SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — This week’s “chilly” weather at the WM Phoenix Open puts the metro’s typically balmy climate into perspective. While those who normally partake in the 16th hole chaos often don little more than a tank top, shorts and flip-flops, this week’s rain and cooler temps have brought out winter gear, with some wearing puffy coats and ski hats to watch the world’s best players.
But at its core, the popular event is known for sunshine and blue skies, giving many from around the nation — and the world — the impression that Arizona is wall-to-wall saguaros and overwhelming heat. The Grand Canyon State, however, boasts one of the country’s most intriguing and diverse ecosystems.
For example, while players were starting the first round at TPC Scottsdale on Thursday, students in the mountain town of Flagstaff just 140 or so miles to the north were enjoying their second straight snow day after a series of storms rolled through.
This got us thinking: Could we get up to Flagstaff’s ski area, Arizona Snowbowl, and get back in time to see some afternoon action at the WMPO? We decided to give it a shot.
Here’s how the day unfolded:
4:30 a.m.: Start in Gilbert, pass TPC Scottsdale
For years, the ride from Phoenix to Flagstaff meant trudging through the city proper and spiking north on I-17, which is an erratic road traversing multiple mountain ranges and valleys.
I lived here in the 1990s and into the aughts when there was no beltway to speak of. Now, the ride from the suburbs completely skirts the city and from my buddy’s house in the southeastern suburb of Gilbert, Waze steers you up through Scottsdale and right past the Open grounds. Even though I was whizzing by at 4:49 a.m., the signage was bright, guiding patrons to the various lots.
When upwards of 200,000 people are heading to a golf tournament for the day, parking becomes a major priority.
5:02 a.m.: Onto I-17, leave Phoenix
A little backstory: When I worked at the Flagstaff newspaper (the Arizona Daily Sun) decades ago, a few of the students at Northern Arizona University mentioned “double ski day,” when they would hit the slopes for the morning, then drive down the mountain and water ski in the afternoon. That thought had been festering in my brain long after I left the state — and was the genesis of this journey.
When I hit the intersection of 101 and Interstate 17 north of Phoenix, the temperature had already dipped a few degrees to 46 (according to my rental), and I knew this was going to be a battle since things typically get cooler from there.
And if the whipping winds and wild hills just north of Phoenix weren’t enough to signify I was about to endure an intense experience, passing the highway sign for “Bloody Basin Road” clinched the deal.
6:14 a.m.: Pass Sedona and the snow starts
Drive from Gilbert to Flagstaff (on Thursday) was an interesting one. pic.twitter.com/vtk02sXYY9
— Tim Schmitt (@TMSGolfweek) February 9, 2024
After coming off the Bradshaw Mountains, (past the always intriguing Arcosanti) and down through the valley that houses Sedona, the I-17 starts climbing again at a quicker pace. By the time I got to Stoneman Lake Road, the roads had a smattering of fluffy white snow and the winds were easing it back and forth along the pavement.
With so many tourists flowing through the region (many making the trek to the Grand Canyon), you see a ton of out-of-state plates and those folks are frequently petrified of driving in the snow. That means a long line of cars in the right lane, often lined behind a snowplow. White-knuckle time.
7:06 a.m.: Arrive in Flagstaff, grab a coffee and talk with Jake
By the time I got into town, the tables outside my favorite coffee shop, Macy’s, were covered with about two feet of snow. The downtown was like a snow globe by the time I arrived, quiet and pristine.
I drove a few blocks north of downtown to the house of my old friend and Arizona Daily Sun photographer Jake Bacon, who gave me a little insight. For the record, I went up Bacon’s road but he told me I couldn’t go down the same way because I wouldn’t be able to stop on the ice. Right after we filmed this short video, a truck honked as it screamed by, sliding on the glassy road.
My old buddy Jake Bacon from the @AZDailySun talks about Flagstaff weather. pic.twitter.com/wFBtK5duVJ
— Tim Schmitt (@TMSGolfweek) February 10, 2024
8:49 a.m.: Arrive at Snowbowl, hit the slopes
Drive up to Snowbowl was busy. pic.twitter.com/E8bJc2GgkC
— Tim Schmitt (@TMSGolfweek) February 10, 2024
Since school was called off, families were out en masse (gotta find some way to keep the kids occupied) causing a traffic jam heading up the mountain. It’s about seven miles off the main road up to the lodge and the lines were heavy for both rentals and tickets. The season might be a little shorter in Flagstaff than at major Colorado resorts or even those back East, but when the white stuff starts falling, business is booming.
This employee explained:
Employee at Snowbowl. "This doesn't happen every day, but this is typical." pic.twitter.com/vLhpdOQXKZ
— Tim Schmitt (@TMSGolfweek) February 10, 2024
11:21 a.m.: Last run, head out of town
With the snow coming down harder and harder with each run, the powder was fresh and fluffy on a perfect day. Snowbowl has a 2,300-foot vertical, which puts it on par with, say, Arapahoe Basin just outside Denver.
Perfect powder. pic.twitter.com/pfZ3U3nz9e
— Tim Schmitt (@TMSGolfweek) February 10, 2024
After I made a fool of myself, falling multiple times on a handful of runs in picture-perfect conditions, I dropped off the rental skis and headed back to watch the end of the first day of play at TPC Scottsdale. A little more time on the mountain would have been great, but I was on a quest to get back before play finished.
1:04 p.m.: More snow on the way down
If the ride up was exhilarating, the ride back was downright terrifying. The snow was really coming down for the first 30 miles as I left Flagstaff, and a few cars slid off the highway and into the median. I was lucky enough to have a four-wheel drive truck, but many of the smaller vehicles I passed were clearly having trouble navigating the snow and ice. Apparently, this road was closed soon after I passed through.
Here's one of the cars that slid off the highway. pic.twitter.com/KeeK9ByGrc
— Tim Schmitt (@TMSGolfweek) February 10, 2024
The ride back to @tpcscottsdale was even hairier. pic.twitter.com/OCYBdMpPgc
— Tim Schmitt (@TMSGolfweek) February 10, 2024
4:02 p.m.: Arrive back at TPC Scottsdale just as play restarts
With rain wreaking havoc on the opening round of play, I had a little extra time to get back into the Scottsdale area and still watch the end of the day’s action.
Photographer Cheryl Evans of the Arizona Republic was standing at the side of the 16th green and took this video just moments before the horn sounded to restart play. Here are my thoughts on the day:
And finally. Back to 16. Thanks for following along. pic.twitter.com/UgKaPZU2eq
— Tim Schmitt (@TMSGolfweek) February 10, 2024
