Arizona Snowbowl targets Nov. 20 opening day
Sep 29, 2015, 10:20 AM
(Facebook Photo)
(Facebook Photo)
PHOENIX – With more snowmaking equipment and a strong El Niño in the forecast, Arizona Snowbowl may be headed toward one of the best ski seasons on record.
Jason Stratton, with the ski resort near Flagstaff, said the staff was gearing up to open the slopes on Nov. 20 for the 2015-2016 season. He promised some big changes.
“The enthusiasm and optimism for this year’s winter is huge. All the forecasts are lining up, and the locals are hoping this will be like the winter of 1997 when we had 300 plus inches of snow,” he said.
“Boy, don’t we need it here in the Southwest. Not only us but other resorts in Southern California, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. We certainly deserve it.”
Arizona Snowbowl is installing the ski area’s first chairlift in 30 years. The new Humphreys Peak lift should be open by Christmas.
The chairlift is the resort’s first quad, spanning more than a half-mile with a vertical rise of 775 feet while serving multiple new intermediate trails.
Five additional snowmaking fan guns were purchased to increase production, and over 5,000 feet of snowmaking has been added to the Ridge Ski Trail that will ensure great snow conditions from midway down on the most popular ski run at Snowbowl.
