Well, I figured most of you would be far too focused on Christmas to worry about this ol’ travel blog. So I took a day off … at least from writing.
While most of you were drinking egg nog, opening presents and feasting, Sarah and I were laying our lives on the line for you at Arizona Snowbowl in Flagstaff, one of the two largest ski areas in Arizona. Yes, we have snow in Arizona!
Now, skiing purists will often turn their noses up at Snowbowl because it only has four lifts and a pretty limited number of runs. They will wax poetic about Sunrise, which is near Greer, Ariz. I admit that Sunrise has more more runs, and generally better runs.
However, Snowbowl is more than the sum of its runs and lifts. See, at Sunrise, there is really nothing up once the skiing is done. Snowbowl, though, is based in a college town rather than in the middle of nowhere. And you don’t have to drive as far to get there. You can get to a bunch of great food once you’re done skiing for the day, too. Better accommodations, less driving, better food, better atmosphere – yes, I prefer Snowbowl, especially for getting my ski legs on for the first bunch of runs for the season.
As for this trip … well, Snowbowl was in fine form. Seventeen new inches of beautiful powder! But it kept coming down, and it was a wee bit windy, so we had near whiteout conditions on some of the high runs. This was only about the fifth day the lifts had been open. And it was nearly empty thanks to the Christmas celebrations. No lines and fresh powder equal mucho woo-hoo!
If you go to Flagstaff, be sure to check out Beaver Street Brewery, The Black Bean and Late for the Train. The Fairfield Inn Flagstaff is a good deal … and it’s pretty far from the railroad tracks, so you won’t get as much noise from it as you might at other hotels.
And now, rather than pictures, you may commence moviefilm!
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| From ski flag 2008 winter |
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Hi Justin:
I go to South Lake Tahoe/Heavenly, every year. I got engaged in Milky Way Bowl last year and have had a season’s pass for the past three years. Given the $80+ lift ticket price, when we got for a two weeks and ski at least 5 days at Heavenly, it pays for itself. Go to Heavenly, you won’t be disapointed. Squaw and Kirkwood are less than an hour away as well. Good times!
Jerry
Thanks, Jerry! That’s yet another vote for heavenly!