Sunrise Park Resort
- 2 Fixed Quad
- 2 Fixed Triple
- 1 Fixed Double
- 2 Surface lift
Sunrise Park Resort is an alpine ski resort located near Greer, Arizona. The resort consists of three mountains named Sunrise Peak, Cyclone Circle, and Apache Peak. Situated on the Colorado Plateau and perched atop the White Mountains in eastern Arizona. The base of the resort sits at 9,200 feet (2,800 m) and the tallest mountain, Apache Peak, tops out at an elevation of 11,100 feet (3,400 m) above sea level. The ski slopes spread across the 3 peaks and cover 1,200 acres (4.9 km), making it the largest ski resort in Arizona.
Ownership and location
Sunrise Park Resort is owned and operated by the White Mountain Apache Tribe, and is located on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. The resort is a year-round recreation destination and offers a wide range of outdoor activities.
Sunrise Park Resort is a popular regional destination and is approximately 216 miles (348 km) from Phoenix, Arizona, 231 miles (372 km) from Tucson, Arizona, 223 miles (359 km) from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and 324 miles (521 km) from El Paso, Texas. The closest airports are located in Springerville, Arizona, Show Low, Arizona, and Whiteriver, Arizona.
Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Sunrise Park Resort has a warm-summer mediterranean continental climate, abbreviated "Dsb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded at Sunrise Park Resort was 86 °F (30.0 °C) on June 27, 2002 and June 20, 2016, while the coldest temperature recorded was −26 °F (−32.2 °C) on January 4, 1972.
| Climate data for Sunrise Park Resort, Arizona, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1971–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 62 (17) |
62 (17) |
65 (18) |
70 (21) |
75 (24) |
86 (30) |
85 (29) |
83 (28) |
82 (28) |
75 (24) |
67 (19) |
64 (18) |
86 (30) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 53.5 (11.9) |
53.4 (11.9) |
57.6 (14.2) |
62.9 (17.2) |
69.4 (20.8) |
79.4 (26.3) |
78.1 (25.6) |
76.1 (24.5) |
73.4 (23.0) |
68.6 (20.3) |
60.3 (15.7) |
55.3 (12.9) |
81.7 (27.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 42.1 (5.6) |
41.8 (5.4) |
46.0 (7.8) |
53.0 (11.7) |
61.8 (16.6) |
71.2 (21.8) |
71.4 (21.9) |
69.8 (21.0) |
67.4 (19.7) |
59.8 (15.4) |
51.2 (10.7) |
42.2 (5.7) |
56.5 (13.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 26.7 (−2.9) |
28.4 (−2.0) |
33.3 (0.7) |
39.2 (4.0) |
46.5 (8.1) |
54.1 (12.3) |
57.7 (14.3) |
56.2 (13.4) |
52.4 (11.3) |
43.3 (6.3) |
35.9 (2.2) |
28.2 (−2.1) |
41.8 (5.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 11.2 (−11.6) |
14.9 (−9.5) |
20.6 (−6.3) |
25.4 (−3.7) |
31.1 (−0.5) |
37.0 (2.8) |
44.0 (6.7) |
42.6 (5.9) |
37.4 (3.0) |
26.8 (−2.9) |
20.6 (−6.3) |
14.1 (−9.9) |
27.1 (−2.7) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −9.2 (−22.9) |
−5.7 (−20.9) |
2.3 (−16.5) |
9.1 (−12.7) |
16.6 (−8.6) |
25.3 (−3.7) |
35.1 (1.7) |
34.2 (1.2) |
25.5 (−3.6) |
17.0 (−8.3) |
4.5 (−15.3) |
−7.5 (−21.9) |
−13.0 (−25.0) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −26 (−32) |
−20 (−29) |
−16 (−27) |
−9 (−23) |
0 (−18) |
14 (−10) |
20 (−7) |
21 (−6) |
12 (−11) |
−5 (−21) |
−16 (−27) |
−20 (−29) |
−26 (−32) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.02 (51) |
2.76 (70) |
2.30 (58) |
0.95 (24) |
0.73 (19) |
0.87 (22) |
4.65 (118) |
3.96 (101) |
2.33 (59) |
1.59 (40) |
1.67 (42) |
2.85 (72) |
26.68 (676) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 25.8 (66) |
35.8 (91) |
22.0 (56) |
2.3 (5.8) |
1.3 (3.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
3.1 (7.9) |
6.7 (17) |
31.8 (81) |
128.8 (328) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 18.1 (46) |
32.9 (84) |
25.3 (64) |
11.2 (28) |
0.6 (1.5) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.0 (2.5) |
4.4 (11) |
14.8 (38) |
28.8 (73) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 4.9 | 6.4 | 5.2 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 12.7 | 11.7 | 7.7 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 7.2 | 69.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 5.2 | 6.7 | 5.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 6.1 | 27.7 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Winter
The ski season at Sunrise Park Resort usually runs from Thanksgiving through the end of March. During the winter, the resort's three mountains offer alpine skiing. Night skiing is offered around Christmas and on holiday weekends in January and February. There is also a snowboard terrain park, separate cross-country skiing area, and a snow tubing hill.
