The New Yawka in Arizona Thread

[raisingarizona]

Since we got snowmaking a few years ago the season is a typical one that runs from November to April. The ski area averages 250 inches a season but on average only 1 out of five is really good. On big ElNino years we can see between 350 to even 500 inches up high. this year so far looks like it might turn out to be a big one. When it does snow it goes big, we just got around 70-75 inches this past week. Town got about 30 inches.

It would be a cool place to visit if you combined it with the San Jauns and the Grand Canyon. You could even throw in Sedona if you wanted to go hiking or mountain biking. Telluride is only 5 hours away.

Making a trip here just to ski the Snowbowl might not be the best idea imo. The snow is hit or miss and the ski area isn't very big. Most of the pics posted are of the back country that is accessed off the main lift but the access isn't easy and not exactly user friendly.

Flagstaff and northern Arizona in general is incredible though and as I mentioned it could be combined with a trip to the San Juans. Telluride, Durango, and Silverton are all worth your time. The big ditch is pretty cool too. I guess they call it one of the worlds 7 wonders or something, it might be worth a visit!

 

[raisingarizona]

The Ditch.

The guy up in the right of this photo is legendary Flag local Brian Dirker. You might recognize him from the movie Into The Wild. He was the hippie guy that lived with his wife in the motorhome. His company specializes in taking film crews into the canyon for shoots. He was on the river with Sean Penn and Eddie Vedder and they asked him to be part of the film.

 

[raisingarizona]

I'm a student right now and a 40 year old ski bum still trying to figure out what I want to be doing when I "grow up".

Yesterday day was one of my top 5 days in the Arizona backcountry. This place is so good when it's on.

Since patrol was doing avalanche work in the upper bowl we started our day from the top of the new chair to access the Inner Basin. This is the view looking across Arizona.

Gearing up for the days first climb.

Looking down our first line for the day, Heck Yeah. She hasn't looked this sexy for 5 years now. We ended up doing two laps in this area before heading back towards the ski area.

 

[raisingarizona]

One from yesterday morning, day 28 for the season. We climbed up to the ridge but turned back from touring, the winds up top were ridiculous and it was cold! There was a lot of rapid snow transport forming some scary slabs. We made the best of the day though and skied around in bounds for a while.

 

[raisingarizona]

Three from yesterday.

 

[marcski]

Damn, that's beautiful!

 

[Harvey]

I don't really know much about the west and even less about AZ. But...

Based on the approach that you take RA, I'm starting to feel like AZ is the NY of the west. Like VT is to Utah, as NY is to AZ.

It just feels like it can be really good, sometimes, not as often as the big dog, but often enough to keep it interesting. And there is so much appreciation for it when the goods come.

I agree with Marcksi, inspiring shots.

 

[jasonwx]

I have been to Flagstaff a couple of times..
I would say it's more like So Cal.. Some years the mountains outside of LA are under mountains of snow. Some years nada..
But if there is no snow.SO much fun can be had doing other outside activities..

 

[raisingarizona]

My first edit for the season. Please watch in the HD format, thanks!

 

[chrsdipietro94@]

Tunes, Footage Composition... A+ Awesome!! Watched it twice. 1 for me. 1 for my wife. Thanks for posting.

Edit: The POV chase cam and POV stuff in the trees is amazing, great combination of POV and face forward wide shots. Looking forward to part 2.