Family RV Ski Destination: Flagstaff, NM
- Whitney
- Mar 11, 2022
- 7 min read
Flagstaff is like an oasis in the middle of the desert. For years it was just somewhere we passed through while enjoying all the beauty of Arizona. Snow skiing there never even crossed our minds… until one day we were exploring in Flagstaff just killing time and someone told us about Snowbowl.
Fast forward a couple of years, and we happened to be heading to Flagstaff when a winter storm was coming through. After dumping 15” of fresh snow in 24 hours, we were itching to test out the slopes. We hopped online, and we were shocked by the prices!
The biggest kicker for us was…
Yes! Absolutely free! All kids 12 and under ski FREE!!
While we knew we would have to pay to rent skis for the kids, that would be the extent of our expense for them. We couldn't pass it up!
So we randomly chose a ski shop, headed over to rent their skis, and got ready for a day on the slopes.
If you think you might want to ski Arizona Snowbowl, then keep reading. We’ll share all the details you need to plan a trip to these little-known slopes.
First things first… LIFT TICKETS:
The price of lift tickets at Snowbowl vary from day-to-day.
MONEY SAVING TIP: The earlier you buy for a particular day, the cheaper it is!
You can often find them as low as $29, especially if you buy early and plan to ski a weekday. With kids 12 and under skiing free, that can make for some inexpensive days on the slopes as a family! (Note that you do still get them a lift ticket, but you don’t pay anything for it).
When you first ski at Snowbowl you will get a plastic card (like a credit card) to be scanned for lifts. That first day is the only time you have to go to the ticket office. Even if you don’t visit again until the following year, all you have to do is keep your card and reload it online the next time you ski Snowbowl. Bypassing that line when you have kids and ski equipment in tow is a huge hassle-saver!
SPECIALS:
Be sure to check the website for any specials. At the time of our visit they were offering a free ski lesson for 13+ year olds (the people who do have to purchase a lift ticket). Ski lessons for kids did have a cost, but it was minimal compared to many ski resorts. They start at $59 per child per day. We did not do lessons while we were there, but I was very impressed with all the lessons I witnessed. They had very young kids skiing parallel and making hockey stops.
The Basecamp Lodge also had a special of free lift tickets when you book a stay.
LODGING:
Speaking of the Basecamp Lodge, it is the most convenient place to stay if you are skiing Snowbowl. While Snowbowl doesn’t have any slopeside lodging, Basecamp is at the bottom of Snowbowl Road where it intersects with Highway 180. As an added bonus, Highway 180 is the road you would take to get to the Grand Canyon from Snowbowl. So you’re just about an hour drive to the Grand Canyon. They offer hotel-style rooms and cabins.
There are also a variety of hotels and bed and breakfasts in Flagstaff that would be convenient.
For the RV, overnight parking is not allowed in the parking lots at the slopes. Unfortunately many of the boondocking sites you can find on BLM land in the area are not accessible due to road closures through the winter. So boondocking is not a likely option when skiing Snowbowl. Yeah… I know. We were disappointed, too.
But there are some campground options!
We were very pleased with the Flagstaff KOA Holiday. We had built up enough KOA points from heading up the east coast last summer and fall that we were able to get $50 off our stay. And I will say that it was nice to come home to full-hookups after skiing in 8 degree temps!
Some campground around Flagstaff close for the winter, so we expected the KOA to be busy. Luckily we were able to get in with one day’s notice (we drove in early to avoid driving in the winter storm), and it was well occupied but not overly busy.
SKI RENTALS
For convenience sake you can rent skis, boots, poles, boards, etc., slopeside by the ticket booth. They suggest that you handle the transaction online ahead of time, then you just head up to the rental shop to pick up your equipment. Looking back we probably should have taken this route. However, we chose to rent in town the day prior so we would go to the slopes with our gear and save time.
The rental shop we used was First Chair. The cost was comparable to the slopeside rentals. The slopeside rentals I saw on the mountain looked pretty new and in great shape. The equipment we rented from First Chair was very used… very. We were even concerned a few times with the functionality of it. Because we only rented for the kids, I cannot speak on the quality of adult rentals. The people were great, but we would likely shop around a little more if we rented in Flagstaff again.
There are other ski rental options in town. There is even a ski consignment shop if you would prefer to buy some used skis. We tried this route, but they were closed when we went.
GETTING TO SNOWBOWL
Heading up to the mountain may take some chains or 4x4 if you catch it after a big snow. If you don’t have either, don’t fret! You can park at the base and ride a shuttle to the top! In hindsight we probably would have preferred this method with the kids because they drop you off right at the base of the lifts. We had to hike up the hill from where we parked wearing our ski boots and carrying our skis. When you aren’t used to the oxygen level at higher elevations AND it’s 8 degrees out AND you have three young kids… well… you get the idea.
DINING
One thing we liked about Snowbowl was the dining options. We don’t often dine on the mountain because of cost, but sometimes it is worth the experience and convenience. We were so cold at lunchtime that we just wanted to get inside. Because we had been on the green slopes all morning we chose to eat at Hart Prairie Lodge. You can order from your phone and then choose to dine inside or out on the deck. They also have a 21+ area if you want an adult beverage.
Agassiz Lodge Restaurant is open from 10-4 and has beautiful mountain views on the deck. It is the highest elevation restaurant.
Fremont Restaurant and Bar is the newest restaurant, and it is only open on weekends and holidays. It was closed when we were there, but it is said to have awesome views.
9500’ Bar is on the patio of Agassiz Lodge and has awesome tacos, draft beer, and incredible views.
If you want to grab a bite to eat at the end of the ski day, head down to the Basecamp Restaurant at the bottom of Snowbowl Road where it intersects with Highway 180. They are open fro 3-9pm during the week, and 3-10pm on the weekends.
THE SLOPES
While we caught Snowbowl on a day with plenty of fresh powder which made for some awesome skiing, the downside for us was the limited amount of beginner slopes. The green slopes are wide open and nice. They have a few fun little offshoots for those beginners who want a little challenge. But you will be doing the same few slopes all day. It can be fine for one day, but I personally would be bored with it if we were planning a week there with the kids.
For this reason I pushed the kids to head up to some blue slopes after lunch. When you first get off the Humphreys Peak lift you encounter a steeper blue than what a beginner would typically first use when transitioning to more difficult slopes, but it’s just a short steep part. The kids were intimidated, but after they got past that first little bit they were fine.
If you’re looking to hit mostly blues and blacks, you will have some good options with excellent views.
APRES SKI
There are plenty of apres ski options in the area. Downtown Flagstaff is really awesome if you want to get outside of the basecamp area.
If you’re anything like me, though, I just longed for a hot drink after a cold day on the slopes. We went downtown to Late for the Train to grab some hot chocolates for the kids. I got a Dave’s Rockrammer, and it was so good I sent my husband back again before we left town to get me another one. He got a Salted Caramel Latte, and he said it was the best he’s ever had. It will be a must-stop for us from now on when we pass through Flagstaff.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Overall, it was a great place to spend a day skiing from fresh powder! The cost made it even better! I’ve tried to include all the information I could from this experience, but if I left something out and you have additional questions please feel free to contact me. You can also watch our video on YouTube of our experience. If you do and you get any enjoyment or information from it, please like the video and subscribe to our channel. We are trying to build our subscriber base so we can begin to monetize from it to help us afford to continue these journeys and sharing this information with you.
I’m including links below to any information you may need for your stay. Thank you for joining us!
LINKS
Snowbowl Ski Info, Tickets, Lessons, Slopeside Rentals, etc.
Flagstaff KOA Holiday
Late for the Train Coffee Shop
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