would start your visit near the Verkamp’s Visitor Center (where you’ll also be near the historic El Tovar Hotel and Bright Angel Lodge and the Grand Canyon Railway train depot.)  You can do the 45 to 60-minute ranger-guided Rim Walk starting at 11am at the Verkamp’s Visitor Center.

11:45 am

Hop in your car and head 7 miles west to Hermits Rest – a popular overlook. (No Hermit Road shuttle available December – February.)

12:30 pm

I would have lunch at the El Tovar Hotel Lounge overlooking the rim. No reservations, it’s a first-come, first-served…but because you are visiting in the off-peak season, you should have little trouble if any.

2:00 pm

Here’s why I recommend making reservations for the Kolb Studio talk (Kolb Studio is back near the Verkamp’s Center.) Kolb Studio, built in 1904, spills five levels down the canyon wall. The Kolb brothers played an integral role in the early years of development at Grand Canyon. From the studio they photographed countless visitors as they began their mule trips. Fascinating stuff!

2:45 pm

Hop on the shuttle (no cars allowed) to Canyon View Plaza, where you’ll find a visitor center, bookstore, restrooms and a short walk to the beautiful lookout at Mather Point.  This is on the east end of Grand Canyon Village.

So to sum up, plan on driving or riding the shuttle up to 20 miles or so within Grand Canyon Village (7 miles out and back to Hermits Rest to the west, and about 2 miles each way to Canyon View Plaza to the east.)  Allow yourself about four hours inside Grand Canyon Village.

4:00 pm

Last, you have two options on exiting the park.  Of course you can head south back through Tusayan toward Williams (if it’s snowy, do this and get south of Flagstaff before the sun sets at around 6pm. You want to avoid the high-country area highways in the snow and the dark.) If it’s clear skies, here’s what I would do: You can see several beautiful overlooks by taking the Desert View Drive (Hwy 64) from Grand Canyon Village out toward the east entrance to the South Rim. This road is 26 miles and will let you out of the park near Cameron (check out the Cameron Trading Post) and then you would take Hwy 89 South back into Flagstaff.  If you take this route, plan on an hour of driving from Grand Canyon Village to Flagstaff without stops.. But because I know you want to see overlooks, give yourselves two hours with stops and weather considerations.

Winter at the Grand Canyon – Helpful Tips

Remember to dress warmly in layers.  It is cold on the rim in the winter (Feburary high 45 / low 21) and you’ll want warm shoes with plenty of grip or tread.  The overlook points are often accessed by stairs that get slippery in the wet snow and ice.  Use caution, but enjoy yourselves!  You will love seeing the Canyon in the winter. I hope the weather is just perfect for you!

PS:
Please find here links to a map of Grand Canyon Village

http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/200909village_map.pdf

and to The Guide, the national park’s visitor newspaper.

http://www.nps.gov/grca/parknews/upload/2009-10winterSRguide.pdf

These are two excellent national park offerings that really help the visitor visualize the lay of the land and get tons of info.

Enjoy your trip!

Flagstaff, Arizona during ski and snowboarding season is a great time to experience a different side of Arizona from what most visitors expect. Flagstaff is one of the few places in Arizona where Christmas, pine trees, scarves, beanies, mittens, sledding, tobogganing, hot cocoa and snowball fights are truly part of the season. Though it’s wonderful to be able to play golf in 68 degree weather in Phoenix in December, there’s something very invigorating about playing in the snow during the winter.  

The slopes at Snowbowl opened on December 17, 2009 this season, and you better believe we were there to test the snow out! As Arizona residents know and accept, Snowbowl is great for a quick snowboarding fix. If driving from Phoenix, it’s a two-hour drive into a Winter Wonderland. For those who are avid boarders or skiers who are used to Colorado or Utah slopes, please realize that Flagstaff is located in a state that is primarily a desert. We’re just happy to have decent slopes.

Having said that, the conditions at the beginning of 2010 are looking great. It’s packed powder; all 4 lifts are in full operation (that means Agassiz to the top!); 9 boxes, 2 rails and 4 hits.  You can check out the current conditions and any updated slope/rate info at ArizonaSnowbowl.com

Over the last few years, we’ve collected a few favorite places to make part of our snowboarding ritual. In addition, we’ve learned a few tricks to make our adventures a little more budget friendly and/or painless.

Peaks Card

For a multiple visit skiers and snowboarders – but not often enough to justify purchasing a season pass:

The Peaks Card is $50, which discounts your lift tickets for five days throughout the season and gives you one of those days for free. Not bad!  Card holders can buy lift tickets Mondays through Fridays for $10 off, while weekend and holiday tickets are available at $5 off. These Peaks Cards are available for adult passes only and can only be used by one person per day.

A full day lift ticket at Snowbowl is $49, so basically, it is a $1 to purchase the ability to have your next four lift tickets discounted. The cards may be purchased online or at the Guest Services office in Hart Prairie Lodge when you visit Snowbowl for the first time. A picture ID is required to purchase the discounted lift tickets with the card.

Mid-Week Discount Coupon

This has specific dates, so just click here on Flagstaff Snowbowl Mid-Week Discount Coupon to see if the dates match up for you.
  

