“We got to the mountain by 5 o’clock and got on the lift at 9 o’clock. It was 16 degrees.”
Like Santa’s elves, Arizona Snowbowl employees have been working day and night this month to make snow, move it around the mountain, and maintain trails as temperatures permit. Following the longest ski season in history, which concludes on Saturday, June 1, 2024, Snowbowl has set a new record for the earliest opening day in history.
““With our opening on November 8th, we have certainly had, and continue to have, many people talking about ski season,” said Lori Pappas, vice president of marketing and media relations for Discover Flagstaff. spoke.
“This allows Flagstaff and Arizona Snowbowl to boast of being one of the first resorts to open in North America, ahead of ski areas in Colorado, Utah, Lake Tahoe, and even most of Canada. . ”
The Arizona Gondola began rolling at 9 a.m. on opening day, taking the first guests of this year’s Snowbowl up to five advanced and intermediate trails. For 16-year-old Brendyn Ogg of Flagstaff, the battle for the starting chair of the season has been going on for years.
“I missed out on being No. 1 to both of them last year,” Ogg said of the opening season ritual he shares with his father. “This year I tried to get out of bed by 4:30 a.m.. I was on the mountain by 5 a.m. and on the lift at 9 a.m. It was 16 degrees.”
““The early opening required a tremendous effort from all the mountain teams, especially the snow and grooming teams,” said Marketing Manager Angie Grubb. “We are looking forward to many great days in the mountains this winter, perhaps even more skiing and snowboarding days than last season.”
New Aspen chairlift coming soon
Snowbowl staff is working to install a new Aspen chairlift to replace the mountain’s oldest lift, which dates back to the 1960s. “The new lift is a state-of-the-art, fixed-grip quad that promises smoother, faster climbs and longer downhill travel times,” Grubb said. “Additionally, the new Aspen lift will service four new beginner trails.”
The lift will be located 190 degrees north of its previous location, allowing access to new terrain within the Forest Service’s special use permit, allowing Snowbowl to cover 777 skiable acres within its boundaries .
“Our team has been working all summer to bring the new Aspen Chairlift to life. We look forward to showing it to our customers in the near future. ” Grubb said.
Other season highlights
The Snowbowl is bringing back Passholder Early Road Day, an event exclusive to season passholders that gives them early access to the mountain on the Grand Canyon Express Chairlift.
Other fan-favorite activities scheduled for the 2024-25 season include the Winter Court Drive, High Country Adaptive Sports Tetra Ski Race and Special Olympics, annual Cardboard Derby, and Slash and Bash Banked Slalom Race. there is.
Meanwhile, Agassiz Lodge is serving breakfast. Hart Prairie Lodge is offering several discounts, and Fremont Restaurant & Bar will be open again this season to offer additional dining options.
Mountain Line’s complimentary shuttle service will run from Flagstaff High School to the Snowbowl daily from December 26th to January 5th and on Saturdays in January and February except February 1st. FBN
Written by Bonnie Stevens, FBN
For more information, visit ArizonaSnowbowl.com.
Photo Credit: Arizona Snowbowl team members and snowsports enthusiasts hopped on the lifts in early November with little time to pack up their equipment from last year’s record-length season.
