Even though the snow is gone and the birds are chirping, the Arizona Snowbowl is still open to welcome in the summer season.

Starting on Memorial Day, the Arizona Snowbowl, north of Flagstaff, began its warm outdoor season with a number of events and activities planned.

Its major attraction is the Scenic Chairlift Ride. Soaring above the forest, surrounded by ancient volcanoes and looking out from the highest point in the region, the summer season for the chairlift began at 10 a.m., May 25. With panoramic views from Sedona’s red rocks to the Grand Canyon and the above-ground ammunition bunkers at Camp Navajo, the lift carries families, vacationers and sweethearts to Arizona’s only arctic alpine tundra at 11,500 feet — above the ancient bristlecone pines which appear to grow sideways from windy, icy winters.

“With the abundant moisture we experienced this winter, we are seeing nature respond with lush green grasses and ferns. The deer are starting to come out and the wildflowers will be in bloom soon,” said Ksenia Hartl, a marketing representative of the Arizona Snowbowl.

The chairlift gains 2,000 feet in elevation and is 6,400 feet long, and at the top of the chairlift, an interpretive ranger greets visitors and shares information about the area and wildlife during their Snowbowl Ranger Talks. The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service Interpretive Partnership is a team of nine rangers, mostly retired volunteers, who will teach visitors about the flora, fauna, history and geology of the San Francisco Peaks.

For the full story, please see the Wednesday, June 5, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.