Vacations Blog

A ski lift up the mountain at Sunrise.

I recently posted about Arizona Snowbowl, the ski resort in Flagstaff, Arizona. However, Flagstaff is not the only Arizona town that boasts a great ski resort.

The Sunrise Park Resort is located in the town of Greer, in the White Mountains of Central-Eastern Arizona – 218 miles from Phoenix and 230 miles from Tucson. Folks can travel 250 from Albuquerque New Mexico, and 299 miles from El Paso Texas. Three mountains (Sunrise Peak – 10,700 ft; Apache Peak – 11,100 feet; Cyclone Circle – 10,700 feet) with 800 acres of skiing offer 65 runs for all levels of expertise, as well as separate areas for snowboarding, cross country skiing, tubing, and sleigh rides. There is an on-mountain equipment rental shop, ski school, and child care.

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The Arizona Snowbowl

When people think about Arizona, they tend to picture hot arid deserts and Saguaro cactus. However, there ARE portions of Arizona where the elevation is high enough to enjoy four seasons. Flagstaff is one of those places. The town itself is at an elevation of 7000 feet, and enjoys between 16 and 22 inches of average snowfall between the months of December and March.

The San Francisco Peaks, just north of downtown Flagstaff, top out at an elevation of 12,633 feet, and get much heavier snowfall than the town below. The Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort resides on the San Francisco Peaks, just fourteen miles outside of downtown Flagstaff (2 hours from Phoenix, 70 miles from the Grand Canyon). Base elevation is at 9,200 feet, and summit elevation is at 11,500 feet. There are 32 runs spread out over 777 acres, fairly evenly distributed between beginner, intermediate, and advanced trails. The ski season usually runs from mid-December through mid-April, depending on snowfall (which averages at 260 inches).

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Kanab Utah Main Street

Many people call Kanab, Utah the Gateway. Kanab sits in Southern Utah along route 89 about seven miles north of the Arizona border and subsequently gets visitors on their way to the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon and the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park among many others. Summer finds the town packed with RVs towing boats and wave runners on their way to Lake Powell and family vehicles bursting at the seams with camping and hiking equipment. The winters in Kanab are not quite as busy but still full from people going to ski at

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Brianhead Ski Resort and snow tubing at Coral Pink Sand Dunes. The beauty to be found in Kanab and the surrounding area is breathtaking and you usually take a little bit home with you in the form of the red dirt that Kanab is famous for.

Kanab’s population is small, about 3,500, and the residents rely heavily on tourists as the largest source of income for the city. The slow-paced small town feel is a nice change from the crowded attractions and parks and the people are friendly as you walk down Main Street to check out the stores. Frontier Movie Town is a short walk away from downtown where you’ll see authentic movie sets and memorabilia from some great western movies made there. They also have the Pioneer Museum with classic western and pioneer artifacts. Read More »

Dove Mountain Course in Marana, AZ (Photo: WSTickets)

Tucson, Arizona (and the surrounding towns of Marana, Oro Valley, Green Valley and Sauharita) is an area of over a million people and even more cacti.  It is an oasis in the desert where saguaros grow on golf courses and margaritas are served with lunch.

Although the winter nights can be quite chilly the days are relatively warm and almost always sunny.  The same can be said for the spring and fall.

During the summer it tends to get a tad bit warmer (think hell-like), however, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more comfortable night than a summer evening in Tucson- especially if a monsoon has been by (they usually clear out fairly early).

There are plenty of things to do in and around the city.  Some may require a drive of an hour or two, but all are worth it.  Here are some favorites:

Sabino Canyon in Tucson, AZ (Photo: NSF)

Sabino Canyon- You can’t beat the beauty of this hiking area, but you can see it without the walk- tram service is available.  Bring a swimsuit (and a camera)!

Old Tucson Studios – It’s twelve miles and 100 years from town.  It’s an interactive and working studio specializing in your favorite westerns,  Shoot out to Old Tucson!

Tombstone, AZ – If the real thing is more your style take a day trip to the home of the OK Corral.  From Boot Hill to Big Nose Kate’s you can’t go wrong.  While you’re in the area visit nearby Bisbee and tour the mine and/or check out the local art scene.

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum – It’s a zoo.  It’s a museum.  It’s a botanical garden.  It’s world-famous.  It’s also very close to Old Tucson Studios.

