Operators of Flagstaff-area snowplay site decide to call it quits
Jul 22, 2017, 4:30 AM | Updated: 7:55 pm
(Facebook Photo)
(Facebook Photo)
A popular snowplay area along the way to the Grand Canyon will be shutting down.
The Arizona Daily Sun reported that Wing Mountain near Flagstaff will close. The U.S. Forest Service, which oversees the site, said the concessionaire, Recreation Resource Management, had asked to cancel its special use permit.
All structures and amenities have been taken down from Wing Mountain on U.S. 180 and the forest service said Wednesday the site won’t reopen this coming winter.
Visitors could cross-country ski, go sledding and snowshoeing at Wing Mountain but only when there was enough natural snow.
Facilities included trails, parking (limited to 500 vehicles) and restrooms.
The area often created traffic issues because of drivers parking on the road to go play in the snow.
Coconino County Supervisor Art Babbott told the newspaper in an email that Wing Mountain only made up 5 percent to 10 percent of traffic on the highway.
Future use of the area hasn’t been ruled out.
“My sense is this may turn into a more unorganized winter recreation area, which may bring more impact to traffic and littering of public lands,” Babbott wrote.
The forest service planned to begin public outreach in 2018 to determine what, if any, recreational experiences the public wanted for the site.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
