Arizona: A little bit of Heaven in Hell

If someone were to ask you, “What’s the first thing that comes to mind about Arizona?” Do you immediately think, dead, desert, dry, barren, HOT, not for me? If the answer is yes, I hate to tell you but you are soooo wrong! Arizona has so much to offer that it’s like a cornucopia for the senses. A true oasis in the desert! Don’t believe me?  Take a look!

Endless Blue Skies and Tons of Sunshine!

Arizona’s lowest elevation runs from about 72 feet above sea level at the Colorado River, on the Sonoran border in San Luis, Arizona, to its highest elevation at Humphrey’s Peak located near Flagstaff at 12,633 feet above sea level. That’s a lot of distance which translates into a lot of diversity. The one thing that we have A LOT of is endless blue sky and tons of sunshine. In fact, Arizona has more total hours of sunshine and clear days than any other state. That is how Phoenix, the capital of Arizona and a very flat region located between several surrounding mountain ranges (making it one of the lowest places in Arizona), deservingly earned its nickname as the “Valley of the Sun”. Those of us who live in the Phoenix metro area lovingly refer to it as simply ‘The Valley’. If you find yourself deficient in vitamin D, or just love the sun and warm weather like I do, then Arizona is where you need to be.

If you live in the valley there are basically two seasons: Sublime and Scorching! So in the throes of summer, when the pavement is sizzling and your car gets so hot you can bake cookies in it while you are at work, (real fresh baked cookie air freshener anyone..?) where do we all go? Why to the surrounding mountains of Flagstaff, Payson, Mount Lemmon, and the red-rock country of Sedona of course, where the temperatures are always cooler. We also travel to the many picturesque lakes nestled between Arizona’s several mountain ranges for a boat ride or a swim to cool off in beautiful refreshing waters. Don’t worry, you only need to seek refuge from the dog days of summer for about 4 to 5 months before you get to enjoy glorious days and refreshing nights

Pick your Poison!

While others are bracing themselves mentally and physically for the colder temperatures starting around October and lasting through to about April, we gear up for our perfect time of the year. This is what Arizonians live for! Truly, ask anyone and they will tell you. So… pick your poison. Seven months of perfect weather or seven months of cold and snow?

Now, if you are like my husband who loves snow and cold weather, worry not. Many of the mountain ranges, especially those cutting across the northern half of the state in the Mogollon Rim, receive plenty of snow. If you are a skier then hit the slopes at Snow Bowl in Flagstaff, Sunrise Park in Greer, or Mount Lemmon Ski Valley. Yep, that’s right… ski resorts in the desert. It’s a beautiful thing when you can be sipping hot chocolate in the morning, while bundled to the gills knee deep in the snow, and in shorts and a T-shirt grilling in your back yard that evening.

Snow Bowl Ski Resort- Flagstaff

This is just a snap shot of the diverse climate and landscape as well as the plethora of activities that await within a few hours’ drive. Day trips throughout the state provide quick getaways to temporarily slip away from reality and ease the mind, with little to no packing or preparing required. It’s a luxury my family and I take advantage of whenever we can!

Stay tuned for the upcoming posts which will reveal additional secrets of how we navigate the weather and adapt our activities throughout the year.