With fire restrictions lifted, Snowbowl opening for cool summer activities

PHOENIX — The Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort, closed since Memorial Day because of fire restrictions, was scheduled to open for summer business Friday.

The Flagstaff resort has a variety of new activities: summer tubing, a bungee trampoline, a mini ropes course, treasure panning and barrel rolling.

That’s in addition to scenic rides on the chairlift that skiers use during the winter season.

If that’s not enough to tempt you into a trip north from the Phoenix area, consider this: The high temperatures in Flagstaff were expected to be in the 70s into next week.

Chairlift ticket prices range from $15 to $24 (a 20 percent discount is available online), and the other activities each cost $15. Activities are $10 each with the purchase of a lift ride.

The resort’s summer hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily until Labor Day, weather permitting.

Weekend operations will continue from Sept. 7 to Oct. 21.

Snowbowl was part of closures throughout the Coconino National Forest due to fear of fire damage in the midst of an extended drought.

Weddings and special events at the resort’s ski lodges and adjacent decks were permitted during the forest closure.

Many camping and fire restrictions were lifted or modified after the state was hit with heavy rains this week.

Last month, 10 Republican lawmakers, including Arizona Reps. Any Biggs, Paul Gosar, Debbie Lesko, Martha McSally and David Schweikert, wrote a letter to the U.S. Forest Service questioning the reasoning behind Snowbowl’s closure.

The letter said the shutdown cost businesses in the area hundreds of thousands of dollars.

According to the Associated Press, 50 people had been out of work since the resort closed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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