FLAGSTAFF, AZ (AZFamily) — The San Francisco Peaks have a light dusting of snow, and Arizona Snowbowl turned on its snowmakers for the first time this season this week.
Snow is holding on the west side of the mountain, while the more sunny, south-facing side has a light dusting left.
Residents welcome the snow
Vanessa Miller has lived in Flagstaff for two decades. She said the snow-covered peaks are a welcome sight.
“It’s such a great feeling when you can start to feel the change in the air and the weather is coming,” she said. “It’s exciting to know that we’re going to get a good wet winter.”
People are bracing for an extra wet winter because of a strong El Niño building in the Pacific.
Businesses prepare for the season
Matt Schmidgall is the owner of Ski Haus, a local ski and snowboard rental shop. The shop is restocking shelves and getting rental gear ready as it gears up for Snowbowl to open.
“Just looking up at the peaks this very moment, and it’s white capped and beautiful,” Schmidgall said. “You know the monsoons have been kind of what everybody has predicted. That would lead into a super El Niño.”
Schmidgall said they made do, but the last two winters have been hard with low snow.
“It affects everybody,” he said. “You know, tourism is going to be done if we don’t have good snowfall and then obviously we are very heavy on rentals and the daily packages for those coming up.”
Low-snow years also hurt the local economy. Snow play activities like sledding, skiing or visiting to play in the snow bring in almost $20 million to the Flagstaff economy during an average year.
Schmidgall said they’re hopeful for this winter season, and the best way tourists can help is by shopping local.
“If you’re not from here, come check out our little mountain town and go to the mom and pops,” he said. “Go to the … more local establishments.”
Those looking for a backdrop with snow can travel west on Highway 180 or north on 89A to the sides of the peaks that get less sunlight.
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