Arizona Ski Area Guide -- Very Complete

• Arizona Snow Bowl, Flagstaff • 140 skiable acres on 2300' vertical
  Specs: Summit elevation: 11,500'; Base elevation: 9200'. 5 Lifts: 2 triples, 2 doubles, 1 rope tow. Uphill capacity: 5000/hr. Terrain Mix: 37-42-21. Longest Run: 10,560'. Season: usually mid-December to March. Rentals & Lessons. Annual Snowfall: 250". Snowmaking: currently under construction at the ski area.
  The SKInny: This is a heck of a sizable mountain, unfortunately the ski area only covers a fraction of it. Snow Bowl is on one of the San Francisco Peaks, the volcanic massif that dominates the Flagstaff area. Yes, this is Arizona, and you can drive south and golf in the afternoon. But most importantly this is an alpine zone two miles above sea level, with beautiful aspen and fir and not a cacti in sight. It feels a lot like Durango or one of the other southern Colorado ski resorts. For years the knock on Arizona Snow Bowl has been the lack of snowmaking. That's changing for 2004-5, so the place should open earlier and post much improved conditions. It's still a throwback in other respects; minimal grooming, old clunky lifts, stark facilities. This ain't Aspen, and the regulars like it that way. What you will find is moguls and more moguls, and long lines on weekends. Something for everyone, from beginners to hotshots. Wanderers will be ok here, but bored after a couple of visits. Although best known for the high altitude mogul runs, the Hart-Prairie chair area is one of the finest all-novice areas in the USA. It's a 650' vertical with a few trails and a fantastic wide open alpine meadow. Skiers looking for that remote/untracked experience can hike another 800 vertical feet and take advantage of an incredible backcountry bowl. All in all, this is a beautiful destination with some terrific runs for all abilities.
  Signature Trail: White Lightning, also Catwalk to Sundance.



• Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley, Tucson • 80 skiable acres on 900' vertical
  Specs: Summit elevation: 9157'; Base elevation: 8250'. 3 Lifts: 2 doubles, 1 surface. Uphill capacity: 2000/hr. Terrain Mix: 20-38-42. Longest Run: 8500'. Season: usually December to March. Rentals & Lessons. Annual Snowfall: 175".
  The SKInny: No matter how many times you've skied the Lemmon, it is still a surprise when you arrive at ski slopes just an hour or so above the desert. Mt. Lemmon is run by/leased from the USFS Coronado National Forest. It's small, conditions can be spotty, facilities are bare bones and the road can be a nightmare. Not a lot of terrain at Mt. Lemmon, but it does offer variety. Hit this after a storm, and you've got an experience to remember forever. Hit it on an off-day and it will be a ski trip you'd like to forget. But hey, you're an hour from Mexico...why complain? Mt. Lemmon is definitely the destination for anyone who insists on golfing and skiing on the same day.



• Sunrise Park Resort, McNary (Show Low area) • 600 skiable acres on 1800' vertical
  Specs: Summit elevation: 11,000'; Base elevation: 9200'. 10 Lifts: 3 quads, 4 triples, 1 double, 2 surface. Uphill capacity: 16,000/hr. Terrain Mix: 40-40-20. Longest Run: 14,520'. Season: usually December to April. Mon-Sat plus Sunday mornings. Rentals & Lessons. Annual Snowfall: 250". Snowmaking: 10%.
  The SKInny: Arizona's biggest ski area, some would argue that it is Arizona's best, although the pedal-to-the-metal expert will opt for Snow Bowl. For the average skier accustomed to courderoy, Sunrise rules. Although not a high-end resort, it is a legitimate resort with generally skiable conditions in-season. Powder days are fabulous, but too few to make this a destination-type resort. The main knock on Sunrise is the clunky lifts. Another negative is of the 10 stated lifts, all ten are seldom running. Still, it is an excellent ski area for skiers of all abilities. Liftlines tend to be short or non-existent; slopes are uncrowded. Best area in the state for wanderers, families, etc. Covers three separate mountains -- rates as one of the best in the southwest when conditions are "on" and everything is open.
  Signature Trail: Tempest, Superstition.



• Williams Ski Area, Williams • 30 skiable acres on 600' vertical
  Specs: Summit elevation: 8150'; Base elevation: 7500'. 2 surface lifts. Uphill capacity: 850/hr. Terrain Mix: 30-50-20. Longest Run: 3960'. Season: usually early December to late March. Rentals & Lessons. Annual Snowfall: 150".
  The SKInny: This is a throwback operation, similar in many ways to some of the old New England local ski areas. Smallish, average terrain: Nothing for the true beginner, nothing for the true expert. But-- no crowds, no headaches, no stress. A great day of affordable skiing, with some open runs, tree runs, a fun mix.
  Signature Trails: Wild West/Main Slope.

Best all-around Skiing Guide for Women...

Mom has a pretty raw deal on the average ski trip. They're expected to make sure every child is geared up and ready to go...settle the arguments, feed the family, prepare the snacks, pack the chapstick, and so on...and then ski the black diamonds with dad after the second lesson.

Sound familiar?

The book, Skiing: A Woman's Guide by Maggie Loring and Molly Mulhern Gross ought to be mandatory reading for every ski mom. It not only provides the basics for managing the gang, it also gives a step-by-step instructional guide from a woman's point-of-view. This link is to amazon.com, where you can usually pick up a used copy for about two bucks. Mom, it's the best two bucks you'll spend all winter.

Key

Hotshots are skiers who can ski anywhere, anytime, in any conditions, and generally enjoy showing off those skills. Wanderers are skiers who like to go exploring, to essentially get "lost" and move from face to face, seldom skiing the same trail twice. Newbies are the girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband who has never skied before, but gamely insists on going along. Obviously, Blues represents intermediate skiers, while Blacks refers to experts.

A note about ski area statistics: Although it's hard to believe, some ski areas are (gasp!) less than truthful with their numbers. Like the guy who lies about his, uh, shoe size, some ski areas believe that inflated numbers make their resort sound more appealling. When these numbers are obviously questionable, we put a note: (?!) and will attempt to verify the legitimacy of the claim.

A Signature Trail Is mostly subjective. Whether it's history, reputation, the view, or degree of difficulty...it's the run you have to do, even if it isn't necessarily the best the resort has to offer. If a ski area calls a trail by two names (one at the top, and another at the bottom) in an effort to claim more trails, we go by the upper name. If a trail is called "Upper Whatever" and "Lower Whatever," we simply list it as "Whatever" in this index.

Trail to Improvement

Probably the most helpful book I've seen to help you make the jump from strong blue to expert or hotshot level, is All-Mountain Skier: The Way to Expert Skiing, by R. Mark Elling. If you've tried to follow the recommendations in magazines and books, and had trouble mimicking the photos, this book somehow makes it all work, makes it understandable and easier to apply on the slopes. This link goes to amazon.com, where you can generally snag a used copy for about six bucks, or buy a nice squeaky clean one for about 20% less than retail.

-- Rick Bolger

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