Arizona Snow Play
Arizona has always lacked a managed snow play area. In the past, when the snow first flies in Flagstaff, everyone in Phoenix would hop in the car and sled any place they could find, even some downright dangerous spots on Interstate overpasses.
After a year of work, we have opened the Wing Mountain Snow Play Area, just north of Flagstaff, Arizona. We have a huge, managed parking lot, portable bathrooms, and concessions which include hot chocolate and sled sales. If you live in Arizona, come and visit us this winter.
Update: I think the season is going well, and we have good snow. We had an enormous number of visitors on Christmas day, more than we could ever have predicted, and I apologize if anyone was not able to get in and play. However, that day was an anomaly, and most days we have plenty of space to park and play.
To the bathroom question, we only just got the permit to run this facility from the US Forest Service a few weeks ago, so yes the bathrooms are just porta-john types. Once we have a little time with the facility, we will work for a more permanent solution. However, last year before we took over the facility there was only Mother Nature.
dearieme:
Your "portable bathrooms" are presumably what we in Britain call "Portaloos". (We thereby abuse a trademark, though.) I rather like the word, for all its air of being an ancient naval command.
December 22, 2006, 10:47 amBobH:
I think the most common term in the US is "porta-potty" -- which may also be a trademark.
December 22, 2006, 12:00 pmRay G:
Why yes I do live in Phoenix, and that sounds like a hoot (not a trademarked term). Bit of a discount if we mention the Coyote blog? I have lots of friends who ski/board/sled. . . .
December 22, 2006, 12:56 pmRay G:
I should ammend that last comment so as not to look cheap. Such a place cannot be expensive, and looking to get a discount on reasonable things is technically cheap.
Reading the comment several hours removed, I thought I sounded like a chisel. . .
December 22, 2006, 8:11 pmDan:
Congrats, Coyote. I've wondered all my life why there wasn't such a thing. (Liability usually topped the list.) And now I know the guy who's doing it! Too bad I'm 2 states away, with convenient Cascade Concrete to sled on.
December 22, 2006, 9:25 pm