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It's Skiing Time on the Peaks

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you can ski, too, in the sunny southwest

Featured in the February 1942 Issue of Arizona Highways

It's SKIING TIME on the Peaks WINTER FINDS ARIZONA SNOW BOWL A BUSY PLACE

OUT OF Coconino County in the northern part of Arizona, San Francisco Peaks extend their long arms toward bright blue skies, the color of Easter eggs. The Hopi Indians revere these Peaks and since time began all travelers regard them with affection and respect for they rise out of a plateau to form a guiding landmark to be seen from hundreds of miles away. When Winter moves in, the Peaks, as is fitting for the season, wear a coat of crystalline white. For years they wrapped themselves in this whiteness and lost themselves in the sombre silence of the snow-covered wilderness. But times have changed. The skiers have discovered San Francisco Peaks to be admirable skiing grounds and now the mountainsides are alive with colorful movement and the excited shouts of people enjoying America's most popular winter sport. As the pictures accompanying this short essay tell in their own graphic way, there is a lot of snow on the Peaks and skiing is good.

Between February 28 and March 1, when the Flagstaff Ski Club presents the annual ski carnival in the Arizona Ski Bowl, Flagstaff becomes a ski center for the western U. S. and the mountains behind the town take on some of the glamour of a Swiss Alpine musical comedy revue (whatever that is.) If you want one brief glimpse of winter in this otherwise tropical land of the sun, may we point your way to the Ski Bowl. And if you live in the Salt River Valley you can take your morning sunbath and be in Flagstaff for the winter frolic that afternoon (and be sure you wear your goloshes.) The Ski Bowl itself is the result of close cooperation between the people of Flagstaff and the officials of the Coconino National Forest. Ted Spencer, president of the Flagstaff Ski Club, who expresses the appreciation of club members and of all Arizonans interested in winter sports, explains it in this way: "The unselfish cooperation, the hard work, the months of preparation and planning by the U. S. Forest Service and its personnel at Flagstaff, has made Flagstaff's winter sports area the unquestioned success it is. The isolaPhotography By R. M. (Bob) FRONSKE isolation, the mantle of obscurity behind which this magnificent area has lain concealed the past years has blinded us here to the fact after comparison with many other like areas that here is one of the grandest ski runs and winter areas in the United States. One startling fact, in proof is, that we skiied on last July 4th and, long after all other runs are closed, we still ski at Flagstaff in April and May every year. Where in this world of ours can one ski and look into four states? Where in this world can one ski and look down into a Grand Canyon of Arizona?" Apparently the snow was there, the scenery was there, the mountain sides ample and steep, and all it took was some folks to get interested and the Forest Service officials to get busy and there you have it.

The Arizona Snow Bowl is situated 1412 miles northwest of Flagstaff. The Bowl itself extends from about 9,000 feet above sea level to the top of Mt. Humphrey, the highest point in Arizona with an elevation of 12,611 feet. (Be very careful when you get to the top of the Peaks and start down. If you don't put on the brakes you might end up in Yuma.) The average ski season is from December 15 to May 1. Last year skiing began in November and ended in July, so the season depends

FEBRUARY, 1942

PAGE FIVE People who would rather ski than eat say the Arizona Ski Bowl is destined to be one of the most successful winter sports areas in the west. They point out that the Bowl has everything for perfect skiing: constant snow, elevation, the proper slopes with few obstructions and picturesque surroundings.

Imagine being able to ski in Arizona in July. Well, you can sunbathe here in December and January so that sort of evens things up.

Flagstaff, the host city for the Arizona Ski Bowl, is the busy travel metropolis of northern Arizona, located near the junction of U. S. Highways 66 and 89. Alternate U. S. 89, known as the Oak Creek Canyon highway, has its northern terminus practically on Flagstaff's door step.

As a modern travel city should be, Flagstaff is completely equipped to cater to your travel needs. Hotels, excellent and numerous auto courts or motels, restaurants, curio stores-all do a rushing business in Flagstaff all year around.

And if you arrive in Flagstaff and are in search of travel information the best thing to do is to inquire at the desk of the Monte Vista Depends on the weather. The road to the Bowl from Flagstaff is cinder surfaced and kept open for winter sports enthusiasts, no matter what the weather.

The Ski shelter, at an elevation of 9,500 feet, was completed by the Forest Service last fall. The shelter, a peeled log structure, is 95 feet by 25 feet in size with glass observation bay, lounge, lunch room, kitchen, ski repair room and storage space. If you prefer your skiing that way, you can take it from an easy chair in the lounge.

Two ski tows are in operation. The Underwood rope tow, 1,800 feet long extends upward from the Ski shelter to serve the Bottleneck practice slope and the Sweden portable rope tow, 600 feet long, is located in the beginner's area 100 yards from the shelter. There is a small charge for use of the tows. Skis can be rented, if you just happen along Hotel or drop a line to the Chamber of Commerce offices in the Commercial Hotel and tell your troubles to Leo Weaver, the amiable secretary. He's well equipped to answer all of your questions. If he sings the praises of his town and Coconino county you'll have to pardon him, because Flagstaff and Coconino county are a sort a religion with him.

While in Flagstaff spend a few hours at the Museum, not far from town. Here, in a few glances, are all the archaeology and anthropology of northern Arizona laid out for you in such a way as to be easily understood. You'll never enjoy a more profitable or enjoyable afternoon than the one you spend going through the Museum. The Lowell Observatory and the Arizona State Teachers College are other interesting places.

It might be well to point out that the main highways through northern Arizona are always open to travel regardless of the moods of the weather. U. S. 66, passing through some of our heaviest mountain areas in northern Arizona, is a pride of the Arizona highway department, whose maintenance crews roll into action on the appearance of the first snowflake heralding a storm. From Flagstaff, after a weekend in the Ski Bowl, you can go east on U. S. 66 to Winslow and Holbrook for a visit to Meteor Crater, the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. Alternate U. S. 89 will take you through Oak Creek Canyon and Jerome to Prescott. U. S. 66, westward, goes to Williams, from where you travel northward to the Grand Canyon. Continuing on U. S. 66 westward you come to Kingman and then via U. S. 93 to Lake Mead, Boulder Dam and Las Vegas.

Another interesting trip is to go north from Flagstaff on U. S. 89 to Cameron. Here you can go westward to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon or northward along Vermilion Cliffs and Echo Cliffs to the Kaibab Plateau and Utah.

So, you see, a weekend at the Arizona Ski Bowl opens up a wonderland of travel lore as well as crowded days of winter sports. R. C.