Opened in 1938, the Arizona Snowbowl, located near Flagstaff, is one of the longest running resorts in the West, having been open for more than 80 years. Located on the San Francisco Peaks with a stunning view of Agassiz Peak, skiers and riders have access to over 700 skiable acres with a vertical drop of 2,300 feet.
Located right outside of downtown Flagstaff, it is about a 30-minute drive to the resort. Some companies offer shuttle service to the mountain. The nearest airport is the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, which is serviced by American Airlines and United Airlines. The largest nearest airport is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which is 123 miles from Flagstaff.
The base elevation of this Flagstaff ski resort is 9,200 feet, and the lift-served elevation is 11,500 feet. Total skiable acreage is 777 with 32 runs. Seven chairs service the area, where the terrain rating is 37% beginner, 42% intermediate and 21% advanced, and freestylers will find the Sunset Terrain Park a good place to practice on the boxes. There are four terrain parks, including Hart Prairie Start Park for beginners, Humphrey’s Progression Park for intermediate and those wanting to improve their skills, and Round Up Rail Garden, which offers small and medium rails.
The longest run is two miles, and the area receives 260 inches of snowfall on average. The season runs from mid-November until the end of April.
Kids 10 and younger can receive a free Power Kids season pass that’s good for different resorts, including Snowbowl, Hesperus, Purgatory, Nordic Valley, Pajarito and Spider Mountain.
Besides the winter sports, Snowbowl ski resort also offers summer activities, including disc golf, hiking, mountain biking, summer tubing, ropes course, barrel rolling, trampoline, ranger talks and more. At the ski/ride school, there are kids’ lessons for children 8 to 12, and the SkiWee and MiniRider snowboarding programs are designed for children ages 4 to 7. Teen and adult lessons are also available.