Ski bikes
Ski biking (also known as Skibobbing) is a bicycle-like frame with skis instead of wheels. The sport is offered for beginners and experienced individuals at Sunrise. They offer both lessons and rentals for ski biking and the lift system allows for ski bikers to ride the lift up the mountain. First-time ski bike riders at Sunrise require a safety certification by the ski bike staff prior to loading the lifts, regardless of their experience or personal equipment to ensure the safety of themselves and other visitors.
Lessons and rentals
Sunrise offers rentals of skis, snowboards, boots, poles, and winter clothing for all sizes and all ages at the rental shop at the base of Sunrise Peak. Ski School is offered for all ages and allows first-time skiers or snowboarders to learn in a group setting or one-on-one with an instructor. Some lessons are offered for a half-day and others are an entire day. Sunrise also offers improvement lessons for experienced skiers or snowboarders to improve their skills.
Mountain statistics
Elevation
The ski area consists of three peaks:
- Sunrise Peak (elevation 10,700')
- Apache Peak (elevation 11,000')
- Base: 9,200 feet (2,800 m)
- Summit: 11,000 feet (3,400 m)
- Vertical drop: 1,800 feet (2nd highest in Arizona)
- Cyclone Circle (elevation 10,700')
Trails
The trails on the mountain have some sort of theme, such as Native American and Western names.
- Skiable area: 1,200 acres (4.9 km)
- 67 trails
Beginner – 31 trails (46%)
Intermediate – 19 trails (28%)
Advanced/Expert – 14 trails (21%)- Advanced/Expert – 3 trails (4%)
- Longest trail – "Lonestar" 2.75 miles (4.43 km)
Lifts
| Lift | Lift Name | Capacity | Length (feet) |
Vertical (feet) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunrise High-Speed | High-Speed Quad | 6800 | 1400 |
| 2 | Pony | Fixed Double | 295 | 50 |
| 3 | Rustler | Fixed Quad | 3950 | 875 |
| 4 | Fort Apache | Fixed Triple | 5180 | 620 |
| 5 | Geronimo | Fixed Triple | 4505 | 1000 |
| 6 | Cyclone (removed in 2017) | Fixed Triple | 8000 | 1165 |
| 7 | Eagle Feather (Closed) | Fixed Triple | 4000 | 690 |
| 8 | Spirit Ridge | Fixed Quad | 3900 | 550 |
| Beginner Surface Lift | Single Surface Lift | 300 | 42 | |
| Cyclone Cord | Swiss Cord Surface Lift | 650 | 50 |
- 8 Total operational lifts
- Uphill Capacity – 16,000 skiers per hour
Summer
The summer season at Sunrise Park Resort usually runs from Memorial Day weekend through September or October, depending on weather and other factors. Sunrise offers several summer activities, including downhill mountain biking, scenic chairlift rides, a zip line course, a tubing hill, a rock climbing wall, hiking, and 3D archery.
Mountain bike trails
There are 22 mountain bike trails, and an array of side trails. The trail system is primarily located on Sunrise Peak, with one trail (Ba'cho) traveling over to Apache Peak and Cyclone Circle. All trails converge at the base of Sunrise Peak, where riders can load on the Sunrise Express (Lift 1, high-speed quad) or the Spirit Ridge (Lift 8, fixed grip quad lift) to access the trails.
- Easy – 6 trails (27%)
- Intermediate – 3 trails (14%)
- Difficult – 8 trails (36%)
- Expert – 5 trails (23%)
Images
Winter Images
-
View of the Sunrise High-Speed Quad at the top of Sunrise Peak (10,700') -
High-Speed Quad chairlift on Sunrise Peak. -
Triple chairlift on Apache Peak. -
View from mid-mountain Sunrise Peak looking north. Volcanic cinder cones can be seen in the distance. -
Out of bounds area -
Moguls run -
Cyclone Peak
Summer images
-
New Dual Slalom downhill mountain biking course added in the summer of 2022 -
Downhill mountain biking at Sunrise -
A platform along the zip line course at Sunrise -
Scenic chairlift riders on the Sunrise High-Speed Quad in the summer -
The rock climbing wall at the base of Sunrise -
Sunrise holds a 3D Archery competition around the Fourth of July weekend every year
Trivia
- Sunrise Park Resort is Arizona's largest ski resort and Summer outdoor adventure park.
- Sunrise Park Resort has been in operation since 1970.
- One of Arizona's highest peaks, Mount Baldy, can be seen from Sunrise.
- Sunrise Park Resort currently offers the only lift-served downhill mountain biking available in Arizona.
- Sunrise Park Resort is home to Arizona's longest zip line with their tandem Apache High Flyer, measuring over 2300'.
See also
References
- ^ "Trails and Camera".
- ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Flagstaff". National Weather Service. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Sunrise MTN, AZ". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
- ^ "Day Passes". Sunrise Park Resort. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
- ^ "Downhill Mountain Biking".
External links
