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Hike to the top of Arizona's highest peak. Experience this winter wonderland while snowshoeing your way to the top.
The hike starts right at the Arizona Snowbowl, which is also a great place to ski. The ski area doesn't open until 9am so if you arrive before that, you won't have any trouble parking. If you arrive after 9, you may have to park at the bottom of the mountain near US-180 and ride the shuttle. It can be a bit of a pain and takes around 20 minutes.
Although the group ahead of us kept their snowshoes on and had little trouble, I felt a lot more sure footed throwing my crampons on. The wind also starts to blow during this section, so have something to cover your face. It wasn't too bad, but the conditions drastically changed as soon as we left the cover of the trees. We went from hiking in a t-shirt in the warm sun, to a puff jacket and beanie with our faces covered. Around 12,000 feet, near the intersection of Humphreys Trail and Weatherford Trail (which heads South towards Agassiz Peak) the trail levels off again and the snow is softer. We switched back to snowshoes for the last mile as it gradually gains the last 600 or so feet. The wind continued to blow harder but there is very little threat of slipping and falling on this section. This was the only part of the trail we noticed trail markers. You will go over two false summits before you reach Humphreys Peak, but they are fairly obvious.
The views on this section of the trail make the entire hike worth it. You can see the entire flagstaff area and the amazing difference in the Arizona landscape. It's breath taking to look off towards the Grand Canyon and see the beautiful reds and oranges of the desert landscape transform into the evergreens and snow white covered peaks. Once you reach the peak, it is big enough to take shelter from the wind no matter which way it is blowing. The wind was blowing out of the west/NW on this day and it looks to be the norm based on the snow drifts.
Enjoy your time on the summit, take a bunch of pictures and head back down the same way you came up. The entire hike took us just under 8 hours, and we were very slowly making our way up. One group finished in 5 and half hours, so it just depends on how hard you push. The area is also great for back country skiing if you are looking for a new area. There are plenty of open sections to ski, as well as great tree skiing. The Humphreys Trail is 4.5 miles long from trailhead to summit, but during the winter you can make that distance a little shorter.
After this nice challenging hike, reward yourself with a cold beer. Flagstaff has no shortage of breweries and great food. We stopped in at The State Bar located on Route 66 right downtown. The bar offers an Arizona only beer and wine selection. Great atmosphere and great beer to relax after the hike.
For the summer hike, check out Hike to Humphreys Peak Summit.
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