Ski & Snowboard Rentals

Peace Surplus  Tel: 928-779-4521
 14 West Route 66
 Flagstaff, AZ 86001
 Email: info@peacesurplus.com

Snowboard and Ski Rental Packages: $21.00 out the door

Ski Haus
Tel: 928-774-7671
204 West Sullivan (800 Block of North Humphrey’s)
Flagstaff, Arizona 86001

Basic Snowboard Package: $22 +tax
Premium Snowboard Package: $27 + tax (newer demo Burton setups)

Basic Ski Package: $20 + tax Premium Ski Package: $28 + tax (Rossignol Bandits, Head Cybers, Rossignol RocX, or dealer demo)

Best Place to Warm Your Aching Bones: 

Macy’s European Coffeehouse, Bakery & Vegetarian Restaurant 
Tel: (928) 774-2243
14 Beaver Street
Flagstaff, AZ 86001-5502

Best Place to Drink Away Your Sore Behind:

Beaver Street Brewery 
Tel: (928) 779-0079
11 Beaver Street
Flagstaff, AZ 86001-5500

Last Day’s “Last Run” is Just Straight-up Fun.

Tickets are now available for the Grand Canyon Railway’s enormously popular The Polar Express for its ninth season.  Based on the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, this Christmastime attraction will run in 2009 and early 2010 on selected dates from November 13, 2009 through January 9, 2010.  Tickets for The Polar Express sell out quickly, so be sure to reserve your tickets for 2009 now, available exclusively at 1-800-THE-TRAIN  or on the Grand Canyon Railway website, www.thetrain.com.

• November 13-15, 19-23, 25, 27-30, 2009
• December 2-7, 9-14, 16-23, 2009
• January 2-3, 8-9, 2010
  

  Santa visits with those who Believe on the Polar Express. Photo credit: Philms on flickr.com

This has been one of the best snow seasons for Arizona in many years. It would be a sin for me not to test out the fresh layers of powder snow blessing the sacred mountains of Flagstaff, Arizona. Sometimes living in Arizona, especially The Valley (Metro Phoenix), can feel a bit monotonous and even look monochromatic without the apparent changes of seasons. But really, Arizona’s best characteristic is its outdoor adventure potential.

A few weeks ago, I was posting the Flagstaff snow report on this blog and noticed that we were expecting another 4-7 inches of fresh snow. All right, for you Utah and Colorado ski elitists, that is nothing. But for us Zonie snowboarders, it means packing up the snowboard and heading up to the mountains immediately. I would have gone that night, except every place I called was completely booked already! When you only live less than a couple of hours away (again, the beauty of Arizona is being only a short road trip away from everything like beaches in Mexico, Las Vegas, one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World – Grand Canyon) everyone gets a move on real quick.

A couple of my roommates and I stayed in that Friday night and rested up for the early drive to Flagstaff Saturday morning. The drive was a sight to see; the rain had brought the desert to life with blooming cacti, wild flowers and grass lining the highway. It was strange to see so much color across the horizon leading into the now green hills of the desert. I do love the aromas that come with desert rain. If you are visiting Arizona and happen to be here when it’s raining, don’t curse because your golf game was ruined. Consider yourself lucky to be experiencing something uncommon for the area and enjoy the rare scent the desert exudes just after the rain stops. It truly is unlike any other.

After climbing into the hills on I-17, we reached the scenic stretch that descends into the Cottonwood area, only to find the whole town hidden by a low, ocean of clouds.

Snowboarding at Snowbowl

To be honest, I had a great time snowboarding at Snowbowl. This place gets a lot of mixed reviews, but here are a few things to keep in mind so you know what to expect.

1) Snowbowl is great for families.Big Bear borders will not find the same “hell yeah” music being blasted from the lodge, nor Red Bulls being passed out like nudie fliers in Vegas. There is a college-age population though, being that Northern Arizona University is right there. But for the most part, this place is good family fun.

2)Black slopes are more like blue slopes & blue slopes are short. There are a few really great runs. This is a very good place to take yourself to the next level if you are still learning to snowboard. If you are experienced, you will find yourself at the top portion of the mountain the whole day with not a ton of options. But as snowboarders, I bet you can find a way to entertain yourself.

3) Ski lifts could be better. The green ski lift is a 2-person ride, so the line is slower if you go on a busy weekend. If you can handle it, go to the blue ski lifts. Those are 3-person and they haul ass. If you are going to the black slopes, you have to get off the blue lift and catch a black lift, which means you have to wait in another line. There is no express lift to the top. My suggestion, bring a flask, turn up your i-pod and relax. The sooner you accept the lift issues, the better your experience will be.

4) Training Park is good for beginners. In other words, it’s a pretty sad set up for boarders who have the slightest idea of what they are doing. There are a couple of boxes, no rails if I remember correctly, and maybe a couple of other obstacles. My suggestion, bring a flask and turn up your i-pod.

5) Book your hotel and rent your snowboards right away if there is new snow. Great snowboarding seasons can be rare. So if you hear that there is going to be new snow in Flagstaff, the chances are that everyone else in Arizona has heard the same. Book your Flagstaff hotel right away.

The 2007-2008 run of the Grand Canyon Railway’s popular Polar Express has come to a close. If you missed it, don’t make the same mistake twice – book your 2008 tickets now. Grand Canyon Railway has made very-advance tickets available for the 2008 production of this classic holiday tale come to life.

2008 Polar Express dates:

• Nov 6-10
• Nov 12-17
• Nov 19-27
• Nov 30-Dec 1
• Dec 3-8
• Dec 10-15
• Dec 17-22

For reservations and more information, please visit
www.thetrain.com