Flagstaff, Arizona. January 24-30th

February 15, 2021 Adrian

It was snowing when we arrived in Flagstaff. Really snowing! We could not wait to get out into it and took a hike along the Arizona Trail just off of Walnut Canyon before we even got into town. We had a great time looking for clues in the fresh snow to determine which way we should go but checked into our Airbnb safely before dark.

It continued to snow in Flagstaff…really snow! So much so that we didn’t think it was safe to go out for several days. Finally, we ventured out to sled down a hill at a local park, snowshoe on some nearby trails, and drive up the mountain to the Snowbowl to watch the sunset. Flagstaff sees about 100 inches of snow per year, but even locals were shocked. We ended the trip with a just beautiful hike up the side of the volcanic mount Elden called Fat Mans Loop. We hiked under the watchful gaze of very old alligator junipers and like the “Fat Man” squeezed between large boulders on the trail.

Flagstaff had a great energy, with everyone out enjoying the snow in local parks. But as in most circumstances, dogs were having the best time. A favorite memory was watching a pair of furry friends diving over and over into the knee-deep snow drifts. This was happening in the course of chasing “impossible to find” balls thrown by their owners on a never-ending rotation. That kind of joy was infectious, and it seemed everyone in Flagstaff had a smile, especially the pups.