Mount Lemon – You can drive it, hike it or ski it.  Or all of the above.

Kitt Peak Observatory – Kitt Peak is to astronomers what Graceland is to Elvis fans.  The views are fantastic.

Kitt Peak and Lightning (Photo: Adam Block/NOAO/AURA/NSF)

San Xavier Mission – “The White Dove of the Desert” is a must-see for Catholics and non-Catholics alike.  In a nutshell, it’s beautiful.

Tubac – If you like golf and galleries then you’ll enjoy a trip to Tubac.  Also, if you like hiking the beautiful Madera Canyon is just a short drive away.

Nogales, Sonora (Mexico) – About two hours south of Tucson is this gateway to Mexico.  It’s a great day trip for shopping, dining and culture.  It can get a little rough in the evening as it fills up with drunken teens from the United States (drinking age is only 18 and rarely enforced), so you may want to get an early start on the drive back to Tucson.  Depending on when you read this post a passport may be required to cross the border.

Bear Down, Arizona!

The University of Arizona – Home of the Wildcats, the University of Arizona is part of the Pac-10 confrence and a leader in all kinds of stuff.  The campus is filled with museums, activities, and bikini-clad coeds (if you’re into that sort of thing, which I am).  Notable alumni and staff include: Bob Dole, Barry Goldwater, Joan Ganz Cooney (creator of Sesame Street), Jerry Bruckheimer, Ted DeGrazia, Barbara Kingsolver, Greg Kinnear, Linda McCartney, Linda Ronstadt, Ruchard Russo, David Foster Wallace, Kristen Wiig, Gilbert Arenas, Lance Briggs, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Bibby, Terry Francona, Amanda Beard, Kurt Busch, Jennie Finch, Trevor Hoffman, Steve Kerr, Kenny Lofton, Annika Sorenstam, Jason Terry, Luke Walton, Mike Candrea, Lute Olson, Andrew Weil, and me.

However, the best thing to do in Tucson might be the easiest (and cheapest).  Just find a place to sit and look at this:

Tucson Sunset (Photo: Photobucket)

Related:

Dillinger Days in Tucson, AZ

Winterhaven – Tucson’s Holiday Treat

Tucson Revealed- A Local’s Perspective

The Silver Valley of North Idaho used to be known for its mining.  Over a billion ounces of silver have been taken out of mines in the area since the 1880’s.  But times change, and now the Silver Valley is becoming better known for its recreation.  Leading the way is Silver Mountain (notice how everything has the word silver in it?), a world-class ski resort in Kellogg, Idaho, that just recently opened up the beautiful new Morning Star Lodge and an adjoining 42,000 sq. ft. waterpark, called Silver Rapids.

Lazy river, at Silver Rapids Waterpark

Having just spent the weekend there, my family can tell you that there is no better way to beat the cabin fever of winter than with a trip to an indoor waterpark.  Silver Rapids is exclusive to guests of the lodge, which keeps down the crowds and makes for a more relaxed experience.  This is the first time I could float a lazy river and actually be lazy.  Usually I’m being jostled and splashed by swimmers on all sides.

The lack of crowds meant no waiting for any activity except the Flow Rider, a continuous wave of water that was perfect for bodyboarding and surfing.  But even that line only had 2 or 3 people in it at a time.  My son was able to keep at it until he had mastered the art of bodyboarding.  My daughter practiced shooting baskets on the “water court” for an hour, then ran the floating obstacle course like a young Lara Croft.  Both days we were in the waterpark, it sometimes felt like we had the place to ourselves.  Even when Santa Claus made an appearance, we didn’t have to contend with a line to sit on his lap.

Flow Rider, at Silver Rapids Waterpark

After awhile I started wondering if our “good thing” was unique to this waterpark.  Certainly, any park that is only open to guests of its hotel or lodge is going to be less crowded.  But, how many of them are part of a ski resort where a majority of the guests are hitting the slopes all day?  Silver Mountain has a built a unique addition to its resort.  There are only a handful of ski resorts with indoor waterparks in the U.S., but I’m sure more will follow as people see what an awesome combination it is.

For my family of non-skiers, all we cared about was that the water was 82 degrees while the outside temperature hovered around 35.  What better way to spend a winter vacation?

Morning Star Lodge, just outside the indoor waterpark

Silver Rapids Indoor Waterpark

Even Santa enjoys the warm indoor weather

All photos by Phil Corless